Nov 9, 2023
Driving the right kind of traffic to your website is tough, but a strong content marketing strategy can help. According to an infographic, Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generated 3 times the leads generated by traditional marketing. However, if you don’t have a content marketing strategy in place, don’t worry! In this article, we will define content marketing and go over 15 different content types that you can use to drive traffic to your website and grow your business.
What is Content Marketing?
The Content Marketing Institute defines content marketing as “a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”
Content Creation and distribution can help you attract new leads; it also:
- Encourages engagement
- Increases brand awareness
- Show customers your industry-relevant know-how
- Generates leads
That’s probably why we still hear the phrase “content is king.” However, showing customers the same old content doesn’t excite them; it needs to be fresh. If your content has become stale, why not try a new path to success?
Switch things up with these 15 different content types! By adding these to your marketing mix, you can generate buzz and get new customers excited about your business.
15 Types of Content to Drive Your Marketing Efforts
1. Blogging
How did you find this webpage? Maybe you asked Google a question, clicked on a social media link, or found us through a friend. Either way, it brought you to our blog. Millions of company websites now include a blog page. When combined with search engine optimization (SEO), blog writing is an effective tactic for reeling in quality traffic.
To start, write with your audience in mind. Blog posts help customers realize you have the answers they’re seeking. Use previous customer questions to create a list of blog topics. You can also cover industry trends, company happenings—the potential here is limitless. Used as website content, each of these different types of content can support your on-site SEO. Optimizing your website attracts answer-seeking readers to it. Once they start reading, you can show customers the value and insight your company has to offer.
For each blog article (and the rest of these different content types), try to have a single goal for each post. That way, each piece of content is distinctive and helps achieve your business goals.
By using real-life examples, case studies highlight your product or service’s best benefits.
2. Case Studies
Case studies turn your previous clients into success stories. They also show interested customers how you helped people like them.
By using real-life examples, case studies highlight your product or service’s best benefits. Case studies also:
- Draw readers in by telling them a story
- Help you connect with potential customers
- Show readers your company’s value
- Improve your company’s transparency
Developing brand trust is an essential step for retaining long-term customers. After all, we want to work with brands that are honest and open. By using case studies, you can turn that trust into loyalty to keep existing customers close.
3. Emails
A long list of leads won’t get you very far if you don’t use it. Email marketing campaigns remind people that you’re around. With a single click, they can lead previous website visitors back to your site. Those return visitors might even feel compelled to make a new purchase.
Use emails to inform subscribers of current promotions or your latest company news. You can also send emails about your newest blog posts. Either way, you’re generating return web traffic while offering email exclusives to your subscribers.
4. Checklists
If you’re looking for content that’s short and sweet, checklists are to the point. Adding easy-to-consume content to your checklist can give your overall marketing strategy balance. These lists provide value for your readers by helping them track and achieve their goals.
Most types of content marketing take a while to create. If you don’t have time to write a blog post or case study, add checklists to your marketing plan. Remember to keep your target audience and their questions in mind. As an added kick, checklists are also ideal for printing. If a customer places your list on their refrigerator or cubicle at work, you’re boosting brand awareness offline.
5. White Papers
Unlike short checklists, white papers are long-form pieces of content.
White papers are more data-driven than eBooks and blog posts, and instead of trying to sell, they’re all about persuasion. They present you with an excellent opportunity to show readers your industry know-how. White papers focus on who your customers are and what they need. The data within them shows readers how useful your product or service is at solving their problems.
Once your white paper is ready to go, you can place it on a dedicated landing page and prompt visitors to fill out a form to receive it. With this setup, your white paper is now a lead generator, too.
Get your customers involved! Interviews are a chance for customers to ask all their questions.
6. Interviews
Interviews are a chance to give a face, name, and voice to the company brand. If you’re still looking to mix things up, interviews can work as both videos and blog posts. You can also get your customers involved! Interviews are a chance for your customers to ask you all of their questions. In addition to improving transparency, these can drive engagement, too.
Use social media to announce an upcoming interview and encourage people to send in questions. Then, take it a step further by broadcasting the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram live. Now you’re using different types of content marketing to amplify your marketing efforts and generate a buzz!
7. Social Media
TikTok has 50 million daily active users in the U.S., meaning 19% of American's with mobile internet users log in every day. Add that to the daily users on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube, and chances are your customers are right there, just within your digital reach.
There’s a whole lot you can do with social media marketing. For example, you can share the content mentioned in this article as a graphic or video snippet. Distributing content in this way can attract followers to your website and raise their interest in your business. Since social media posts are easy to share, you’re also potentially reaching your followers’ followers, too!
8. eBooks
After a while, you might feel like you have a novel’s worth of online content. eBooks allow you to bind related content together, so all that valuable info is easy to find. Like white papers, eBooks are also great for generating leads using an embedded form. If designed correctly, an eBook offers convenient, quick access to the information your customers need. They can even download the file and save it for later. That way, customers can reference your content when they need it most.
9. Infographics
Does one of your blog posts seem a little data heavy? Awesome! Spice it up by converting that text into an eye-catching infographic.
Different types of content have different strengths. Infographics draw readers in and give them something to look at. Instead of lengthy paragraphs, keep readers engaged with fun visuals. Make sure to add your branding into the infographic for extra flare!
10. Videos
With Tik Tok as strong as its ever been, Video marketing is continuing its monumental upward trend this year. We’re seeing videos everywhere: landing pages, social media posts, even email signatures.
Additionally, more than 92% of mobile viewers share the videos they watch. That means you can expand your reach with every video. Variety matters! Try mixing up your video content with:
- Vlogs
- Behind the Scenes
- Product Reviews
- Testimonials
- Tutorials
- Interviews
- Product Demonstrations
The style and length you choose is up to you! As you post, you might realize your viewers respond to one type more than the rest. If that’s the case, keep filming. Whether you choose short social media videos or longer productions, this is a chance to let your brand shine in the spotlight.
11. Podcasts
Looking to change it up? Podcasts are perfect for your on-the-go audience. They’re also great content for multi-taskers who want something to listen to while they work. Don’t forget: consistency is key! 60% of marketers create at least one piece of content a day. Regular updates can help you attract subscribers who are eager for more. You might not have time for a daily podcast, but that’s why you have this list of 15 different content types!
If you’re trying to increase engagement, consider adding a poll or questionnaire to your website.
12. Quizzes and Polls
You’ve probably tried a Buzzfeed quiz at least once (it’s okay, we won’t tell). If you’re trying to increase engagement, consider adding a poll or questionnaire to your website or social media. As a bonus, these quizzes can tell you a lot about your customers. You can use this insight as market research to make business decisions, product changes, and even as data in your next blog post.
13. Presentations
Turn your last company presentation into consumable customer content. Presentations are a great way to share your internal strategies with the world. Take a service you provide, the value you offer, and build a beautiful slide deck.
SlideShare is an excellent tool for building presentations and sharing them directly with your B2B network on LinkedIn! People within your network can page through your offerings at their own pace.
14. Landing Pages
Once you have these lead-generating pieces of content marketing ready to go, where do they go?
Landing pages are a great way to display content on your website. Even better, they can help you measure your success. Using page analytics, you can determine which content attracts the most visitors. You can also tell which eBooks and white papers people download most. Once you have this data, you can optimize your content for more focused success in the future.
15. Company Updates
Have something to share? If you’ve hired an addition to the team or won an award, that’s news-worthy information!
Keeping customers up-to-date with company happenings can improve transparency while boosting trust and interest in your company. For company updates to work best, try to keep them on a regular schedule. Whether it’s weekly, monthly, or quarterly, a quick update can remind customers you’re relevant (and around). You can even use these updates as part of an email campaign or on social media with a link back to your website to drive traffic.
If You Build It They Will Come
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Whether you own a small company or lead a marketing team, Fable Heart Media can help you achieve your business goals. Our process focuses on driving measurable growth and obtaining results. Of course, we love creating beautiful websites and writing awesome blogs, but for us, nothing tops the feeling of seeing our customers grow online due to our partnership.
We Help You Achieve Measurable Growth
We are Fable Heart Media, a digital marketing agency in Jacksonville, FL, that focuses on driving measurable growth and obtaining results for our clients. Whether you own a small company or lead a marketing team, our team can help you achieve your business goals. We love creating stunning websites and writing awesome blogs, but for us, nothing tops the feeling of watching our clients grow online due to our marketing partnership.