Content marketing is the creation of information and content and how this can be shared across different materials and formats, such as videos, blog and social media. The main idea is to entertain or inform the audience, whilst delivering a business goal. Here is an example of some of the variety of content marketing that is used across different businesses:
- Blogging
- Video
- Podcasting
- Infographics
- Visual content
- E-books
- Newspapers
- Presentations
- Quizzes’/tools
- Checklists
- Courses
- Webinars
- Free apps
- Social media posts
When thinking of content marketing, the two most popular ways, which have grown hugely, are blogging and podcasts. The statistics for blogging have increased globally, but in the U.S. the number of bloggers between 2014-2020 increased by 10 million!! Similarly, the global growth for podcasting is expected to increase by 31% for 2028. With huge markets like these, is it understandable how content marketing has become so varied and can appeal to larger audiences.
Here is a more in depth look at some of the most popular types of content marketing:
Blogging
After being around for such a long time, blogging still accounts for a large percentage of the content marketing that is out there. With most blogs being written about products or services relating to a business, it is easy to see the results made from creating the blog and why they are so popular. Alongside this, blogs also carry a non-expensive price tag – ideal for small businesses or those on a tight budget. You can find free options or choose platforms to post your blog that you know will reach a much larger audience.
Blogs are also a great form of content marketing to use whether your business is small or large. If you have a small business and you begin posting a blog, this will entice the following you are looking for or alternatively, if you are an established business, the personal touch of a blog will add a genuine nature to your business and show your audience you are a trustworthy brand.
Social Media
Like blogging, social media is also huge in the content marketing industry. There are now so many different channels to engage with your audience, and this element does set social media apart from other types of marketing. By creating a social media post, the ideal result is to be seen and engage with your audience with an almost instant reaction or feedback from them.
Like blogging, this is also does not take much funding, unless you are looking to push this further and track your results and analytics. By tracking the results on your social media content, you will be able to see what is working and generating the most traffic to your site.
Podcasts
With podcasts, the initial cost of equipment and set up is a little more to take on than blogging but the potential audience for this could be huge. It is important to plan what you are going to say in your podcast to make sure it is not just ‘off the cuff’ and meets the reason of why you are doing the podcast. After all, the main aim of the podcast is to raise awareness of your brand and target those areas that are harder to reach with other types of content marketing.
Like with social media, there are lots of celebrities who have also joined the world of podcasting as a way of creating a relationship with their fan, just like businesses can do with clients. Podcasts can be found on many popular apps like iTunes, Spotify, and many radios stations and websites. They are convenient for people to listen to on the move, and they can do this at any time.
Conclusion
Whichever type of content marketing you choose for your business, remember you need to create a clear and well-documented plan. When creating your content marketing strategy, you should:
- Consider who your target audience is
- Define your brands identity
- Understand your buyers’ journey
- Know the benefits of your products and services
- Identify measurable goals
- Create an action plan
Creating a content marketing strategy sounds like a daunting task, however if it’s done right, there is no reason why you shouldn’t start seeing some immediate results!
