We are a world of content lovers. Whether it’s a viral TikTok trend, a podcast featuring our favourite celebrities, or a BuzzFeed quiz that feeds into our procrastination, we spend a lot of our time-consuming content.
Because of the level of engagement it drives, content naturally makes for an extremely potent marketing tool. Yes, we would say that as a marketing agency, but it’s true. Research shows that 67% of marketers report content generating leads, while 63% say that it helps build loyalty with existing clients/customers.
We’ve touched upon some popular kinds in general above, but what are the different types of content commonly used in the world of marketing, and how can businesses like yours harness them most effectively?
1. Video
Video is arguably the most dynamic and engaging form of content, and is believed to account for a whopping 82% of all online traffic. No, that isn’t all from TikTok. What’s more, 84% of consumers have been convinced to buy a product or service after watching a video, with 66% preferring to watch something about a product rather than read about it.
There are many types of video businesses can create, from interview and product explanation videos, to explainer and announcement videos. Here at Pitch, we have experience producing all kinds of video content for clients, including educational videos, promo videos and behind-the-scenes videos.
How to make the most of video
- Provide relevant information
- Tell a story — don’t be salesy
- Keep them short, as most people only have a short attention span
- Include a call to action at the end
- Upload video content to sites like YouTube and Vimeo for maximum exposure
2. Interactive events
If there’s one surefire way of engaging your audience, it’s by interacting with them directly. This makes interactive events a highly useful weapon in a brand’s arsenal, and is one of our most favoured marketing tools here at Pitch. From live exercise events to full-on festivals, we are well-versed in creating engaging interactive events for our clients that help them form deeper relationships with their audience.
However, because such events aren’t always possible on a day-to-day basis, online alternatives like webinars can be incredibly useful instead. These still enable brands to interact directly with their audience, but in a more cost-effective and convenient way.
How to make the most of interactive events
- Gamify activities
- Choose an interesting venue to make the event even more memorable
- Get marketing early to build up hype
- Incorporate branded imagery to ensure your brand gets promoted
- Create photo opportunities to help the event gain more traction online
3. Blogs
Written content still has a big place in the marketing world, despite the prevalence of visual mediums. This very article is testament to that! In fact, blogs in particular are the cornerstone of search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts, helping brands to rank on search engine results pages for certain keywords and driving traffic to their websites. Written content is also important for reasons like reputation building, sharing relevant information, and connecting with your audience.
As well as blogs, other types of useful written content for marketing purposes include press releases, case studies, emails and white papers. Pitch’s expert team of creatives can help create and optimise your brand’s written content and help you gain significant traction.
How to make the most of blogs
- Optimise your written content for relevant keywords
- Write for humans, not search engines
- Link to authoritative resources to show Google that you’ve done your research
- Write longer, scannable posts divided into bite-size chunks
- Closely consider technical aspects like the URL, metadata, and HTML tags.
4. Social media
With almost five billion people worldwide using social media (that’s over 60% of the global population), the opportunities for marketing on these platforms are infinite. Enabling you to target your audience directly, quickly and with hyper focus, it’s no wonder that 90% of businesses say social media has helped improve their exposure.
However, in order to harness the power of social media, brands need content to post on it. While social media content does encompass various types of content already discussed, it also has its own unique opportunities like stories, live streams, interactive polls and quizzes.
How to make the most of social media
- Use relevant hashtags
- Explore trending topics
- Add a call to action at the end
- Share your social media posts at optimal times
- Use emojis to help boost engagement
5. User-generated content
User-generated content (UGC) is not only a fantastic way of promoting your brand, but it gives you a level of authenticity no amount of self-promotion can achieve. It offers social proof while encouraging engagement and providing word of mouth traction. Plus, because it’s generated by others, it requires less investment and effort on your part. Who said content marketing had to be taxing?
There are many types of UGC your brand can harness, from getting customers to send in videos of themselves unboxing products, to encouraging them to send in artwork that you then share. With almost half (48%) of consumers stating that UGC is a great way for them to discover new products, this can be an invaluable content marketing tool for your brand.
How to make the most of UGC
- Share it extensively online
- Engage directly with customers who share UGC with you
- Create your own branded hashtags
- Offer rewards for UGC
- Harness the power of influencers for even greater traction
In addition to the content types explored above, other content marketing avenues you might want to consider are podcasts, infographics, testimonials and even viral trends like memes and GIFs.
As a first-class marketing agency experienced in all aspects of content production, Pitch can help you make the most out of these marketing efforts and reach the stars with your content. Check out more of our work here and feel free to get in touch with us to learn more about what we do, or to make an enquiry.
