Below is a list of content marketing examples
While most do involve writing, for those who hate to write, there are other ways to communicate, including infographics, videos, podcasts and memes, which are graphical interpretations that we see a lot on social media.
1. Listicles. Nothing new here, but we love listicles because they’re so easy to scan and access. A quick glance and you know if you want to read more or move on.
2. Ebooks. Ebooks are long-form content, available as PDF downloads or in HTML format. A great format for sharing your knowledge and expertise on a given topic. Ebooks have a number of benefits, including lead generation, establishing authority, growing email lists, and beefing up your overall content offering. Host your ebook on your website. Ask for email addresses in exchange for downloading the ebook. An ebook should be low promo, high quality. Think authoritative and solutions-focused.
3. Infographics. Infographics have become very popular because people love the graphic format. I’ve seen so many infographics that try to present too much information that they really fail their missions. Infographics often are presenting statistics, research, and other data to make them more engaging, but the reality is that they try to present too much information and they’re difficult to interpret.
I just read that infographics are shared three times more often than other content types on social media, so they can also help you with your backlink building, as well as growing your audience. Try to think about clarity. Is the font visible against the background? Is it so small that it’s hard to read? In some cases, infographics might be better served by being broken down into two infographics. They’re trying to present too much information. Sit back and take an objective look.
4. How-to guides. Instructional content can explain how to do anything from achieving a task to building a cabin. This type of content shares expertise, builds trust, and grows email lists. This is another situation of trading access for a user’s email address.
5. Checklists. Who doesn’t love free tools? And that’s just what a checklist is all about. Follow this list and you’ll be solving a problem. And there’s the added reward of being able to check something off your list. Think about using an infographic to display your checklist.
6. Case studies. If someone goes to your website, they’re most likely to check out the About page (they’re interested in you) and case studies. This reaffirms my belief that good marketing tells a story. Case studies are an opportunity to showcase your expertise. Show how you helped a client save money, get new clients, grow their business, solve problems, etc. Case studies are much more effective than just describing your services. They’re showcasing your expertise.
7. Testimonials and reviews. These days, we don’t do or buy anything without first checking the reviews. Reviews have long been important, but the Covid lockdown was the genesis for a new wave of online shoppers. We all began looking for previous user experiences before making a purchase. From the restaurants we choose, the movies we watch to clothing, sports events we attend and vacations we take. This also has given rise to the influencermovement. We pay people who have a lot of reviews, likes, endorsements and followings.
8. Influencer marketing. Getting an endorsement from someone with a large online following. According to research, for each dollar you spend on influencer marketing, you generate up to $6.50 for your business. Creating content in partnership with influencers is a great way to make sure your leads convert. If long enough to build a story around, create a blogpost. Otherwise, these make great social media posts.
9. Blogs. Blogs can be short or long and are a great interactive way for customers to communicate with a new potential customer or faithful, loyal customers. They can be in the form of FAQs, and sometimes companies will use blogs to answer customer questions. If there’s a controversial matter, companies can write evergreen content that the audience needs to know about.
10. Long-form content. Long-form content is more than 1,000 words. This data often lives on blogs, articles, and white papers. Long-form content gives readers a more in-depth look at specific insights or goals a company has and has become increasingly important for search engine optimization (SEO).
Long-form content is also a way to share expertise. There’s such an emphasis these days on minimalism. No one wants content on their websites, “no one’s going to read it”. This makes me crazy. Not everyone’s going to read it, but some people who are really interested in your product may want to read it. Don’t insult them by providing a couple of sentences. Provide information that’s comprehensive enough to answer their questions. Frontload information with the most important information in the first paragraph to satisfy the “lite” consumers.
11. Videos. Videos continue to grow in popularity. People spend at least 100 minutes/day watching videos, and 48% of customers rely on videos to reflect their interests. Good video content is more likely to convert and nurture a lead than print.
12. Memes. Time to have a little fun—because that’s why people are on social media sites. Work a few memes into your content strategy--quick posts sharing knowledge on a specific topic in graphic form.
13. Social media posts. Keep posts short and focused on a single topic. Include an image. Decide which channels you can support. Don’t forget hash tags.
14. Podcasts. Keep in mind that the purpose of a podcast is entertainment. Podcast listeners tune in for news updates, current event breakdowns or to learn about a new topic or industry. I listen to a couple of podcasts from lawyers whose opinions I respect. They generally weigh in on some of the rulings that are coming down these days from the lower and supreme courts.
15. Blogs are easy to write and publish. But I’m a writer so of course it’s easy for me. If writing is a struggle for you, this is going to be a slog. The best way to create a regular blog is make a commitment and own it. Every week or every other week, block this out on your calendar. As per one of my pals, “if it hits my calendar, it gets done.” Be thinking about what to write about. An article you read, a webinar you were on, a seminar you attended, industry updates, new products and upgrades. It’s endless.
Remember that people are on social media to have fun so blogs can be funny and irreverent. Shoot for high quality, topical, and relevant. Blogs are easy to share and be shared by search engines, so there’s high value associated with blogs.
16. Blog every few days: Are you kidding me? Blogging best practices calls for posting every few days. Who can write a high-quality blog that often? If you’ve got a team to share blogging responsibilities, perhaps you can meet this kind of timeline. The reality? This is always going to be the lowest priority and other stuff inevitably surfaces. Shoot for once/week. Twice/month is manageable.
- Post your blog every few days.
- Include a call to action.
- Develop an internal linking strategy among blogs and landing pages wherever there is synergy.
- Do keyword research. I use Google’s keyword planner. Work in these words so they’re easy and natural. Use them in your subheads and headings. Do use H1-H3 tags for your headings
These content marketing examples provide a lot of flexibility when developing a content marketing strategy.
Use those formats that fit your skillset and are most appropriate for your business. Contact Top of Mind Marketing to help develop a successful marketing strategy. We’re writers and content marketing specialists.
