Content marketing is a marketing strategy that utilizes content creation to provide value to an audience. Using tools, like blogs, videos and emails, a business can offer relevant information to their target consumers and establish themselves as credible thought leaders in their industry.
There are various forms of content marketing to choose from Instead of trying to master them all, find the ones that make sense for your brand, and invest your time and resources in those. Here are 10 content marketing methods to choose from.
Blogs
Blogging is perhaps the most commonly used content marketing strategy that businesses of all sizes use to attract their audience. Maintaining a blog increases your likelihood of developing strong relationships with your readers, which can result in increasingly profitable customer actions.
Blogging is also a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise to your audience. A consistent blog presence and regular publishing schedule will attract a wide audience and also increase your organic search visibility.
[Read: How to Write Great Content for Your Website]
Infographics
Infographics organize information, such as statistics and facts, into a visual format that is easy to read and understand. The text is often organized into individual blocks in an infographic, perhaps accompanied by small icons, or other images to complement the written information. An infographic content marketing strategy paired with a blog or other written outlet can be highly beneficial.
Videos
Youtube has over 2 billion active users, according to Global Media Insight, which makes video content one of the most effective ways to reach and engage with your audience.
Recorded content such as how-to videos and product demos are two of the most popular types of video content.
Videos also encourage visitors to spend time on your page. If a viewer extracts something valuable from one of your videos, they’re likely to remain on your website or refer back to it for more information in the future.
Emails
According to HubSpot, email campaigns are one of the most effective forms of content marketing, with 64% of small businesses using email to reach customers.
However, constantly bombarding your subscribers with email ads won’t be as effective as providing informative content.
Your marketing emails should consist of the following:
- Subject line. This should be concise and compelling.
- Image. Include at least one engaging image in each email.
- Body paragraph. The body of your email should be informative and should not exceed 200 words.
- Call to action (CTA). Encourage your reader to proceed in a specific direction, such as visiting a website, taking a survey, or making a purchase.
[Read: Content Marketing Best Practices For Businesses]
Studies have shown that the amount of views on content with relevant images is about 94% higher than the amount of views on content without images.
E-books and white papers
Long-form content is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and industry expertise to your audience.
Since e-books or white papers typically require users to provide some information, such as an email address, before they can be downloaded, this also benefits your email marketing strategy. However, you must give your audience a reason to make the effort.
The important thing to remember is that your e-book or white paper is not an ad for your business or service. By giving customers a thorough examination of your industry and providing valuable takeaways, you will continue to gain and retain subscribers.
Social media posts
With over 3.6 billion people using social media in 2020 and a projected 4.41 billion by 2025, according to Statista, social media has become a remarkably effective marketing tool.
When using social media for marketing, consider your audience and what they’d like to see from your brand. For instance, if you’re an interior design company, you might consider sharing tips on your Instagram story about decorating a space. If you're a local bakery, perhaps, you can share details about an upcoming event at your store on your Facebook page or share a recipe and cooking video on your TikTok.
User-generated content
User-generated content is a great content marketing tool, as it includes texts, videos, photos, reviews, and other forms of content that other people (typically customers) create, rather than the brand itself. A company simply has to repost or share the content and allow it to speak for itself.
For example, if a customer posts a photo of themselves wearing a dress from a local boutique, that store can then share the photo on their own social media accounts to market their clothing. Not only does this market your products, but it also highlights positive reviews from actual customers.
[Read: How to Build a Small Business Content Strategy]
Podcasts
Podcasting is a popular form of content marketing, as almost 60% of consumers listened to podcasts in 2021, according to Statista. Whether you choose to pursue audio-only or video podcasts, sharing your industry experience and insight through this medium can convert listeners into loyal customers.
Today’s consumers like to know who they’re doing business with, and podcasting can help listeners feel more connected to your brand. Additionally, podcasts allow for creativity and access to other thought leaders in your industry. You can invite guests, network, and discuss important and relevant issues during your episodes. Consider opening up the podcast to your audience by allowing them to send in questions or request topics for episodes.
How-to guides or educational materials
Creating how-to guides for consumers is a great way to build trust with your audience. Providing valuable content at no cost increases your exposure and increases your chances of turning leads into customers. Your audience might come to you for the free information, but they’ll likely stay for further expertise and offerings.
You can create short videos or written guides and share them on your website and social media platforms. For instance, Instagram allows for carousel posts through which you can share step-by-step how-tos on topics that are relevant to your audience.
Paid ads
Investing in paid ads to work in tandem with other content marketing strategies is a great way to get your content in front of the right people. Paid ads help you reach a broader audience, and you can share them on social media, landing pages, banners, sponsored content, and more.
You can also, consider investing in influencer marketing, which is a form of paid advertising that uses influencers (public figures with niche followings, typically on social media) to promote a product or service. Influencers tend to have loyal and trusting followers who value their recommendations. By partnering with an influencer, you can gain more exposure and boost your sales organically.
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