In internet marketing, the origin of the “Content is King” mantra is highly contested: should it be attributed to tech visionary, Bill Gates, or entertainment mogul, Sumner Redstone?
While we’re at it, we might as well give credit where credit is due: Redstone for coining the buzz phrase first, and Gates for highlighting it in a 1996 essay he penned about how content will dominate the internet.
They were both right. But that’s beside the point of affirming the value of content marketing to your business. When done effectively, content marketing can help you drive more traffic and engage your audience on a deeper level, building relationships through trust and authority.
Unfortunately, many traditional marketing practitioners still resort to so-called “old school zombie tactics,” which involves creating content that has little value and relevance, and relies heavily on keyword stuffing. Google doesn’t look too kindly on these practices, so it’s best to do the “right” thing if you want your content to effectively support your brand’s marketing efforts.
Which Content Types Stand Out?
Since content marketing is by and large a medium of communication, whereby the end goal is to influence your audience to complete an action, you’ll likely be appreciated for sharing anything that:
Entertains. Entertaining content tends to be underrated, as it’s perceived to be impractical or even irrelevant. The truth is, entertaining content makes your message more appealing to users. Not just because it makes your content fun to consume, but also because it makes your brand more relatable. I’m sure we all know that all work and no play makes Jack bored and likely to move on.
Educates. Content that provides consumers with practical information that addresses an issue or concept belongs to this category. Generally speaking, educational content is related to the particular industry that a brand operates in. The value lies in building a name for your brand and enhancing your brand identity as an authority in your niche.
Inspires. To create inspirational content, you can showcase stories that chronicle the success of your brand or highlight your corporate values in a way that touches on human interest and emotion. You can also choose to include those traditional motivational quotes over black-and-white photos in the mix. As clichéd as they are, they can work wonders when it comes to striking an emotional chord.
Initiates conversions. The more people talk about your brand, the more relevant it’ll become. Content that initiates conversations can be as simple as asking your audience a relevant question. You can also surf the wave of popular culture to get your brand’s name out there. Talking about Taylor Swift or Pokemon Go may be considered a shameless tactic, but it works to get eyes on your content. Finally, you can create content that’s provocative. Controversial content is always more like to inspire conversation because everyone loves a good squabble.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/10-content-types-dri...
Pierre is a content strategist at Spirayltics, a full-service digital marketing agency based in Manila, Philippines. He's worked with a number of clients from operating in industries ranging from business process outsourcing, InfoTech, and lead generation, to HR, SaaS, and consumer goods. He has a strong passion for all things sales and marketing-related and is on a mission to change the world, one piece of content at a time.