Written, Audio, or Visual: What Type of Content Should Your Business Create?
PHOTO: Shutterstock Content marketing has moved far beyond just blog posts, and today’s most successful brands are producing a variety of content to stand out from the crowd. According to a recent report by HubSpot , video has become the most commonly used content format, and Google’s algorithms are starting to favor images, voice and podcasts as well. With this in mind, we’ve asked marketing experts which types of content brands should create and how they can formulate an effective content strategy. Every Type of Content Has Advantages “There are tons of benefits to creating each type of content,” said Casey Crane, SEO content manager at The SSL Store . That’s why many marketing teams — especially at B2B brands — have started producing content in a variety of formats over the past few years. Here’s a breakdown of the main advantages for written, audio and video content for B2B brands. Written Content Is Informative Zev Brodsky, content marketing manager at Perimeter 81 , believes written content is the best medium for quick and informative content. “Articles allow readers to quickly skim the content and find the information they are seeking,” he said. But the quality of writing is critical, and the best writers guide readers with clear headings and subheadings to make content easier to skim. “Written content is super important for SEO and can help you rank higher in search results, which in turn gives you more website traffic and brand awareness,” added Thiago Neres, product marketing manager at Vendasta . While audio and video content can also impact SEO, these mediums are not as straightforward for marketing teams to incorporate into their SEO strategies. Related Article: How to Use Intent Data for Content Marketing Audio Content Is More Personal “With audio content or podcasts, the content is communicated directly to the listeners,” Brodsky said. By presenting this information verbally, it’s much more personal for listeners and much different from reading. Moreover, the podcast host can bring their own personality into the mix and create a unique experience for the brand’s audience. Neres also said audio “is perfect for people who like multitasking, as people can listen to an audiobook or podcast while they’re working out, doing home chores, or driving.” If a brand’s target audience is business professionals or consumers that are very busy, producing more audio content could make sense. Visual Content Is Highly Compelling “People always can relate to brands by their visuals, your branding is how people will remember your business,” Brodsky said. That’s why he believes consistently publishing visual content is crucial for creating a brand image in the mind of your target audience. Having a strong visual identity that frequently appears in your audiences social media feeds, for example, creates a higher chance of them visiting your company website. Visual content, however, isn’t just great for brand awareness. “Video works really well for demos and how-to guides,” Neres added, “depending on what your video is about, sometimes it’s easier to show […]
