Content that captivates your audience and compels them to share it across many different channels is the goal of every business. Gone are the days of simple and straightforward advertising being the end all/be all. Content strategy that involves blogging is undoubtedly essential. In fact, company websites with active blogs have 97% more inbound links than websites without blogs (Source: Hubspot). Clearly, having a blog as part of your content strategy IS key to industry relevance.
However, here’s a truth you can’t afford to miss: counting ONLY on a blog as your primary source of content won’t cut the mustard. According to mediakix.com, there are over 440 million blogs in the world today. Chances are good that included among them are many of your competitors. Rather than try to compete in the blogosphere alone, a brand must blast interesting content across various channels to be considered an industry leader. Content promotion services can be a wonderful tool as you seek to promote your brand across different formats.
So, what are some alternative methods of sharing content that will engage a target audience? The list only stops where your creativity does, but here are some tried and true ideas to get you started.
Method #1: Videos
Videos are powerful because of their ability to elicit an emotional response in a short period of time. The visual and musical elements of a film, as well as the script, should be well thought out and directed toward a specific audience for a specific purpose. They should get to the point in no more than a couple of minutes and should spark the desired emotion (excitement, hope, sadness, anger … anything that prompts viewers to take action). Videos are most powerful if the viewer is compelled to share them across social media. YouTube and Vimeo appeal to a massive audience and should be utilized as such. Content promotion services encourage these channels as these posts can easily go viral.
Method #2: Images
Visual content is KING. A whopping 66% of all social media posts are or include images (Source: Content Marketing Institute). Photos, graphics, infographics, memes, cartoons, and other visual content are more engaging, attractive, and simply more shareable! They help to build brand awareness through characterization and personalization. They skyrocket engagement of a target audience when effectively promoted. Instagram, Pinterest, and Slide Share are three platforms that rely primarily on visual content and are a stellar avenue to optimize a brand’s visual content. Bonus: when an image is optimized with title tags and meta descriptions, it becomes even more accessible in SEO.
Method #3: Podcasts
Podcasts are only growing in popularity. Sure, their audiences are relatively small, but the minimal effort and cost required to create a podcast in your niche may prove to be well worth the effort. Podcast listeners seek out content in a particular field and are therefore a relevant audience from the get-go. Reaching a target audience has never been easier! Podcasts are a stepping stone on the path to becoming an industry leader.
Method #4: Webinars
Nothing says expert like creating a content-rich webinar. Without sounding gimmicky, webinars establish you as a thought leader in your field and increase confidence in your brand. Like other videos (but much more detailed and lengthy), webinars serve to inform, connect, and engage with a target audience, prompting them to take action (ideally with your brand). They are simple, low-cost, and can connect with customers on all stages of the sales funnel.
All things considered, never underestimate the power of a well written, content-rich blog. When blogs are frequently and consistently posted, their value to a business cannot be overstated. Well-managed blogs increase SEO, maximize customer confidence, and build brand loyalty and engagement. Rather than considering a blog the source of content marketing, consider it a piece of the puzzle that builds your content strategy. Used in combination with other content formats, your brand will be effectively promoted across multiple channels and will result in increased SEO, increased visibility, and will ultimately drive up clicks and/or sales.
Author Bio:
Brittany Reeves is a freelance writer and content promotion consultant based in Seattle, WA. She specializes in content promotion services and marketing for both B2B and B2C. She graduated college in 2010 with an MBA with a concentration in marketing and enjoys putting her expertise to work in her own business while helping other businesses succeed.