Have you ever felt like your job is to just produce one ebook after another? eBooks are great for lead generation and to establish yourself as an authority in your field, but they are just one tool of many that can get you the same results. The next time you’re in an ebook rut, try these 7 content marketing ideas instead to mix it up a bit.
1. Blog Posts
Blog posts are brief, educational pieces of content (between 400 and 800 words) that should live on the blog of your company’s website. As mentioned, blogs should be educational and informative about important topics and trends within your industry, and they should help solve a persona’s pain point. They are not a place to promote your products or services. In addition to setting yourself up as an authoritative figure in your industry, blog are also extremely beneficial when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). By optimizing each post for SEO and posting frequently, you should begin to see an increase in your search rankings.
2. Infographics
We.Love.Infographics…and who doesn’t? Infographics are great for awareness and can simplify content that may be difficult for a visitor to consumer otherwise. In addition, due to the illustrative nature of an infographic, people are much more engaged and consume more of the content than written content. Be mindful, however. While infographics are fantastic for driving people to your site, they are not great drivers for lead generation. Their purpose is to get people engaged and to your site.
3. Case Studies
Before purchasing any type of product or service, most people will do additional research to get user reviews and testimonials on how a product or service works. They want real life examples, rather than content descriptions of the product and services instead. Case studies tend to be formally written and are a way to showcase benefits of your company and how your services worked for a customer. Ensure you are able to interview the company the case study is focused around. It adds more depth to the piece than simply describing a success story.
4. Videos
There’s a reason YouTube is the #2 search engine in the world (second to Google) and it’s because people love video. If a person was given the option to read an article, or watch a video on the same subject, more often than not they’ll choose the video because it’s quick and more engaging. In addition, videos make companies less robotic and more human. The more of a human connection people feel, the more comfortable and likely they are to buy from you. Common uses for videos are visual case studies, expert interviews, and product demos.
5. Slideshare
Slideshare may be the least utilized tool for content marketing and we can’t understand why. Like videos, slideshare is another visual way to show your content. Not only is it useful as a way to establish authority and generate leads, Slideshare is a great way to increase SEO. If you take the time to do extensive keyword research for your presentation, you can increase the odds of getting found in search engines. The tool is very simple to use. We highly recommend you test it out with your audience.
6. Webinars
Webinars are a great way to engage with your audience as you are communicating with them in real time. Hosting a webinar allows you to discuss topics and trends in your industry which increases your reputation within the field. Webinars allow for you to show your expertise while providing information about your product. Answering your audience’s questions live makes them feel like they’re having an actual conversation with you and are building a relationship with you. The more the attendee feels connected to your company, the more likely they’ll be to trust and buy from you.
7. White Papers
You’re probably thinking “aren’t white papers basically the same things as ebooks?” While they are similar, they do have distinct differences. White papers are typically a data-centric, text-heavy, formal read, whereas ebooks are typically broken into smaller chunks, concept-driven, and more casual in tone. White papers can be very useful in establish credibility on a given topic, because a lot of background research and data analysis is typically involved.
With the list above, you should never feel like you’re running out of content marketing ideas again. What other types of content have you found helpful that weren’t included in this list?
This article was syndicated from Business 2 Community: 7 Content Marketing Ideas to Get You Out of an Ebook Rut
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