Content marketing is a crucial element to master in today’s online world. And with so much competition for users’ attention, it’s important to utilize strategies to make your content stand out from the crowd. But the mistake many new bloggers and content marketers make is that they overthink the content creation process. And in the quest to be original, they seemingly attempt to reinvent the wheel regarding content formats. Such is both unnecessary and often counter-intuitive, especially when there are established formats that have been shown to work time and time again.
There are reasons why certain content formats work online. And the early focus for any marketer should be to master these formats by producing quality content that audiences want to see. Here, we’ll go over four established content types guaranteed to increase traffic and engagement and how to perfect each.
1. Listicles
Some creators snub their noses at listicle content. But there’s a reason why they’re so prevalent. That’s because, for all their naysayers, they work.
It’s important to remember that people consume content online differently than they do off. In particular, they want content that is both skimmable and to the point. Listicles provide just that, and they are often a magnet for clicks. That’s because people know just what to expect from them: easy-to-read, highly skimmable, and fun content.
Tips for Creating Great Listicles:
– Experiment with numbers: Top 10s are the bedrock of listicle content but don’t be afraid to try out other numbers too. But whatever you do, never force another point if it doesn’t belong in the article to reach a certain number.
– Use digits: When it comes to numbering your points and writing your headline, use digits instead of spelled out numbers (i.e., ‘5’ instead of ‘five’). Digits are easy to read, take up fewer characters, and are more eye-catching for web users.
– Play around with the format: Your average listicle consists of an intro followed by several numbered points, which works perfectly fine in most instances. But don’t be afraid to add other subsections that you think readers might find helpful.
2. Comprehensive Long Form Content
There’s a common misconception that the internet favors short-form content, but that isn’t true. Yes, users appreciate simplicity, brevity, and clarity from the blog posts they read, but they also want comprehensiveness. And search engines like Google want to point their users to content that answers all their questions and more.
With more bloggers, small business owners, and content marketers than ever before competing for a place on Google’s front page, new creators need to dig deep on a topic to outdo the competition. That means creating comprehensive long-form content. Indeed, a study by SerpIQ found that, on average, articles that reach the top of search engine results tend to be over 2000 words in length. Furthermore, they also found that longer pieces typically receive far more backlinks and social media shares.
Tips for Creating Great Long Form Content:
– Outdo the competition: In today’s digital world, chances are, any blog topic you go to write about has been written about before. To get seen, you need to be willing to go a step further than everyone else on your chosen topic. Look for points your competitors might have missed on a subject or newer research or studies they haven’t included. When in doubt, add your unique personal nuance or a stance on a topic.
– Make it evergreen: It takes time and effort to research, write, and edit a longer post. The last thing you want is for your article to become irrelevant after a few weeks. As such, it pays to choose evergreen topics (topics that will be relevant for a long time).
– Add visuals: Nothing will put off your audience more than being faced with a large scroll of text. So, add images to break up the monotony and make your content visually appealing.
3. Infographics
Most people are visual learners, and studies [2] show that visual information is retained around 40% better than written or spoken information. So it only makes sense that infographics are a well-liked format.
Infographics are easy to read, great for making sense of vast chunks of info, and are visually appealing. Also, they’re handy if you’re handling a lot of data and statistics. Adding infographics to your blog posts and articles also looks more professional than stock photos. Finally, they’re also a highly sharable medium which is always a bonus.
Tips for Creating Great Infographics
– Use bright colors: The whole point of infographics is that they stand out and are visually appealing. So, use bright colors to catch the eye of scrolling users.
– When in doubt, use an app: Some creators get put off using infographics because they seem difficult to make. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a graphic designer to create them since there are plenty of apps that will make the process easy.
– Use newer research: Users want new and exciting information from their infographics and are unlikely to share or take an interest in graphics that tell them things they already know. So instead, scope out the latest studies and research from your niche or industry and surprise your users with what you find.
4. Expert Roundups
Expert roundups are everything you want from a blog post. They’re easy to make, build massive credibility for all involved, build backlinks, and tend to get shared a ton. Furthermore, they often bring in a lot of traffic for everyone involved.
So, what are expert roundups, and how do you create them?
An expert roundup involves bringing together influencers, bloggers, and professionals within your niche to share their opinions on a topic. That topic might be industry news, advice on a particular subject, or anything else where audiences would be interested in hearing the views of pros. They work so well because each participant is essentially pulling their resources and audiences together. That means traffic and engagement from multiple established sources.
Tips for Creating Great Expert Roundups
– Pick your participants wisely: The more credible your sources, the more popular your post will be. So, always get the best professionals and experts you can.
– Tag people on social media: When you publish your roundup online, be sure to tag the experts involved on social media. Not only will this let audiences know who is involved, but the participants will likely share their content with their followers.
– Use a template: Co-ordinating participants can be challenging, especially if they’re not content creators or marketers. Make life as straightforward as possible for yourself and them by using a Q&A template that lays out precisely what you require from each.