Exploring Different Types of Content
What types of content marketing deliver the best results and ROI (return on investment) for your business? From blogs and case studies to videos and social media posts, content marketing includes a wide range of different formats.
But which content formats are the most effective for local, service-based businesses like contractors? Below, we’ll discuss the six most common types of content and how you can use them to improve and optimize your marketing strategy for maximum results.
The Importance of Content Marketing
Content marketing is the practice of creating relevant pieces of content for a target audience and then posting them online. The purpose of content marketing is to increase brand awareness, provide valuable, educational, and entertaining information, drive organic search traffic, and generate revenue.
More companies are realizing the value and benefits a strong and successful content marketing strategy can deliver, with 80% of global marketers agreeing that their content strategy was “very successful.”
In light of this, it’s no surprise that almost half of the world’s digital marketers plan to increase their content marketing budgets in 2023.
However, you can’t just generate content without rhyme or reason and hope to see results. Keep reading as we discuss the most common types of content marketing formats and how they can benefit your business in today’s hyper-competitive online marketplace.
6 of the Most Common Types of Content Formats for Marketing Strategies
1. Videos
Videos claim the top spot as the most popular and effective form of content marketing. Let the evidence speak for itself:
- Adding videos to your landing pages could boost conversions by up to 86%.
- When learning about products or services, 69% of consumers prefer video over text.
- The average user will spend 88% more time on a website with video content.
- Content marketing strategies with video content capture up to 83% more qualified leads annually.
- Video content marketing can increase organic search traffic by 157%.
Some examples of video content include:
- Demonstration and explainer videos
- Branding videos (i.e., About Us, Our Values, etc.)
- Interviews with experts
- Customer testimonials
- How-to or educational videos
- Live videos
For example, you may want to use video content marketing on your website to introduce your company and its values. Or, consider posting customer testimonials or review videos.
2. Blog Posts
Generating and posting high-quality, relevant, and helpful blog content should be a fundamental aspect of your content marketing strategy.
Blog posts increase awareness, drive traffic, contribute to SEO (search engine optimization), provide value to your readers, and establish your “brand personality.”
Consider utilizing long-form or pillar content, and don’t forget to implement strategies like keyword research. If you’re drawing a blank on topics, check out posts from your top competitors, browse through comments on other posts, or use tools like Google’s “People Also Ask” box.
3. Social Media Posts
Some of the best content marketing comes from social media.
In today’s digital age, your company must establish a solid presence on social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
Plus, these platforms let you diversify content across images, text, short-form videos, interactive content, etc.
Even better, social media marketing is an easy way to drive users to your landing pages and website, increasing visibility and boosting conversion rates.
4. Case Studies
The primary goal of marketing is to show leads and potential customers that your business is the best answer to their problems or pain points.
Therefore, you’ll need solid evidence showing why you’re an expert in your field and that your company provides the best, most effective solution to your customers’ problems. Enter case studies.
Case studies are long-form content pieces providing real-life scenarios in which your company was able to help customers solve problems.
For example, maybe your HVAC services improved a client’s energy efficiency by 30% and lowered their energy bills by $50 per month.
Include hard evidence, statistics, or data when possible, create a cohesive narrative, and be sure to demonstrate how your company solved the customer’s problem and benefited their life.
5. User-generated Content
Including user-generated content in your overall marketing strategy is another excellent way to maximize results and campaign performance.
For example, customer reviews and testimonials are highly effective for establishing trust, credibility, and expertise for your business and building a positive reputation within your service area.
When potential leads can read reviews or watch testimonial videos from your past customers, they feel more confident in the value and quality of your services.
For example, you may want customers to upload videos showing off the work you completed for them onto your social media pages or website.
Or, ask customers to write a review of your business on Google, Trustpilot, your website, etc., which boosts your reputation and builds a solid foundation of trust and authority.
6. Checklists
If there’s one thing people love, it’s having a step-by-step list or guide explaining how to solve a problem or complete a task.
You can add checklists to your blog posts, social media content, etc., with helpful, in-depth information on topics like “How to clear a drain,” “How to winterize your air conditioner,” and the like. Be sure to include the following:
- A clear, descriptive title explaining the topic
- Step-by-step guidelines that describe how to complete the task at hand
- Important considerations (i.e., expert tips, tricks, etc.)
- Visual content as an aid (i.e., photos, short-form videos)
Grow Your Business With a Strong Content Marketing Strategy
By integrating videos, blogs, case studies, and other types of content marketing formats into your campaign strategies, you can drive more traffic, improve lead generation, and boost conversions.
However, most contractors don’t have the time or experience that marketing optimization requires. Fortunately, you’ve got a team of industry experts ready to help.
At Contractor Growth Network, we work exclusively with contractors, and our proven techniques have helped dozens of clients reach over a million dollars in annual revenue.
Call Contractor Growth Network now at (980) 449-4384 to schedule a call with our team of marketing professionals.
