Content marketing is something that businesses, non-profits, and media outlets should pay attention to, or they will suffer the consequences. I recently had an experience working for a small non-profit client that illustrates this point.

For 15 years, their success came from the wealth of information on their website that educated people about pressing issues and how those issues impact society.

What not to do…

They brought in a new Operations Manager who didn’t know much about content marketing and production, and as a result, the research and writing staff was drastically reduced.

He drastically cut the budget, causing subscribers to leave due to the sudden lack of substance.

The website of the organization is not updated with new content and it continues to lose members. The writers, graphic artist and managing editor have also left the organization. This is due to the organization’s lack of awareness or interest in content marketing.

If a non-profit organization doesn’t have trustworthy and credible online content, potential donors will go to another organization. The same is true for businesses; if potential customers can’t find helpful information about a product or service online, they’ll go to a competitor.

Killer content rules

In the digital marketing space, content is king. This is according to Dan Steiner, CEO of Elite Legal Marketing. He states that there is nothing more important than having great content.

Content marketing is certainly not a new concept, but it is still vital and can be very beneficial if done correctly.

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work for savvy consumers who are used to the internet.

Instead of using the same old techniques, businesses must create unique, high-quality, and authentic content that is useful, captures the interest of their audience, and is entertaining. This content can be in the form of text, video, images, surveys, graphics, webinars, or podcasts but must be attention-grabbing and lead the viewers to take action.

Great content marketing focuses on the customer

According to Shai Aharony, CEO of Reboot Online, content is the most important opportunity to impress the reader with your knowledge, expertise, or ethos.

In recent years, content has dominated the marketing industry because it is still the best way to connect with customers or potential customers, especially online.

Steve Olenski, in an article for Forbes Magazine, stresses the importance of content marketing strategies that focus on the customer rather than the company. He states that content should be created to attract customers rather than interrupt them, and that it should be more about the customer than the company.

Burberry-Martin says that content marketing is different from traditional advertising because it is informative, entertaining, and useful. Additionally, people can choose to access content marketing when they want to, rather than having it forced upon them.

Olenski argues that traditional marketing techniques are becoming increasingly irrelevant as mobile, digital and social media technologies become more prevalent. In the past, advertising was the most important aspect of marketing due to its high cost, but now brands are starting to provide customers with relevant content throughout the entire process from start to finish.

What Kind of Content Works Best and Why?

In a post on Distilled, Hannah Smith talks about the importance of making content that is based on what you want to achieve.

She explains that in order to succeed, most websites will need four key types of content:

1. Content to entertain

The main focus of most content marketing efforts is on being educational and helpful. While this can be a great approach, it can also mean missing out on the opportunity to interact with readers and connect with them on a more personal level.

Funny, shareable content that quickly makes a company seem relatable is often entertaining.

2. Content to educate

Educational content on a website or product is just as effective as content meant to entertain, but it often comes after showing readers why staying is worth their while. Emotional appeals work for content meant to entertain, while educational content uses reasoning instead.

We focus on creating educational content here at Buffer, like the article you’re reading now. Shareability is key for this type of content.

3. Content to inspire

Is inspiring others contagious? It can be if it’s done correctly, if something you publish speaks to so many people that they can’t help but share it.

Inspiration can come in many forms and does not necessarily have to be quotes on a picture.

The best kind of inspiration doesn’t come from a textbook or a how-to guide. It comes from learning about the successes and failures of others. Hearing how they overcame their challenges can give you the motivation you need to face your own challenges.

4. Content to convert

This type of content is typically created to encourage readers to take some sort of action, like signing up for a newsletter, taking a free e-course, or buying a product.

6 Types of Content To Experiment With on Your Blog

1. Infographics

This indicates that humans are, by a large majority, visual learners. Studies have shown that a person would retain only 10-20 percent of written or spoken information after three days, but almost 65 percent of visual information.

Other research has shown that using pictures as well as text is 9% more effective in helping people understand something immediately, and 83% more effective when they are asked about it later.

Since readers tend to both enjoy and remember infographics more than other types of content, they are a good option to use for your blog or brand messaging. This is especially true for data-heavy topics or research with a lot of numbers and statistics, which can be difficult to read.

When creating infographics, remember to:

1. Focus on quality and visual appeal: While there are several free tools for creating infographics, if you’re not skilled at the art of visual design or don’t fancy learning now, investing in a professional to create one really great infographic will always trump creating many mediocre ones.

2. Have fresh content: Though it can be tempting to create an infographic from regurgitated research, we suggest you always go for new and fresh ideas that haven’t previously been shared (or shared widely). New research or studies in your industry that haven’t yet been released can be a fantastic way to share new content. You might have some numbers or theories from your own research, too. Or put together findings from companies that aren’t well known. Whichever way you choose to do it, remember to make your infographics fresh, current, and relevant for your readers.

3. Be generous. It can be a little counterproductive to spend time, resources, perhaps even money in creating an infographic only then to keep it exclusive to your own website. By their very nature, infographics are meant to be shared widely, and you’d truly benefit from yours if you make them shareable. A great way to do this is to include the embed code on your website with the infographic, so that for anyone who might want to use it, it’s simply a matter of grabbing it from your website and pasting it on to theirs.

2. Lists

Lists are a effective way to grab people’s attention, especially top 10 lists. This is something that brands and bloggers are only just discovering, but women’s magazines have known for a long time.

Isaac and Schindler found that the vast majority of “top [number]” results on Google end in either zero or five.

The researchers argued that people tend to lump things into round-number groups and view everything outside them as inferior. So, they say, the difference between items ranked No. 10 and No. 11 feels enormous and significant, even if it’s actually quite minimal or unknown.

What does this mean for you?

1. Create lists.
2. Create more lists.
3. Keep creating lists.

3. Case studies and success stories

We’re biologically programmed to love stories, and the benefits of storytelling are clearly proven.

The best kinds of stories almost always follow a three-act structure, a model used in screenwriting that divides a fictional narrative into three parts:

1. The setup: This is where the world is created and the level set for what people are expected to do, be like, and behave like. This act shows what normal life looks like in this world and by the end of act one, something happens to disrupt this normal life and cause our protagonist to jump into action or make a decision.

2. The confrontation: The second act is where our protagonist must find solutions to his or her problems, only to keep finding bigger problems and bigger bottlenecks. The protagonist does not yet have the skills or experience, perhaps even the confidence, to deal with the problems that are thrown in his or her way. In order for the protagonist to succeed, they must learn a new skill, have a new experience, or have a eureka moment that elevates them to the level they need to be in order to make their world right again.

3. The resolution: This is the final act. The story is brought to its most intense moment and the final climax. Victory has arrived, and the protagonist and other characters have a new sense of who they are.

4. How-to guides

If you want to write a how-to guide on your website, make it long. The perfect post is 1,500 words, but the more in-depth you are, the more likely it is to be read and shared.

5. Personal stories

It’s common knowledge that social media is influenced by emotion. Therefore, if you want your content to resonate with your audience, creating content that evokes emotion is a great way to connect with them.

Personal stories come in many shapes and forms:

• Personal essays: Stories told through the lens of an experience you’ve had in your life that taught you something or changed you as a person.
• Opinions/rants: Handle this one with care, but sometimes, going against the grain and taking a stand against a position everyone else is taking can be a good way to get some attention and share your ideas and theories with the rest of the world. A very good example of this is James Altucher, who is known for his controversial ideas on why not to buy a house or invest in your 401k.
• Inspirational tales: Whether yours or someone else’s, the best way to engage emotion is to show or tell someone that touches them deeply. A lot of inspirational stories have a way of doing this. Educating your audience is a fantastic goal. Inspiring them to take action of what you’ve taught them might be an even better one.

7 keys to help your business succeed in content marketing