In our brave new digital world, we all know that shouty sales advertising is over – and that content is the future of marketing. Knowing this is one thing but, knowing what kind of content to create and publish is another kettle of fish. In 2021, not all content is created equal and, in order to consistently produce cracking content, it’s always a good idea to invest in the services of marketing agencies in London. In the meantime, we’ve put together our three top takeaways for those looking for a little content inspiration to improve their brand visibility.
The listicle
Yes, yes, we hate that word as much as you do but, call it what you like, this kind of content is enduringly popular. The listicle (list / article, geddit?) is an easy to digest piece of content which offers a list of information bombs on a certain subject. This can be a list of benefits – for example, if your business builds websites, a list of the benefits of having a professional site for your business. It could also be a list of facts regarding a particular subject – for example, ‘10 things you didn’t know about bagpipes. The beauty of this kind of content is that it provides a quick read which is ideal for those looking to entertain themselves during their daily commute or while waiting in a queue. The listicle is also one of the top types of content which tends to be saved and shared on social media (if you don’t believe us, take a look at Buzzfeed’s super-impressive figures). When putting together a listicle, marketing agencies in London recommend that you strive to come up with some genuinely surprising facts and figures in order to really make your content stand out. Finally, a great listicle shouldn’t take itself too seriously – a healthy dollop of humour goes a long way in making this kind of content a must-share.
Behind the scenes
While this one can be tricky to get right, when it works, it works brilliantly. Have a think about what makes your business unique – is your office a converted lighthouse? Is your Finance Director a semi-professional trombone player? People love to get a sneaky glimpse into the workings of a brand and, starting a behind the scenes blog can really help to reinforce your branding and drum up interest in your company. Weekly content can include employee profiles or the ever popular ‘day in the life’ where you document the day to day activities of a member of staff. This is a great way of getting your whole team involved in creating your content and, not only will this help to increase the profile of your business but, it can also be a great recruitment tool. For added oomph, be sure to share your behind the scenes content far and wide including recruitment platforms such as LinkedIn and, always always engage with followers to encourage feedback. If your employees are shy, this can be created as a simple blog, however, for added impact, video works brilliantly here to give the audience a real look inside your brand.
The How To
This is a great one for those looking to boost their online searchability and get those new visitors to their websites. The beauty of the How To is that it can be written on literally any subject and easily adapted to your brand. In 2021, SEO is all about search intent which involves figuring out whether the searcher is looking for information, intending to buy something or looking for a specific website. With a How To guide, you can incorporate each search intent touchpoint while offering high value content. For a successful How To guide, you need to first thoroughly research the topic (this should be easy if the topic is related to your brand). Next, you’ll want to test-drive your guide by asking a friend or colleague to try it out. To really make this kind of content shine, photographs, videos and / or graphics are an absolute must (‘cos we are living in a visual world and I’m a visual girl). An added benefit of the How To is that it can also be used to gather valuable data from your followers provided that the content is great quality. How’s it done? Simply post a teaser within your social media posts and then offer the guide as a document or ebook in exchange for contact details, which you can then use to grow your contact database.
Conclusion
Coming up with new content for your brand needn’t be a chore but it does take a little time and effort to make it work. Whatever kind of content you decide to go with, you need to keep a few things in mind:
Who’s it for – In order to produce killer content which really resonates, you need to get to know your audience; Who are they? What do they do? What do they want? Creating a profile for your audience is essential in order to figure out what kind of content they’re likely to read and share.
The strategy – It’s not enough to just randomly create pieces of content and then shove them out to the public. In order to be successful, you need to put together a proper strategy for your content marketing. This should include ‘big days’ such as holidays as well as topical subjects.
Leave it to the pros – Great content needs great writing and an epic reach. While it is possible to muddle through with the team you have in-house, for the best results, it’s a good idea to consider hiring a professional marketing agency who will not only be able to provide you with A grade content but will also be best placed to reach the right people in the right place – and at the right time.