Beyond Blogging: 6 Types of Content to Incorporate into Your Marketing in 2017

Content was king of marketing in 2016 and will undoubtedly keep the crown in 2017. With businesses and brands continuing to invest more heavily in content, the competition is at an all-time high. To stand out from the sea of content being created daily, you need to produce what we call “10x” content, meaning content that’s 10 times better than your competitors’. Blog content will always be a pillar of content marketing. But, there are many other types of content you can and should be developing in addition to blog articles. The key is to tailor the length, message, and delivery of each piece of content you create to the medium you are using and to the audience you want to reach. Here are 6 types of content to consider bringing into your 2017 content marketing strategy, with a few examples of each.

1. Short Form Video

Video is by far the fastest-growing medium in content marketing. Cisco’s Visual Networking Index shows that video is expected to account for a whopping 80 percent of all consumer Internet traffic by 2019. The great thing about video is that it’s getting easier and more affordable to produce quality content, especially for short-form, smartphone-friendly uses such as Snapchat and Facebook.

Short-Form Videos We Love

2. Infographics

According to MassPlanner, infographics receive 3x more social media engagement (likes and shares) than any other type of content. To the same tune, Unbounce reports that the demand for infographics has increased 800{97c8730f160c9e508a01140589a480dbe349ea76f955e52d069352d0f8092e99} in the past year. Infographics are by no means an emerging form of content, but they continue to hold their value thanks to the increasingly “show and tell” nature of content marketing.

Infographics We Love

3. Instagram Photography

Professional-looking imagery will help your brand stand out across the board, but Instagram is far and away the online capital of photography. Instagram’s 500 million-plus users share more than 95 million photos and videos per day, and brands are taking note. In 2017, the number of brands on Instagram is expected to rise from just under 50 percent to more than 70 percent.

Brand Instagram Feeds We Love

4. Animated Graphics

Everyone enjoys a good GIF, which is why Instagram’s Boomerang app has become so popular. You’ve seen Boomerang videos—they’re those 1-second videos that loop over and over. They’re super fun and easy to make. Pair Boomerang videos with well-thought-out photography, and your brand can build a solid following on Instagram.

Animated Advertising We Love

5. SlideShare Presentations

For business-to-business marketers, SlideShare is one of the best places to share information, whether it’s company news, a product launch, or thought leadership. 80 percent of SlideShare traffic comes directly from online searches, meaning your presentations serve an SEO purpose in addition to building brand equity.

SlideShare Presentations We Love

6. Mobile Apps

Just like video, app development is becoming more affordable and accessible. This has allowed for mobile apps to be more specific and timely. We’re seeing apps for special events, causes, fundraisers, and other timely uses. The reason apps are so effective for reaching an audience is because the future of marketing is on mobile. According to Marketing Land, mobile advertising will represent 72 percent of U.S. digital ad spending by 2019.

Brand Apps We Love

Let’s Create 10x Content Together

Between the rejuvenation of a new year and the inspiration in this article, at this point, you’re probably motivated to take your content marketing to the next level in 2017. Let Raindrop Marketing help you create both a content marketing strategy and the subsequent content you need to educate, engage, and inform your audience. Browse our portfolio and drop us a line! By: Adam Wagner