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Investing in high-quality content is one of the best things you can do for your business in 2023. After all, a well-executed content marketing strategy offers a multitude of benefits.
On its most elementary level, well-made content (be it written, video, or audio) can help boost organic website traffic, permitting you to save on paid advertising. But more importantly, content marketing also comes with more impactful advantages when it comes to the long-term success of your business.
Great content allows you to position your business as an industry authority. It can solve your target audience’s pain points, convincing them of your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness. And, perhaps most importantly, well-made content allows you to guide prospects through their buyer’s journey, helping you convince web visitors to convert more quickly.
But, of course, not all kinds of content were created equal. And although all formats have their role in helping brands achieve their goals, it’s safe to say that some are more effective at doing so than others. So, if you’re looking to invest in marketing tactics guaranteed to deliver returns, here are the types of content you need on your website in 2023 and beyond.
Blog Posts
Blog posts may not seem overly exciting, innovative, or essential — especially when compared to more future-oriented content types. However, the truth is that they’re an absolutely invaluable format of website content.
According to the Semrush Stage of Content Marketing 2022 Global Report, blog posts were the second most effective format allowing marketers to reach their goals in 2021. And it’s no surprise. After all, blog posts are:
- Cheap and easy to produce
- Easy to optimize for SEO and user intent
- Offer priceless opportunities to present your products to website visitors and even create markets for niche solutions that may not attract lots of organic interest
- Re-purposable for social media and other distribution channels
When investing in blog posts, some tactics will allow you to get more bang for your buck. First and foremost, pay attention to the quality, and not just in terms of covering original topics and targeting high-reward keywords. More importantly, do your best that the posts you publish are comprehensive, well-written, and accessible to your target audience. Educate yourself about people’s online reading behaviors and utilize free tools like Readable to improve readability. This will ensure your hard work results in web visitors engaging with your content, not just glancing at it, then going over to one of your competitor’s websites to read about the topic.
Secondly, don’t forget to make your blog posts look good. Adobe’s research discovered that almost 6 in 10 people prefer to consume well-designed content over something plain and simple. That’s why choosing the right images (if possible, stay away from stock photography), fonts, and visuals is an essential step for keeping your audience engaged.
Remember, even a seemingly monotonous blog post — like this guide to mattress sizes and dimensions from Zoma — can be transformed into an engaging and attractive piece of content. All you need to know is the proper content optimization. You can add relevant imagery, employ proper formatting, and organize the information so that it’s presented logically and comprehensively, even for non-experts.
Video
The second type of content you absolutely need to consider adding to your website in 2023 is video. According to Wistia’s 2022 State of Video report, the format has become most internet users’ favorite way to consume information. The survey discovered that video consumption grew by 121% between 2019 and 2021. And even more importantly, Wyzowl found that 73% of consumers prefer to watch a short video to learn about a product or solution (compared to only 11% who would choose a text-based article).
Knowing this data, it’s logical that you should explore ways to add video content to your website in 2023.
For one, you can explore the statistics regarding the types of videos people most engage with to gather ideas on how to incorporate this content format into your marketing strategy.
Secondly, don’t underestimate the value of short-form videos. Yes, a 60-second explainer may not seem that impressive at first glance. But if you consider that 62% of viewers watch a video all the way through if it’s shorter than one minute (and that only 26% of people do the same with long-form videos), then it’s easy to conclude that less is more. Especially if it allows you to get your message across and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
To guarantee that your investment in video results in user web visitor engagement (and conversions), don’t forget to place this content in highly-visible spots on your landing pages. This can be in the first screenful, where your prospects are guaranteed to spend the most time, maximizing their chances of interacting with the content. Or, you can do something similar to Moosend and utilize videos in spots where they can deliver something extra, which images and text alone wouldn’t allow you to achieve.
Podcasts
If you’ve covered video and blog posts and are exploring alternative types of content that will help you attract and engage your target audience, it’s not a bad idea to consider the podcast format.
According to data, podcasts are steadily growing in popularity. Statista discovered that there were 383.7 million podcast listeners worldwide in 2021. Furthermore, research suggests that 28% of Americans are weekly podcast listeners. And finally, 26% of people listen to podcasts while driving, making this a unique content format suited for reaching consumers on the go.
Considering all this, it’s not a bad idea to consider starting your own branded podcast, like ZipRecruiter’s Rise and Grind show hosted by Daymond John. It can be an excellent opportunity to present your audience with unique information, give them valuable insights from industry expert collaborators, and make your brand’s marketing strategy an essential part of their weekly content consumption habits.
If you feel like producing an entire podcast isn’t something you can commit to, you can still employ audio to your advantage. Something simple as transforming text content into audio can be a great way to make it easier for your audience to interact with your content. Check out how they did it on the Washington Post.
Interactive Content
Another excellent way to get more out of your content marketing efforts is to invest in interactive formats. Not just because these types of content drive 52.6% more engagement than their static counterparts. But more importantly, interactive content is a unique way to solve your audience’s pain points and present them with information tailored to their needs.
How you approach the process of producing interactive content is entirely up to you and your marketing budget.
If you’re working with limited resources, the easiest way to include interactive content on your business website is to create relevant quizzes. These can help you capture web visitors’ attention, guide them through the sales funnel, and present them with personalized product recommendations. It’s an excellent strategy, seeing that 62% of people already expect from brands. For inspiration, check out Sephora’s Skincare Routine Quiz, which you can easily recreate with free online tools.
For a slightly more advanced approach, you could also enrich your website with calculators, another instance of interactive content that’s super successful at engaging audiences. This is what Rtings does on its website, allowing web visitors to enter multiple parameters to help them find the perfect TV for their needs.
Lastly, if you have an original idea for how to make your content interactive, don’t be afraid to explore it. Brands like UnscrambleX have found that creating online tools, like their Scrabble Word Finder, allows them to attract customers with a very specific pain point. So, by utilizing interactive content to solve that pain point for them, the brands automatically earn consumer trust and boost their chances of becoming their target audience’s go-to in similar situations.
Long-Form Content
The type of content you should invest in the most in 2023 and beyond largely depends on what you want to achieve. For example, if your goal is to boost organic website traffic, then the best thing is to produce and publish long-form content.
According to an analysis from Backlinko, long-form content is super-successful at attracting website visitors. Apparently, articles:
- Generate 77.2% more backlinks when they’re more than 3000 words long. And,
- Get 56.1% more social shares when they’re between 1k-2k words.
With this in mind, it’s not a bad idea to consider investing in at least a few instances of long-form content for your website in 2023.
For example, knowing that “Guide” and “How-To” articles attract 1.5x to 3x more organic traffic, consider making these formats a cornerstone of your marketing strategy.
E-commerce brands like Medical Alert Buyers Guide do this particularly well, creating in-depth handbooks to help consumers make the best purchasing decision possible. But what separates great guides and how-tos from those that are just average is attention to detail and commitment to user satisfaction.
So, instead of just listing a bunch of products that you want your prospects to buy, see whether there are ways you can provide them with information that will make a genuine difference to their overall experience. The abovementioned brand does this by adding several product comparison tables, FAQ sections, and resources into the post, making it a valuable source of information for its target audience.
Or, if you’re looking for long-form content that will serve your prospects populating the middle stages of the sales funnel, compose in-depth product reviews. As resources meant to inform web visitors about everything they need to know about a particular solution (before investing in it), in-depth product reviews are a great way to position your business as trustworthy and credible (provided that you’re truthful).
If you decide to invest in this content format, you need to go a step beyond all of your competitors — who are likely producing the same type of article as we speak. Try to present as much valuable information as possible. Give your objective opinion on whether the product you’re reviewing is worth your prospects’ money. And don’t forget to enrich your reviews with original visuals.
For SaaS products, in-app screenshots like the ones used on DreamGrow are a great choice. Or, if you’re reviewing physical products, make sure you shoot your own product photos/videos, which will give your readers an unedited glimpse into how the item looks and performs in real life.
Finally, if your content marketing goal is not just to generate traffic and guide prospects through the sales funnel but to capture leads as well, don’t forget about the potential of gated resources.
Data reports, whitepapers, and ebooks are all excellent instances of long-form content for you to invest in. They can provide your audience with value while allowing you to turn web visitors into potential customers.
Social Proof
Lastly, don’t forget to make social proof a key component of your content marketing strategy. You’re probably already aware that most consumers read online reviews before buying a product. But did you know that 70% of people don’t trust businesses with an average rating lower than four stars? That’s right, being able to prove that you can meet your customers’ needs is more important than ever. With this in mind, look for advanced ways to employ social proof on your website.
By creating content that combines the power of the written word with social proof, you can effectively describe to your prospects what you bring to the table. Case studies, like the ones on ShipBob, are an excellent strategy for helping potential customers see the value you can deliver. Plus, seeing that they discuss real-life outcomes, case studies are a great way to say that you’ve successfully delivered results in the past and can do it again in the future.
It’s also not a bad idea to let your happy customers take the mic. Especially as 72% of consumers believe that reviews and testimonials submitted by customers are more credible than when brands talk about their products.
Try to include UGC and customer story videos in your content marketing strategy, as they’ll allow you to diversify your content. Plus, if you combine them with stats about the results you’ve achieved in the past, these instances of customer-submitted commentary can add a dose of authenticity to your claims. Naturally, this will improve your chances of converting website visitors into buyers. For a great example, take a look at FE International.
Final Thoughts
Investing in content marketing is one of the best decisions you can make if you’re looking to boost your brand’s chances of success. And, with the six content formats discussed in this guide, you’re sure to hit the jackpot.
Of course, there’s always room for experimentation. So don’t be afraid to try out your unique approach to content marketing. Who knows, perhaps it’ll deliver better results for your particular needs. But, if you want the biggest bang for your buck, try not to ignore these formats. They make up the perfect foundation for a solid, dependable, and fully optimized content strategy.
