7 Types of Content Marketing Every Company Should Know (+Examples)
by Eliza Spain on May 03, 2023
Are you tired of creating content that doesn't resonate with your audience?
Do you feel like you're constantly throwing content out into the void without real impact?
Fear not—content marketing can be a game-changer for businesses looking to boost their online presence and connect with their audience.
In this blog post, we'll share seven real-life examples of successful content marketing campaigns that you can use to inspire your content strategy.
These examples prove that with the right approach, content marketing can be a powerful tool for creating brand awareness, building trust with buyers, and increasing revenue.
So, let's dive in and explore the possibilities of content marketing.
Content Marketing for Driving Sales and Success
Using content is a practical approach to explaining your services and engaging with your target audience. By providing valuable tips and information, you can guide customers through what to do before, during, and after using your services.
Recent HubSpot research reveals that 45% of consumers spend an hour or more per week watching video content on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. This demonstrates the growing popularity and effectiveness of video as a marketing tool.
When you consider that 65% of people are visual learners, 90% of information that comes to the brain is visual, and presentations with visual aids are 43% more persuasive, it makes sense to use content types that people have an innate psychological resonance with.
Neil Patel
[Source]
In general, we’ve found seven types of content marketing (in both written and video format) that are most likely to bring in revenue and get you the sales and marketing results you want.
We’ve also found that these types of content can shorten the sales cycle. It allows prospects to navigate your services and get to know your company.
Therefore building trust and allowing the buyer to have all the information necessary before purchasing.
The seven types of content marketing that will deliver marketing and sales results include:
- FAQs: Address common questions about a product or service and provide helpful information.
- Employee Feature: A great way to introduce your team to potential customers.
- Showcase Products and Services: Help educate your target audience about your offerings and discover who is/is not the right fit.
- Landing Page Content: Designed to drive conversions by providing information and setting expectations.
- Cost or Pricing Information: Includes information on the pricing structure and factors affecting the cost of your service.
- Success Stories: Show how your services have been effective for customers in the real world, establishing proof and validation.
- Support Claims About a Product or Service: Be authentic in your statements about your identity and the products or services you offer.
Let’s explore the types of content and how you can use them in your content marketing strategy.
We also list some great examples of businesses doing this on our websites to help guide you.
1. FAQs
To create effective FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) for your website, you should consider including information about your product or service, installation process, shipping and returns policies, payment methods, account information, privacy and security policies, and other relevant information.
Answering the top 5-10 most common questions salespeople get asked is a good place to start for FAQs.
Written FAQs can be published on your website or in blog posts, while video FAQs can be created and shared on websites, social media platforms, YouTube, or directly with prospects.
Both formats effectively provide helpful information to your audience and can increase customer trust and satisfaction.
Videos are great for answering all your potential customers' inquiries and concerns, including those about components, issues, expenses, and comparisons.
2. Employee Feature
Employee feature content can provide a behind-the-scenes look at your company and its employees, allowing customers to get to know you better.
It can also showcase the skills and experience of the team members and build trust with potential customers.
Written content can be an "About Us" page on your website, while video content can be shared on social media and your website.
On our Meet Our Crew page, Modgility does a great job of highlighting our team of skilled professionals who are dedicated to delivering top-notch workmanship and exceptional customer service.
They each have dedicated bios that showcase their experiences, expertise, and personalities.
3. Showcase Products and Services
Showcasing your products and services through diverse content marketing strategies is key to engaging and attracting your audience. Utilize blog posts to provide in-depth reviews and insights, establishing your expertise and driving traffic to your site.
Share high-quality images and videos on social media to highlight your offerings and foster visually interactive community interaction.
Use platforms like YouTube and Instagram to create engaging videos demonstrating product features and benefits.
Related: Mastering Social Media: Tips for Companies
Simplify complex product information with infographics, making it easily digestible and shareable. Send email newsletters with updates, exclusive offers, and detailed product highlights to nurture leads and keep your brand top-of-mind.
Offer ebooks and white papers that delve into your products' benefits and use cases, capturing leads through valuable, in-depth content.
Use blog posts to discuss industry trends and how your products solve specific problems, reaching audiences who prefer visual content and building loyalty through expert discussions.
Integrating these content types ensures a comprehensive approach to effectively showcase your products and services.
Video content that effectively communicates the value proposition of your products or services can be product demonstrations, customer testimonials, or explainer videos.
You can increase customer interest and improve conversions by providing helpful information about your products and services.
Written content can be blog posts, landing pages, or product descriptions on your website.
Companies like Modgility can do a great job of showcasing the products' features and benefits in a more immersive and memorable way than traditional text-based marketing.
4. Landing Page Content
Landing page videos are powerful tools for alleviating potential customers' fears and concerns and building trust in your brand.
These videos allow visitors to experience your message with minimal effort, making it easier to see the value in sharing their information with your company.
Written landing page content can include clear value propositions, product benefits, and testimonials.
Adding text around why a prospective customer should fill out your form will help build trust and hopefully remove any doubts they may have about giving their information.
Providing an excellent example of how the content used on your landing page can help convert visitors into opportunities.
5. Cost or Pricing Information
Providing pricing or cost information can help potential customers make informed decisions.
Written pricing content can be included on product pages or blog posts, while video content can consist of explainer videos.
Being open about pricing can establish trust and credibility with your audience, ultimately leading to more conversions.
Incorporating pricing and cost information on a website can offer advantages such as transparency, efficiency, a competitive edge, and attracting more qualified opportunities.
Related: The Hidden Cost of Inbound Marketing: What Every Business Needs to Know
If you’re worried about displaying your pricing on your website because of competition, competitors will likely already understand your pricing structure.
On the other hand, customers may be deterred if you don't openly discuss pricing and will go looking elsewhere.
Your services will likely be customized to some extent, so you must be willing to discuss the factors that affect cost openly.
Businesses can help customers determine the cost of a new service without any guesswork by providing comprehensive information on the expected expenses for any product.
6. Success Stories
Customer success videos can provide social proof and build trust with potential customers. These videos showcase customer success stories or testimonials, highlighting how your product or service has helped others.
By seeing how your offerings have benefited real customers, potential customers are more likely to trust and engage with your business.
By exhibiting their brand personality and values, companies can establish a deeper connection with their audience.
They can prioritize transparency, authenticity, and helpfulness in their content, which enables them to cultivate customer relationships and foster referrals.
Take a look at what some of our customers have to say.
George Panstares
President, MRG Exams
"The development that we've taken on has helped my business become more efficient, more profitable, and it's been a great partnership."
7. Support Claims About a Product or Service
Supporting the claims you make about your product or service, rather than simply stating them, strengthens a company's commitment to its customers.
This is an essential part of a company’s content marketing strategy, as it showcases the brand’s values, capabilities, and promises, providing tangible evidence to support its claims.
Using videos to support their claims about their services and products helps businesses give potential customers a better understanding of what to expect when working with them.
It allows them to showcase their expertise and build trust with their audience, ultimately leading to more conversions and business growth.
Tips for an Effective Content Marketing Strategy
Now that we've covered some key concepts related to content marketing, such as the importance of pricing and cost content, as well as the effectiveness of social proof and "proof of claims" videos, it's time to explore how you can get started with your own content marketing strategy.
Whether you're just starting or looking to revamp your existing strategy, there are several steps you can take to ensure that your content resonates with your target audience, drives engagement, and, ultimately, generates opportunities and sales.
We'll provide practical tips and best practices to help you develop and implement an effective content marketing plan.
As we've discussed, content marketing is crucial to any successful marketing strategy. It allows businesses to meaningfully engage with their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales.
If you're new to content marketing, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.
We've put together some basic steps to help you start your content marketing journey:
- Define your target audience: Who are you trying to reach with your content? What are their pain points, interests, and needs? By understanding your target audience, you can create content that speaks directly to them and addresses their unique challenges.
- Set your goals: What do you want to achieve with your content marketing strategy? Are you looking to shorten the sales cycle, generate more opportunities, or increase sales? Once you've identified your goals, you can create a strategy that aligns with those objectives.
- Choose your content types: You can create many different types and formats of content, including blog posts, videos, infographics, whitepapers, and more. Consider which types of content will be most effective in reaching your target audience and achieving your goals.
- Develop a content calendar: A content calendar is a schedule of when and where you'll publish your content. By planning out your content in advance, you can ensure that you're consistently posting high-quality content that resonates with your target audience.
- Have someone own content: An in-house content manager who owns content creation is essential for content marketing. They develop and implement a strategy that reflects an authentic brand voice, oversee the creation process, ensure quality and SEO optimization, and analyze performance. This individual leverages content to engage the audience, generate leads, and increase revenue for the business.
- Create and publish your content: Once you've developed your content plan, it's time to start creating and posting it. Be sure that the sales team shares content with prospects. Utilize content on social media and track your results to see what's working and what's not.
- Measure your results: Finally, measuring the effectiveness of your content marketing strategy is essential. By analyzing your results, you can make data-driven decisions to improve your content marketing strategy over time.
By following these basic steps, you can start your content marketing journey and see actual results for your business.
Remember, content marketing is a long-term strategy that requires patience and persistence. The right approach can help you achieve your business goals and take your brand to the next level.
Conclusion
Content marketing is a powerful tool for companies to connect with potential customers and showcase their expertise in the industry.
By providing helpful tips, advice, and inspiration, businesses can build trust with their audience and establish themselves as a go-to resource for information about a specific product or service.
As the examples above show, companies that use content marketing effectively can attract new customers and position themselves as thought leaders in their area, driving long-term success and growth.
Have questions?
Schedule some time to talk with us today with any questions!