Let’s imagine two companies. One actively runs social media accounts, where it shares services, answers subscribers’ questions, and organizes cool promotions. The other focuses on targeted and contextual advertising. Both companies have a demand for their services. However, customers return to the first one, even if they were somewhat dissatisfied with the quality of service. The second often loses such clients. And this rule works for any business, be this a huge Bizzo Casino or a local Italian restaurant.
This is how content marketing works. With its help, you can address negative experiences and win back customers. You can also gather a loyal audience around your brand and increase sales. Here’s an overview of the tools available in content marketing and how to use them effectively.
What Are the Tools of Content Marketing?
Content marketing tools can include:
- Services that help analyze the effectiveness of content.
- Social media, websites, and other platforms.
- Articles, audio, or video content.
There are primary and multi-format tools of content marketing. The primary ones include text, video, visuals, and audio, while the multi-format tools involve brand media and special projects.
Primary Tools
Text
Text is a universal content marketing tool because it’s used everywhere, even in scripts for video and audio content. Also, it’s easy for audiences to integrate text into their daily lives: they can read it on the subway during rush hour or at home with a cup of tea. People can skim through to capture the essence or read attentively from the first to the last line. Moreover, it’s easier to create compared to video and audio content.
How it helps business:
- Demonstrates the company’s expertise;
- Introduces the audience to a new product and creates demand;
- Increases traffic to company resources (website, blog, etc.) and extends time spent on them;
- Communicates the company’s values and mission;
- Builds a loyal community around the brand.
Visuals
The unique feature of visuals is that they rarely act as standalone content but work well in complementing text, video, and even audio. For example, every podcast has a cover that aids in brand recognition.
How it helps business:
- Differentiates from competitors.
- Creates an associative connection with the brand.
- Attracts users’ attention.
- Simplifies the perception of information.
Through visual language, we reveal the character of a project or company and enhance brand recognition.
Video
This is the most complex tool in terms of content production and the most expensive. To create videos, you need quality equipment and a professional production team.
How it helps business:
- Increases the time a person spends on the brand’s website and social media accounts.
- Engages the audience in the brand’s life.
- Communicates complex information effectively.
Audio
Audio allows you to engage with the audience when they are occupied with other tasks — during house cleaning, on the road, or while walking their dog.
How it helps business:
- Brings the brand closer to the audience by becoming part of their everyday lives.
- Enhances brand loyalty.
- Communicates complex information.
Multi-Format Tools
Special projects and brand media rarely consist solely of text or video, though that does happen. They often combine everything mentioned above and sometimes more, such as interactivity. Because of this, we identify them as independent multi-format content marketing tools.
Special Projects
These can be games, quizzes, builders, a series of articles, videos, or audio content.
How it helps business:
- Offers a chance to step out of the usual communication format with the client.
- Solves a specific user problem.
- Creates a newsworthy event or supports one.
- Not only tells customers about a new product but motivates them to try it.
Brand Media
This tool allows a company to establish long-term relationships with its audience. However, there’s a nuance — launching brand media is always a long-term project. But, because of this, the audience trusts the company more, and in the end, it results in a higher conversion rate.
How it helps business:
- Showcases the brand’s expertise.
- Gathers an audience that shares the company’s values.
- Changes the reader’s attitude towards the aspect of life that the brand media touches.
- Creates a demand for services.