There’s a reason that content marketing continues to remain supreme year after year, with both B2C and B2B marketing. 80% of consumers have reported that they appreciate learning about companies they’re interested in through custom content. Content marketing has constantly ranked as having the best ROI, especially when compared to traditional advertising. It can help generate leads, build trust in your company, and strengthen relationships with your customers.

The question is what kind of content marketing you should focus on. There are more types of content than just blogs, and you may prefer to use a mix of both. Let’s break down some of the most popular types of content marketing and how you can use them in your marketing strategy.

Blog Posts

This is by far the most common type of content marketing, and fairly easy to keep up. A blog offers a way to provide interesting and engaging articles relevant to your customers’ interests or concerns. You may offer helpful information based on common industry problems, go into a deep dive about an issue relevant to your brand, or you may use your blog as a way to keep your customers updated about your business.

Blogs should use a mix of best SEO practices — utilizing a natural sprinkling of keywords and formatting variation — and clear, interesting, and relevant information for human readers. Long-form blogs can go a long way to boosting your rankings on search engines. A blog that exceeds 1,000 words can read as highly detailed and informative, while a shorter blog offers more digestible content for consumers in a hurry.

Videos

Videos are another common form of content marketing, and over half of consumers have stated they would like to see video content from brands they follow. Video content can offer the same sort of information offered in a blog post, but without the intimidating wall of text. Videos can be updated to YouTube, to social media platforms, or on your own website. Videos can even serve as an introduction to written content.

Videos are a visual form of content, so design is important. If you choose to film real people in real settings, having the right lighting and editing is a must. Smaller videos may have a combination of text and voice, but tend to be accompanied with eye-catching designs or imagery.

You can also post shorter, temporary videos such as “stories,” on social media platforms like Instagram or Snapchat. Many platforms also allow for longer-form, real-time Live video content, as well.

Infographics

Infographics are eye-catching, long-form images that pack as much content and data into the image as possible. They are often backed by highly authoritative statistics and data analysis, but they are designed in a way that can be a delight to read. Some infographics will lead the eye straight down, while others may use arrows or images to guide the reader across or through a pattern along the infographic.

Infographics require quite a bit of research, as well as a skilled graphic designer. When done well, however, they provide entertaining content that fits perfectly within the EEAT acronym for Google’s algorithm.

Memes

Social media is flooded with memes. They’re essentially inside jokes that are shared with the entire world in real time — and they’re constantly shifting. Especially if your target audience is a younger demographic or a demographic that spends a good amount of time online, memes can be a fun form of content marketing that can help you promote your brand.

Memes can be tricky for brands. Sometimes it can come off as corny, or as though the brand is trying too hard. Make sure the meme format you want to use is still relevant, and that it’s used in the way you want to use it. One example of brands using memes well is streaming services. Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu often use memes — sometimes created from their own shows — to announce the introduction or return of certain content.

There will always be a little bit of corniness to corporate memes, but it can also position your brand as a brand with a sense of humor and an eye for pop culture.

Podcasts

Podcasts have taken off in the past few years, and even some brands use them. In many ways, podcasts have become the new radio. Listeners tune in to hear a deep dive into a subject they enjoy, whether with engaging hosts or knowledgeable special guests in the industry.

A brand podcast usually focuses on common industry topics. This can show that you have your finger on the pulse of the industry, as well as a sense of your target audience’s needs. One benefit to podcasts is that it is a purely audial form of content, so your audiences can listen on their way to work or while going about their day.