All Types of Content May Not Yield Same Results

It is too much of an expectation to demand similar results from all sorts of content. Different verticals can have their own standards. Every individual of it can offer realistic results over a period of time. An infographic on tax law can be informative, yet it cannot attract a higher amount of attention than a video on BuzzFeed Tasty. It’s important to have realistic goals about the kind of content of a particular niche can have.

After researching on hundreds of verticals, experienced marketers have finally been able to figure out what to be expected from content marketing for a particular vertical. Brands follow the same over a period of time. The results are acquired based on available data collected from clients of every individual industry. There is no specific benchmark and mileage might vary over different verticals.

Number of social media shares for every project, placement, content characteristics such as, formatting and type of visual assets are all deciding factors of how well a content marketing campaign performs. ‘Placement’ refers to every individual time when the campaign of that brand is mentioned on an online platform. The term also includes links of cocitation, dofollow, text attribution, nofollow, etc. Content on certain verticals like Health & Fitness always outperforms to cross the usual benchmark. Niche verticals like automotive campaigns often manage to attract lesser number of social shares or placements.

Types of content that yield results

It’s true that not all types of content are created equal and may not yield the same results. The type of content that works best for your business or industry will depend on several factors, including your target audience, your goals, and the type of message you want to convey. Here are some types of content that tend to work well for specific industries:

1. Blog Posts – Blog posts are versatile and can work well for almost any industry. They are great for establishing thought leadership, building brand awareness, and engaging with your audience. Blog posts work particularly well for industries such as marketing, finance, and technology.
2. Social Media Posts – Social media posts are ideal for industries that want to increase their brand awareness and engage with their audience on a more personal level. They are perfect for industries such as fashion, beauty, and food.
3. Videos – Videos are excellent for industries that want to showcase their products or services in a more visual way. They work well for industries such as travel, hospitality, and real estate.
4. Infographics – Infographics are a great way to present data and statistics in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format. They work well for industries such as healthcare, education, and technology.
5. Whitepapers – Whitepapers are ideal for industries that want to establish themselves as thought leaders and provide in-depth analysis of specific topics. They work well for industries such as finance, technology, and healthcare.
6. Listicles – Listicles are popular because they offer quick, easy-to-digest information in a fun and engaging format. They typically consist of a numbered list of items, such as “10 Tips for a Successful Job Interview” or “5 Ways to Improve Your Productivity.” Listicles work well for industries such as lifestyle, travel, and education.
7. How-to Guides – How-to guides are step-by-step instructions that show readers how to do something. They are popular because they provide valuable information that helps readers solve a specific problem. How-to guides work well for industries such as DIY, home improvement, and technology.
8. Interactive Content – Interactive content, such as quizzes, polls, and surveys, are popular because they engage the audience and encourage them to participate. They work well for industries such as entertainment, lifestyle, and education.
9. E-books – E-books are long-form content pieces that are typically created as a lead generation tool. They can be downloaded for free in exchange for contact information and are designed to provide in-depth information on a specific topic.
10. Podcasts – Podcasts are audio content pieces that are typically distributed via platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts. They can be used to provide information, insights, interviews, and other forms of content.
11. Webinars – Webinars are live or pre-recorded presentations that are typically used for lead generation or education purposes. They can be interactive and provide valuable information to the audience.
12. User-generated Content – User-generated content is created by the audience and can include social media posts, reviews, testimonials, and other forms of content. It is typically used to build trust and credibility with the audience.

It’s important to note that while these content types may work well for specific industries, they are not the only types of content that can yield results. The most effective content marketing strategy is one that is tailored to your business’s unique needs and goals.

What performs the best?

In search of the right tactics to project content in the perfect manner that can draw the attention of many more readers and social media users, we narrowed down the list of industries to focus on only a handful of them. Just check out the strategies that worked for them.

Health & Fitness: Content related to this genre often carry images of stark difference placed side by side. Such images convey a million messages that there is no need to have a look back on data and statistics. For example, the images of beauty pageant winners of the twentieth century and that of the last decade help people understand the difference in overall change that has occurred in the criteria to be judged beautiful. On the other side, such images also focus on the diversity of contestants and changing couture prevalent in such contests.

Drugs/ Alcohol: Controversial and emotional issues tend to attract people 2.2 times more, while such issues strike a conversation in around 1.4 times more cases than usual. Visualisation of the reader is one way of communication in discussing such controversies that both the publisher and writer depend on to explain complex concepts. Usually, there is no need for a huge amount of data in such cases.

Travel: This is one social behavior that naturally brings groups closer to involve more and more people in the discussion. A travel related post is never complete without the perfect image. Campaigns, data help sharing such content on social media 30% more than posts of any other vertical.

What can make other verticals perform better?

Industries in which, expectations are too low can also focus on effective content marketing through focus on workable strategies.

• Automotive: Data from social network is one element that works wonder in this case.
• Finance/ Business: Ranks of finance campaigns attract more readers to be involved in discussions related to this vertical.
• Education: Interactive features are the most luring elements to strike a discussion on this topic.
• Fashion: Problem-solution discussion matters are the most effective in this case.
• Pets: Social aspects of pet ownership, high performance data, information related to differences in characteristics of popular dog breeds make more people consider about pet related content.
• Home & Garden:  The content should be focused to the right strain of plants and prevalent style of decoration to work with.
• Crime, Safety, Politics: No extra effort is required in case of promoting content on these verticals provided you exploit your available social media platform effectively.
• Relationship/Sex: Scandal piques interest quite easily. Data available on social media is enough to strike a discussion after effective placement and share of content.

Case studies on various types of content that yield results

Here are 5 case studies that illustrate how these types of content can attract the most audience:

1. Buzzfeed’s “25 Delicious Sandwiches From Around the World” – This listicle went viral because it provided readers with a quick and easy way to explore different cultures through food. It attracted a large audience and generated a lot of social media shares.
2. Home Depot’s “How to Install a Ceiling Fan” Guide – This how-to guide is one of the most popular pieces of content on Home Depot’s website. It has attracted a large audience and helped position the brand as an authority in the home improvement space.
3. American Express’ “Small Business Saturday Infographic” – This infographic presented data in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format. It generated a lot of shares on social media and helped promote American Express’ Small Business Saturday campaign.
4. GoPro’s “HERO5 Black: The Best GoPro Yet” Video – This video showcased the features of GoPro’s latest product in an engaging and dynamic way. It attracted a large audience and helped drive sales of the product.
5. The New York Times’ “You Draw It: What Got Better or Worse During Obama’s Presidency” Interactive Feature – This interactive content allowed readers to explore data and draw their own conclusions. It attracted a large audience and generated a lot of social media shares.

In summary, these types of content – listicles, how-to guides, infographics, videos, and interactive content – can attract a large audience and help you achieve your marketing goals. By using the right type of content for your industry and audience, you can create engaging and effective content that resonates with your target audience.

If you have effective suggestions about striking conversation about content on certain verticals, feel free to share them with us.