Get Them to Look: Which Types of Content Create the Most Engagement?

Here’s how you can get people talking, clicking, and interacting

Marketing has changed quite a bit in a short period of time. Not that long ago, all a business had to do to get customers was to send out a promotion; but that’s just not enough anymore. Nowadays, engagement is the name of the game, and businesses have to figure out how to master it in order to thrive.

Blogging remains one of the best methods for engaging with people, but not just any post will do. The best blog posts focus on these components: educating, entertaining, and inspiring. That may sound like a tall order, but it doesn’t have to be with the right content. Before you put together your next content plan, think about adding these elements into the mix:

Infographics

You probably know by now that the use of visuals is an excellent way to grab somebody’s attention, which is one reason to incorporate infographics into your content. But that’s not all. Infographics also make it easy to digest a lot of information or data quickly for both visual learners and more traditional learners. When you add in funny or interesting images, you’re both educating and entertaining.

Just take a look at the following infographic that explains why infographics are so important. Although this particular infographic dates back to 1977(!), it shows clearly how displaying information in a colorful, creative, and visual way makes us want to engage further:

Infographic source: http://visual.ly/importance-infographics

Images make our brains want to look, to learn, and to engage. Adding visual elements to display your data is a big bonus in the world of content.

Videos

If visuals will attract folks, videos will make them pull up a chair (or at least move theirs closer to the screen). Studies have shown that people spend much more time on a website if there is a video. In addition, the content presented in a video is more easily consumed and retained. Just like infographics, videos can be both entertaining and educational. And when storytelling is involved, videos can also be inspirational.

Next time you visit your content strategy, include videos to display:

• FAQ demonstrations

• Customer testimonials

• How-To strategies

• And more!

Lists

Because people don’t do a ton of reading anymore, lists (also known as the slightly perverse-sounding “listicles”) can make for great blog posts. They are popular because our minds already break things down into lists, plus they allow linear thinkers to quickly understand concepts. Lists are also very versatile. What can start off just as text could later on have images added to it. You may also be able to then turn it all into an infographic.

Break up your writing with white space, subhead paragraphs, bulleted lists, and condensed bits of easily devoured information.

Interactive content

Getting people involved is an outstanding method for creating engagement. Surveys and polls are two ways to do this, and quizzes are also effective. Folks love testing their knowledge and usually can’t resist participating if it’s a topic that interests them. Another benefit of quizzes is that they are often shared via social media. They allow for a double edged sword that can be repurposed on various platforms.

Often, the trickiest part of creating engaging content is the creation part. The good news is that you don’t have to do it all yourself. The team at ContentBacon is ready to assist you. Check out our services and then contact us so we can start working on your engaging new content strategy!