Delving into content types – Part 2

Content is anything which adds value to the audience.

It’s a great definition, but ‘anything’ is such a vague description, and this is part two where we’re delving into the different types of content and when you might want to use them.

In the last blog post, we talked about written and visual content. In this blog, we’re going to be exploring three other types…

Audio content

This is great for travellers: almost everyone listens to music or podcasts on their daily commute. It can be anything from telephone calls to clients, voicemails left on their answering machine, all the way through to podcasts and radio appearances.

It’s convenient for your audience and beneficial for you, and for an hour or more a day, you could have their full attention. Audio content allows your authentic voice to shine through, helping you build a more personal relationship with your audience.

A downside of producing audio content is that it requires some money to get started. While great-quality written content can be created with a smartphone and free blogging software, audio content will require a decent-quality microphone and paid web hosting.

There’s also some technical knowledge required if you want to publish podcasts. They need to be edited, and it’s best to have associated images so they show up well on social media.

Video content

This is an immensely popular medium, and it leads to significantly better sales for companies that employ it effectively. Video content can take a huge number of forms, from YouTube vlogs (video blogs) to social media live streaming to video adverts. I’d recommend viewing a range of existing video content before deciding what will work best for you (my YouTube channel is a good place to start).

Much like audio content, video shows who you really are and allows you to connect with your audience; as the saying goes, people buy people.

On the downside, it can also take some investment on your part to get off the ground. That said, a decent smartphone can be enough, but you need a bit of know-how to get the lighting and sound right.

Also, while it can help sales by being visible through vlogs or Live broadcasts, it can be nerve-wracking. Apparently, public speaking is more feared than death, so it takes a bit of courage to put yourself out there!

Interaction

This is the content type you probably use almost every day and may never even consider: the face-to-face connection. For example, you might network, give presentations, or attend meetings. If you meet up with a potential client over a coffee to explain your mission statement, you’re providing content, maybe without realising it. But face-to-face, you can really add value to your audience, so it counts in my book.

As you meet people in the real world, you can tailor your content to them and engage in dialogue to learn more about your target market. This means your audience gets more specific insight into your skills, and you learn what people want, so you can include it in future content. Plus, you’re building a relationship and learning about your customer just as they’re learning about you.

Interaction is not without its disadvantages, of course. It takes more time than any other content to set up, especially when you factor in travel time and follow-up meetings.

Plus, it can also be more nerve-wracking to deliver and receive than other types of content.

Don’t forget hybrid content

Those are the five main categories of content, but remember, you can also include hybrids. A good interactive presentation will almost always include visuals as an aid for the audience, and an audio recording of a video can become a podcast.

In short, content can be re-purposed, reworked, and reused for a different audience. No good idea can only be used once, after all!

If you’d like more help with your own content, check out our short course Demystifying Content.