New Age Content Formats And Channels
Written by: Rashmi
If the internet is a marketplace, then the content is no less than your currency. To be successful, you have to make sure that your content bucket is filled with interesting ideas, enticing information, and valuable insights. Moreover, it should be served in different ways that cater to a wide range of audiences.
But there is one problem.
Nowadays, content is no longer restricted to one or two formats. It is expanding in terms of formats and the channels where it can be published. Consumers are also looking for new ways of getting content. And since digital media has witnessed exponential growth in the past few years, the formats have also diversified.
Those who were not acquainted with the digital space, especially the traditional publishers, often find these formats chaotic. They also don’t know which channels to use.
This article settles that confusion by listing down the best and most popular content formats along with the suitable channels. Read on.
Videos
It is no exaggeration to say that video is the new text. Statistics suggest 96% of consumers increased their online video consumption in 2020. Businesses are also not behind in hopping on this trend. 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
The numbers speak volumes here. So, if there is one format you should really work upon, it has to be the video content. Be it Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook, every major social media platform is upgrading its feature to be more video-friendly.
Apart from being consumer-friendly, videos are also great for repurposing the content. You can use any type of content – from blogs to white papers – and turn them into digestible videos for your audience.
Audios
The best thing about new-age content formats is that there is something for everyone. If you like videos, there are plenty of video streaming and sharing platforms. But if you are someone who focuses on the listening part, then audio formats are also there to stand by your side. They come in podcasts, audiobooks, audio interviews, etc.,
In fact, there are special audio-based social media apps like Clubhouse where people start their “room” about various topics. Even Twitter has started ‘Twitter Spaces’ to allow people to engage in audio conversations.
And since it is getting much popularity, brands are also leveraging such apps to connect with their audience. They host Q&A sessions, conduct interviews, plan events and get live feedback on their products and services.
Social Media Posts
Nowadays, social media is not just about creating brand awareness. It can influence people, draw potential leads into the sales funnels, and build a strong authority in the market. Thus, brands must include social media content formats in their strategies.
From online stories that last for 24 hours to strategic carousels, there is a wide range of content to create for social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Memes are also taking the content world by storm. They are not just images that make people laugh. They are becoming major content marketing strategies for big brands and companies. The reason? Memes along with other social media content, can strike the chord with the audience and get higher engagement in less time.
Blogs
Blogs have witnessed the entire evolution of the World Wide Web and they are here to see what will happen in future too. These highly valuable and informative content pieces can be used for different purposes.
You want to share a story? Write a creative blog.
You want to introduce a new product to your target audience? Create an informative blog.
You want to increase your customer base? Craft an action-driven and persuasive blog.
And as for the channels where you can share your blog, they have diversified too. You can post the blogs on your website, share it in newsletters, and rework it for social media as well.
Many brands and companies also turn to better CMSs to streamline their blogs and other long-form content too. Such CMSs not only make the blogs suitable for the audience but also enable omnichannel publishing within a few clicks.
What more?
As mentioned before, new age content formats and channels are for everyone. That is why their list is quite long. Some other formats brands can use for better content strategy are:
Newsletters
Ebooks
Infographics
AR overlays
GIFs
Webinars
New age content is exciting but it can also become overwhelming as there are so many formats and channels. One way to avoid this issue is to invest in the right publishing tools.