The days of simply writing content and posting it online are long gone. I’ve heard the phrase „content is king” time and time again, and while I do not disagree with it, hell, I’ve actually written an article on the subject myself, I have to say that content is not only written. Images, videos info-graphics are also content, visual content, but still, content. The problem with today’s internet is the fact that it is over-saturated with information.
Let’s be honest, how many of you read articles from start to finish? I don’t. Even if I find something that interests me, I usually skim through the text, and bookmark it for later. Many writers are faced with a major problem: people do not read their blog. Moreover, in most cases, it is the first few seconds that attract a user. You can be sure that a block of text isn’t as attractive as a post rich in images or videos. Written content is without a doubt the most popular content creation technique, and it is also one of the most poorly done. Any respected agency will tell you that high-quality content is one of the most powerful business promoters. That being said, let us discover alternative content techniques.
1. IMAGES
What most people do not know, is that written content is not the only one that can be optimized and used in order to promote a website. Everybody knows the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”, but in the world of SEO, a picture can be worth a thousand visitors or links. I’ve seen a lot of web owners who get a decent percent of overall website traffic from images. There are plenty of visual search engines out there which focus their queries around photos and videos. In other words, if you find some eye-candy, you can read the source article, or better yet, you can create truly unique posts which you later pin on a Pinterest board. Never underestimate the power of a high-quality image, because most of the times people want to see what it is that they are interested in, before they read about it.
2. VIDEOS
When it comes to videos, things are a little complicated. With images it is possible to takes someone else’s work, as long as you give credit to the owner. The days of simply shooting, editing and uploading a film are long gone. Nowadays, in order to get a video noticed you have to take certain steps:
- Did you know that Youtube is the largest search engine except Google? What better way to gain more exposure than by creating an awesome video which you can share on Youtube later?
- Once you’ve uploaded the video, make sure that you are sociable about it. Believe me, your readership will appreciate the effort that you made in order create it. You can even create your very own, branded YouTube channel, if it is exposure that you are looking for. It is more convenient for users to listen to something while they go about their business.
- Tweak your video for search engines. Basically, in order to apply search engine practices on videos, one has to edit the „Meta-data” of the post. This means that descriptions, titles and data will be branded on YouTube’s and Google’s channels.
3. INFOGRAPHICS and CONTENT VISUALIZATIONS
I may be treating them at the same time, but Infographics and content visualizations have little to noting in common – except the fact that they are both visualization tools. Infographics represent a great alternative to written content, and a more attractive one if I might add. They are commonly used to present interesting facts in a more visually appealing way.
Concept visualizations, on the other hand, are a great content technique which every specialist should have in his marketing tool belt. They are extremely efficient because they can help explain complex or abstract ideas that are difficult to put into words. Simplicity, and clarity are the two, key qualities that a content visualization should have. I especially recommend it for bloggers who are trying to prove a point, or make a statement, and for business owners who want to make things easier to understand for clients.
4. GIFs and MEMEs
Animated GIFs have long been used on forums and chat-rooms, but it was only recently that Tumblr managed to make them go viral. They are a fascinating tool for promoting written content, presenting new concepts and marketing ideas. They are capable of adding that interesting visual appeal that any website needs, and to stimulate and engage with the public.
Are you familiar with MEMEs? If you are not then maybe it is time to do some research. It all began with 9gag, and now there are so many funny Memes circulating that it’s hard to keep track. They are catchy, hilarious and impossible to forget. If you want to establish a personal brand, memes are the best thing you could ever do. They may not be useful for content creation, but they are the best way to interact with your readers.
5. PODCASTS
A podcast is a multimedia digital file which can be uploaded to a portable player. Many people think that podcasts are a thing of the past, but I assure you that they are very useful. Podcasts, both video and audio are an excellent solution for people who like to jog, who travel a lot or who have to commute. They can easily be uploaded to iTunes or any podcasting platform of your choosing. They give you the opportunity to be original, because they give you the chance to create irresistible and original call-to-actions.
Now that you’ve learned about five alternative content creation techniques, you will be able to make your web-page more dynamic and flexible. But you don’t have to stop here. Music videos, SlideShare presentations, Embedded Tweets and many other strategies await your discovery.
Drop Your Comments And Questions Below.
