So we’ve covered the process of content marketing and the basics of hiring a copywriter. Now, it’s time to dive into various types of content.
What is a lead magnet?
Also known as a bait piece, a lead magnet is an irresistible piece of content that’s juuuusst out of reach of your site visitor — until they provide basic contact details to allow you to continue the conversation at a later date. Lead magnets can take many forms. from e-books and white papers to interactive quizzes. One of the best examples we’ve seen is Kirchner Marketing’s Brand Personality Quiz. It’s a fantastic engagement tool that delivers real insights about developing an effective brand voice…as soon as you enter your name and email address. Another great lead magnet example — this time a quiz about art terms — is from My Modern Met.
What is a white paper?
In olden days, the term white paper referred to a highly specific content format — a multi-page document that first presented a business challenge, then discussed solutions in general, and finally homed in on a specific product (spoiler alert: theirs!) that would prove superior in solving that challenge. Today, the name is used as a blanket term for any type of long-form, in-depth content.
What is evergreen content?
Like the trees for which it’s named, evergreen content is built around topics that will remain fresh over a long period of time — and hopefully drive steady site traffic. The name refers to the nature of the topic rather than the format of content that will continue to be relevant and accurate long after publication. For example, a recap of survey results — not evergreen. But a cheat sheet on becoming a stronger proofreader? Evergreen.
What is user-generated content (UGC)?
This type of content is created by people who are not officially affiliated with a brand; in other words, your customers. Because it’s from a third party, it’s often considered less biased. What’s great about user-generated content is that it can help brands understand how people really perceive their products and services. UGC is generally thought of as video, but it can take just about any form depending on the creativity of your audience.
What is an infographic?
Infographics were originally created to present numerical content — the statistical results of a survey, for example — in a more visual, easily digestible way. These days, the highly popular term refers to any piece of content that is highly visual in nature.
What is a landing page?
This is a web page designed for a highly specific function — it’s where prospects will “land” when they click on a component of a digital marketing campaign, such as an email link, banner ad or social post. Rather than sending someone to your home page and hoping for the best, a well-crafted landing page draws them deeper into the story you’re telling and ideally closer to a purchase.
As soon as we hit “publish,” we’ll think of a zillion more types of content, so keep an eye out for Part 4.