By Madison Bledsoe, Senior Account Executive at York Public Relations
A new year is a new opportunity to revamp your marketing strategy. You may want to explore additional content channels to better connect with your brand’s audiences but wonder which are worth pursuing.
Here’s our take on the top three types of content that will improve your ROI this year.
1. Blog Posts
Blogs are one of the top three most common content marketing strategies, and they are popular for a reason. Marketers who prioritized blogging received 13X more ROI than companies that did not in 2019.
A blog offers your brand a unique opportunity to tell your story and position your brand as an industry expert. As an owned content channel, you have maximum control and creativity when it comes to publishing schedule, content topics, and structure. Common blog topics we do for our clients include:
- Highlighting a brand product
- Providing insight on a trending topic
- Analyzing a challenge their FI customers face
Blogs can significantly increase your website’s SEO, making this one of the most concrete benefits for brands. Businesses that blog get 55% more website visitors than businesses that don’t. And blogs can result in a 434% increase in indexed pages and a 97% increase in indexed links.
While blogs can help you achieve your marketing goals, they do require consistency. To be the most effective, create a content schedule with regular post topics planned ahead of time – we recommend at least one post per month.
2. Earned Media
Earned media, or media opportunities that are not paid for by your band, is one of the most important tools at marketers’ disposal. It’s highly trustworthy. In an era where consumers grow more and more wary of paid sponsorships and ad placements, 92% of consumers trust earned media.
Earned media can:
- Position your brand as a thought leader and expert in your niche
- Establish a sense of credibility for your brand, bolstered by the reputation of the media your clients and prospects trust
- Improve SEO through backlinks on media websites
As part of an earned media process, a representative of your brand will work directly with media contacts (journalists, bloggers, podcasters and influencers) to share news coverage. This can include anything from a contributed article to an interview. Common earned media topics we facilitate for our clients include commentary on industry news or ways to address the challenges facing financial institutions.
Earned media is a worthwhile investment for financial technology brands, in particular. The industry has many influential publications that speak directly to bank, credit union, mortgage and payments leaders at both local and national firms, meaning a well-placed article can put your brand directly in front of a wealth of potential customers.
To execute a successful earned media campaign, it’s critical to build trusting relationships with media contacts. This includes offering relevant pitches tailored to each journalist, providing high-quality content pieces, and consistently delivering thoughtful subject matter perspectives.
3. Videos
Video continues to be one of the highest growth areas for internet traffic, and it’s undeniable to see the benefits that video provides to brands. Vimeo reports that 93% of marketers say video has helped grow brand awareness, and 81% say video has contributed to directly increasing sales.
One of video’s most exciting aspects for marketers is its versatility. For example, let’s say you create a five-minute video where the company’s founder explains a product’s value proposition. This video can be embedded on your website, broken up into multiple social media posts, and included in your newsletter. It can also be sent to prospective customers to learn more about your brand.
B2B marketers can use video content to engage potential new customers and build stronger relationships with existing ones. Content ideas in your video production plan may include:
- Product demonstration
- Customer case study
- Thought leadership from subject matter experts
Creating video content can seem daunting, but it may be more accessible than you think. You don’t need to invest in an expensive equipment set-up right off the bat – 44% of marketers use an iPhone as their primary camera for video content. Videos that feel authentic in many cases receive higher engagement than those with a more commercial feel.
A staggering 90% of marketers using short-form video will increase or maintain their investment in 2023.
Will your brand join them?
To learn more about these content channels, or discuss your 2023 marketing goals, contact us at info@yorkpublicrelations.com.
Madison Bledsoe is a Senior Account Executive at York Public Relations, a global fintech PR firm.