While a show stopping headline announcing a post that is teeming with tailored content, quirky language and engaging ideas is great for your blog, columns of articles all in the same style can start to look and feel repetitive after a while – not just for readers but for content writers as well!
Too much of something is bad enough, a great guru* once said, also pointing out that too much of nothing is just as tough. So you don’t want to reduce the number of blog posts you’re creating – one a day is the perfect quantity – but it might be time to ‘spice’ your blog up with some variety.
Infographics
Since they are easier on the eye and demand less concentration, people are drawn more to graphics than they are to chunks of text. Infographics are an increasingly popular way to convey information to an audience and can make quite a splash if they attract enough attention.
There are some sites online that offer free templates to work with, but if you’re seeking high quality, eye-catching and informative infographics it is best to work with a content creation agency that offers this service.
Click here to view our popular Content Marketing Landscape infographic and see what we mean.
Interviews
If you want to branch out, gain a different perspective on certain aspects of the industry and make new contacts, why not interview someone in the field? The question and answer format also breaks the post up nicely so it’s easy on the eye. You can also create interviews in video format, like the example below.
Why? Because branded videos are becoming increasingly popular and are a great way to engage with people.
FAQs
Use your own knowledge of the industry to create a Frequently Asked Questions section that will be of use to anyone entering the field or interested in knowing more. You can also find out which questions people are asking by making effective use of Twitter and Google.
Glossary of industry terms
If you work in an industry with terms that can be difficult to untangle, create a glossary of terms to help people get to grips with it. The team at Content Amp created an A-Z of content marketing terms, demystifying the likes of algorithms, metrics and native advertising. We then asked readers to get involved by asking them to contribute with anything they felt had been missed.
Debate
Anything that gets readers actively participating in an activity run on your site is a great way to boost engagement and drive traffic. Upload a single statement or short paragraph related to your field as a blog post and simply end with ‘Discuss’. Make sure you have enabled a comments box so that readers can interact with each other. Anything where readers get involved makes them feel more connected to your brand. Competitions are also a good way to mix things up on your site and hook interest.
*The Spice Girls came up with some inspiring lyrics!
Jenny Maclean
