This article has been written by Abraham T. Philip pursuing a Training program on Using AI for Business Growth from Skill Arbitrage.
This article has been edited and published by Shashwat Kaushik.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Today’s digital world is buzzing with a mind-boggling half a million blog posts daily. So, imagine how steep your challenge will be to command attention in this digital cosmos. It is going to take more than just posting content.
We know you have a brilliant idea, perhaps for an article, and you have given it your final finishing touches. Is that all for your content game to elevate on the digital front? Certainly not. If you don’t know how, your idea will crash even before it attempts to take off on the digital runway.
These days, everyone makes content: No big deal about it. However, your content differs from others if your creation generates interest, curiosity, or criticism. You have to create your content to turn eyeballs as such! Got it? If not, nobody will search for your fabulous work in the digital black hole. You got the point, right?
Consistency, relevancy, and personalisation are the three pillars of modern content creation. Get that etched into your understanding. To begin, you, as a marketer, need to understand your audience’s desires.
This article opens a new page in interactive content-creating experiences. Most assuredly, it will help you cut through mundane content like a hot knife through a slab of cold butter.
So, welcome to a world where you will learn the dynamics of content that is highly engaging.
The benefits of such content are already proven in the domains of education, entertainment, and inspiration. The digital landscape is ever-evolving. Learn how to forge meaningful connections with your audience or be left behind.
The blueprint towards creating engaging online experiences – to know and research your target audience, especially their pain points.
Content marketing is actually a bait in disguise; if the bait fails to trap it, it falls short of its desired quality. So, if your content marketing has to lure your audience, start by giving them answers to the problems they are trying to solve. As simple as that.
However, don’t drift off course. Ensure you are on the mark at every stage, just like pilots who check their instrument panels repeatedly. Stay with your audience and beat every temptation to discuss topics different from your niche.
You cannot build a pyramid laterally, can you? So, likewise, know how to stay in your content marketing game by staying focused on your core niche.
Your content has its edge as long as it stays to the point, and anything else will change its intended trajectory, and your audience will scatter. Boredom also plays spoilsport, so creators delve into identical topics to fill the content void.
Hence, the golden rule of content marketing requires content creators to stay on topic instead of switching topics.
Social listening tools to help you stay on course
Social media listening tools help you listen and understand your customer’s perspectives non-invasively. Hence, they are indispensable in the arena of content marketing. Besides grasping your audience’s attribution of your product or service, they can help you gauge what your competitors are up to. In effect, it enables you to see what is being said across social channels.
With the help of these tools offering real-time market research, you can refine your strategies. It is like a satellite in the digital sky, monitoring brand mentions, competitor brands, and relevant keywords on social media.
This real-time tracking helps you discern their pain points and desires for the future. You can simultaneously track competing brands, identify trending content, and conduct sentiment analysis on topics relevant to your business.
The intelligence gathered can be put to strategic use, tailoring product strategy and marketing to customer service and support. Your business can positively impact its bottom line by making data-driven decisions based on this wealth of information.
Some of the best social listening tools are:
Segment your target audience
Your audience is in a homogeneous state, so you have to segregate them based on their sign-ups for a webinar or website engagement. Many metrics must be considered, like the likes on a particular post, time spent on a website page, and more.
You need to analyse each group for their level of interest. The data derived will help you customise content based on the subsets within your audience. Personalised content will go a long way, allowing your audience to have differing interests. They will feel valued and understood.
Use the above segmentation for further customised recommendations. In today’s market, customised content draws people’s attention. Brands want to create a unique experience just for them. Look at the groups you sorted as per the above instructions.
Give each person personalised suggestions. Customise your suggestions and send them through the event app, email, or website. It’s like getting recommendations tailored to your tastes—making everyone feel like they’re getting a memorable, made-for-them experience!
Focus on establishing one-to-one connections.
People are social animals. One of the reasons they love going to events is to meet and network with other like-minded people. So, you can plan an event and pack it with friendly activities and spaces to help them make those connections. The bottom line is that people will flock to cool spaces where they find their kind to hang out and make new friends.
Get data for follow-ups
Hosting a successful online event is not a means to an end. You need to retain the interest generated in your audience by that event.
How? It is a continuous process, and for that, you need data. Use the data generated from your audience interactions throughout the event to create custom content for them.
This way, you can keep interacting with your audience even after the event. Use what you have gathered and learned to maintain good vibes and stay connected with your audience.
Localise your approach
Localization takes your content from mere peripheral skimming to deep inside your audience’s psyche. It goes way beyond simple translation; the job requires fine tuning content to match a specific audience’s mindset reflected through culture, language, and preferences.
Hence, you must understand the same to create an experience crafted for the local market. Wouldn’t you like a website or app that speaks your language and aligns with your cultural expectations?
The objective of localization is to create such an emotional connection. It builds trust and creates a personalised connection.
Why interactive content matters
Interactive content, such as quizzes, polls, and games, has become increasingly popular in recent years. This is because it offers several benefits over traditional content, such as articles and blog posts.
- Engagement: Interactive content is more engaging than traditional content. This is because it requires users to actively participate rather than passively consume information. This can lead to increased attention spans and longer on-page times.
- Retention: Interactive content is also more memorable than traditional content. This is because it creates a more immersive and personal experience for users. This can lead to increased brand recall and a greater likelihood of conversion.
- Lead generation: Interactive content can be a great way to generate leads. This is because it provides users with a valuable and engaging experience that they are likely to share with others. This can lead to increased traffic to your website and more opportunities to capture leads.
- Conversion: Interactive content can also be used to increase conversions. This is because it can create a sense of urgency and excitement, which can lead users to take action. This can lead to increased sales, sign-ups, and downloads.
If you are looking for a way to improve your content marketing strategy, interactive content is a great option. It can help you to engage your audience, increase retention, generate leads, and drive conversions.
Here are some tips for creating effective interactive content:
- Keep it simple: Don’t overcomplicate your interactive content. Make sure it is easy to understand and use.
- Make it fun: Interactive content should be enjoyable to use. This will make users more likely to engage with it.
- Use high-quality visuals: Visuals are important for any type of content, but they are especially important for interactive content. Make sure your visuals are high-quality and relevant to your content.
- Promote your content: Once you have created your interactive content, be sure to promote it through your social media channels and other marketing channels.
Types of interactive content
Infographics and interactive visuals
Infographics and interactive visuals bring static images to life, making data and information more engaging. They incorporate elements like interactive charts, graphs, and hotspots that users can explore, revealing additional information and insights.
Videos and interactive storytelling
Interactive videos offer viewers more control over the storytelling experience. They can choose different paths, make decisions that influence the narrative, and unravel the story at their own pace. This approach creates a personalised and immersive storytelling experience.
Quizzes and polls
Quizzes and polls provide a fun and interactive way to test knowledge, gather feedback, and engage audiences. They can be designed to be educational, entertaining, or both. Quizzes and polls encourage participation and interaction, making the audience an active part of the content.
360-degree experiences
360-degree experiences transport audiences into immersive environments, offering a panoramic view of a scene or location. They can be explored using a mouse or touch screen, allowing users to explore different angles and discover hidden details. 360-degree experiences are popular in industries like travel, real estate, and education.
Interactive games and simulations
Interactive games and simulations offer a more hands-on and engaging way to learn, train, or entertain. They immerse users in virtual environments, allowing them to interact with objects, characters, and scenarios. Interactive games and simulations can be used for educational purposes, skill development, or simply for fun.
Interactive content offers endless possibilities for engaging and captivating audiences. By incorporating interactivity into their content, creators can create memorable experiences that leave a lasting impact.
Create content as per the latest trends
Content marketing has to be competent to warrant your audience’s attention online. It calls for consistently creating and sharing valuable, exciting stuff.
Businesses need people to buy their products eventually. So, the role of compelling content is to grab and keep the right people’s attention.
That is what makes customers stick around. As the internet keeps changing, businesses must reinvent their content strategies to keep up with the latest online trends.
Outline to create content as per the latest trends:
Follow industry leaders
Subscribe and follow the industry experts and influencers. It will help you understand how they are shaping the content landscape.
Consume their blogs, podcasts, newsletters, or social media accounts. Learn from their insights, tips, and case studies. Stay in the league by following content stalwarts like Joe Pulizzi, Ann Handley, Neil Patel, Rand Fishkin, and Jay Baer.
Join online communities
If you are fascinated with content marketing, you should stick around people who share your passion. Where can you best find them other than by joining online communities?
You can interact with other content marketers on such platforms, ask questions, share ideas, and get feedback. To have the edge, join online communities like Content Marketing Institute, Copyblogger, Content Marketing World, and ProBlogger.
Many groups are active on social media handles like LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit, or Slack. Join them and be an active participant. You will be able to learn a lot from the exchange that happens in such groups.
Read industry publications
Voraciously consume reading publications covering topics that matter to you. Their articles, reports, infographics, or videos are full of insights. Learn from their data, analysis, and recommendations. These industry publications will help you imply a lot of things.
It will also keep you posted on the latest content marketing trends with industry publications- Content Marketing Institute, MarketingProfs, HubSpot, Moz, and Search Engine Journal have some of the most sought-after publications.
Attend industry events
Look out for other content marketers. Learn to strike up an online dialogue with them and network with them. This will help you keep updated as you join their groups and discussions. Make it a point to attend similar industry events to stay in the top league. To keep yourself updated, you should network with and learn from other content marketers by attending industry events.
Such events can be found both offline and online. Content Marketing World, ContentTECH Summit, Inbound, Content Marketing Conference, and Content Marketing Awards are preferred launchpads for networking and learning among content marketers.
Once you are well versed in the above pointers, get ready to trend on the following social media handles that are popular in the US.
Facebook is a digital rage in the US, with 243.58 million users. It is the most widely used social platform there and has grown steadily over the past decade.
YouTube
Most YouTube users are based in India. The nation remains number 1 with 462 million users, only second to the US with 247 million.
YouTube has grown significantly over the last decade in terms of users and revenue, with one report suggesting a 30% growth in revenue in the past four years.
Since video content is more engaging to the senses, it has become the channel of choice for communicating with, educating, and entertaining audiences. There is little surprise that YouTube continues to be an all-time favourite with new and old users.
WhatsApp is quick on the uptake, with features like quick replies and chat filters. The spontaneity of the app makes it most preferred among B2B marketers.
WattsApp ranks number one in the US as the most preferred social media platform. It is ahead of TikTok, Instagram and CashApp, with currently 2 billion global users, formerly just 200 million.
While 2019 saw 68.1 million users in the US, the app is projected to reach a staggering 85.8 million users by the end of this year.
Most of the WhatsApp community in the US ranges between ages 26 and 35. 50% of them use the app daily. Of the total users worldwide, 78% use at least once a week
Instagram users in the US are found to be between 18 and 34 years old. 18-24-year-olds at around 30.1% make up the most Instagram users there, followed by 25-34-year-olds at about 31.5%.
Teenagers aged 13-17 consist of only a fractional 8.5%.
Instagram is a top-rated social media platform in the US. What began as a mere photo-sharing app has now become a platform of choice for professional networking.
Here, you can promote products and services visually through photos, videos, Instagram reels, Instagram stories and Instagram shopping.
TikTok
TikTok was created in 2016 by a Chinese company called ByteDance. You can find millions of personalised short videos on TikTok.
The app’s diverse editing and sharing options make it an ideal platform to create and broadcast one’s reels. Many are doing so to develop followers and friends.
TikTok has 150 million active users in the US alone. It is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world. A third of adults in the US rely on TikTok for news inputs
It intends to become one of the most popular search engines, even ahead of Google. The fierce competition between them is all over the digital wall. Gen Z (18-24), close to 50 percent, has a great fascination for TikTok. Millennials make up most of the other half.
Snapchat
It is an instant messaging service that is visual and chat-based. Thirty percent of the total users belong to the US alone and love its unique short, snappy videos and posts. It is effortless to connect with your friends on Snapchat.
Ben Silbermann, Evan Sharp and Paul Sciarra- They are Google employees who launched Pinterest, a visual discovery tool, in 2010.
Pinterest commands a loyal following of 445 million active fans worldwide. 86.8 million alone are US-based.
Millennials dominate the user category, with Gen Z not far behind. As we speak, Pinterest continues to wow its younger user base.
Pinterest users in the US are forecast to increase phenomenally. Since its inception, Pinterest as a social media handle has only seen an upward surge. The new user base is estimated to touch 102.2 million users in 2028
Around 76% of women seem entirely bowled over by Pinterest, but male users are no less fascinated. Yes, that’s right! There are plenty of unexplored opportunities out there.
So, if you’re a business owner or entrepreneur, it’s time to plan some bold content-engaging strategies for Pinterest.
LinkedIn was primarily introduced as a job searching and professional networking platform. Due to its professional outlook, LinkedIn continues to get popular among professionals and the business class. Recently, it has succeeded phenomenally in targeting B2B marketers.
Besides professional networking, businesses find the platform most helpful to post their B2B content. As a platform second only to Facebook, it boasts around 900 million users worldwide.
Again, the most significant number of LinkedIn users are from the US. 60% of its users, out of the 220 million users in the US, are adults aged between 25 and 34. The second largest group of users is between 18 and 24.
Conclusion
You could be anyone. Are you a small company or a startup trying to make your mark felt on social media? Then, you must learn the digital pulse first. 93.8% of marketers are already on social media, meaning they perform all their marketing over the digital landscape. The likes of you will only get added to the above number with the adaptation of digital marketing.
First, study the most trending apps and zero in on those that most matter to you. Analyse their growth over the last few years. Use the data to formulate a content strategy unique to your marketing campaigns.
Pinterest, for now, looks like a great option, while Twitter’s future looks uncertain. So, like mutual funds, let your content strategy get diversified over a list of apps, from the most trending to the not-so-popular. Make sure you don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
References
- https://medium.com/@vedantchaturvedi9/interactive-content-engaging-audiences-in-the-digital-era-242c9dd5f7e5
- https://www.peppercontent.io/blog/creating-interactive-content-engage-your-audience-with-immersive-experiences/
- https://rockcontent.com/blog/what-is-interactive-content/
- https://www.foleon.com/blog/interactive-content/
- https://content-whale.com/blog/interactive-content-experiences/
