Have you been wondering what to offer your customers on your website? What content would make them stay just a bit longer on your site? There are plenty of types of free content out there and the answer to these questions really depends on your audience. You know them best and could determine whether they might be more interested in a how-to guide, a podcast, or a webinar. Don’t forget that you can reuse content you create in multiple ways—write a how-to guide then make a video about it or expand it and turn it into an eBook.
To help you determine, let’s go over some free content ideas and why they might work for you.
- Webinars—Webinars are great for breaking down a complex subject and exploring it in depth. It also gives your audience the chance to ask questions and have you answer them in detail. Let’s say for example that you run a photography business, you could give a webinar on an editing process (and then turn into a video for your website.)
- Podcasts—Have a lot to say? Consider creating your own podcast on stuff your business deals with regularly. The best podcasts follow a format so that listeners know what to expect next and they are also edited to remove any flubs or long pauses.
- eBooks—Want to really establish your authority on a subject, publish an eBook for your audience. And don’t think you have to write a book to publish an eBook, you can also turn a series of related blog posts into an eBook. How To Guides also work well when combined for an eBook.
- White Papers—A white paper is another way to establish your authority on a subject. Unlike an eBook, however, white papers are usually denser as they are used to provide in-depth information. They are not sales pitches, but rather discuss and resolve a problem by using examples.
- Blog Posts—A blog is usually the first step in content creation and an easy way to move ahead in the rankings. Regular posts improve your SEO and encourage readers to check back frequently. Blog posts do not have to be long; 500 words is perfectly sufficient. You can also include lots of pictures to help tell your story.
- Video/Live Video—There are over a billion users on YouTube and live video from Facebook and other networks is quickly growing. You can capitalize on these audiences by creating video for your company—interview an employee or customer, host a Q&A session, offer up a How To session. If you are doing a live video, give a behind the scenes sneak peek.
- How To Guides—As we said above, well done How To guides solve a common problem and may be turned into a lot of different content. Plus there a lot of DIY-ers out there who would love to follow along with a guide in order to solve a problem by themselves.
As with any online marketing, regular posting is important. Your audience will come to expect it from your company.
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download Five (5) Free PR and Press Release eBooks ($67 Value) here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/pr-bonus-5-free-ebooks/