THATBlog

Think back to your school days, whether it’s Kindergarten or post-graduate classes. How did you learn best? Were you one of those students who soaked up knowledge through books and text? Or did you get more out of a lecture or discussion? Did information suddenly make sense when it was visual - charts, graphs, pictures, photos? Did you dig into long written works to find meaning, or did you find it more helpful to chew on bite-sized pieces? 

Now think of your target audience: how do they best access your thought-provoking, compelling thought leadership? The point is that there are different ways to convey your message to enable you to reach the right people at the right times in the right ways. This is the premise of a multi-format content strategy. 

Reach New Customers with Diverse Content Experiences

There are a variety of ways to convey your messages to your target audience, including:

• Website content
• Blog posts and articles
• White papers, ebooks, guides, case studies, etc.
• E-newsletters
• Social media 
• Audio (e.g. podcasts)
• Video (e.g. YouTube, how-tos, tutorials, webinars)
• Photos and other images
• Infographics 
• Quizzes

As we have discussed, diverse content experiences allow you to communicate with people in a way that resonates with them. It’s not about you! You may be very visual, and an image-oriented website can certainly be an invaluable asset. But what about the folks who need to read to process information? Those who want to get the TL;DR version? Or those who need to hear it to really get it? 

This is a remarkable opportunity to engage with them on their terms, creating content that appeals to all types of communication and learning styles. Think of it like this: your closest competitor is just like you. They love the visuals! And they tell their brand story through them exclusively. Yes, this works well for many. But when you tell your story through visuals, written content, bite-sized social media pieces, videos, podcasts…. Well, you are seen as not only the trusted expert - but the accessible one. 

Another benefit of a multi-format content approach is that you can reach people where they are. Not all content is well-suited to all platforms. For example, you can let your quippy side shine on social media, as well as post relevant videos and images.

You can then easily direct those who want to learn more or go more in-depth, to your website, your blog, your YouTube channel, or other channels. It works in the other direction too: someone may find your website and do some deep-diving into your brand and solutions, and then follow you on social media for updates and fresh content.

Multiple types of content experiences are also important because even if we tend to be readers, watchers, or visual types, for example, we often prefer different types of information in different formats. Want to dig into a complex topic?

A video with demonstrations can be the key, even for those who prefer to learn through written content. Need to make an immediate impact? Nothing speaks louder or says more than a powerful image. So not only can you reach diverse “segments” of your audience, you can reach the same people in diverse ways! 

But Who Has Time for Multi-Format Content?!

You do! Especially when you work with a partner who can help you develop a cohesive, consistent strategy and create the content you need to reach new customers. Now, here’s the secret: repurposing.

Say that you created an exceptionally informative, compelling blog post on a topic of interest to your audience. Great. Now, distill it down to its most salient points and post it on social media (with a link back to your website, of course!).

Produce a video covering the very same area. Expand it into an ebook or downloadable guide. Hit the visual people by creating an infographic. Have a member of your company who is an expert on the area do a podcast or a live or recorded Q&A. Make it into an interactive quiz.

This way, you are not having to scramble to come up with topics. They are already there, waiting for you. In fact, why not go through your existing inventory of content, and see what you can refresh and repurpose. 

Not only that, but you are staying consistent across all channels. Maintaining a consistent presence online (one that aligns with your offline presence) is key to the customer experience. It builds your credibility and their trust in you. 

Content Experiences That Reach Your Target Audience

Implementing a multi-format content strategy is an effective way to reach the people who will help grow your business. The same message does not land the same for all people; this is why we need to convey it in a way that makes the most sense for them (and the channels that they are most likely to be on).

The first steps: find out where your target audience spends their online time with some market research, and then develop the types of content experiences that they want, need, and expect. 

Ready to get started? Contact THAT Agency.