Interactive and Visual Content Grabs Attention

Research by the Content Marketing Institute consistently shows that visual and interactive, non-static content grabs attention. Content that moves beyond static words is effective at getting the attention of people at all stages – from those just getting to know you to those who love you best.

It’s often easiest to create content in article form: a headline, a few subheads and a couple of paragraphs of text and you are done! The problem is that this is boring and won’t gain the engagement you need to effectively market online.

Video, infographics, polls and podcasts are all ways to move beyond words with your online content.

Create Short Videos

More than 100 million hours of video are watched daily on Facebook alone. Most people recall content from video more readily than content they have read.

The popularity of video content has lead most social channels to add support for video. And, they give more play to video-based posts.

The ideal is about 30 seconds. All you need to do is grab your smartphone, record something interesting, and post. Post directly to the platform rather than to YouTube or another service.

If you create long-form videos such as webinars, you can snip smaller segments to use on social media. Dividing longer videos into short, shareable clips is an effective way to generate a library of content.

Illustrate Your Point

Infographics and illustrations can be great ways to make a point visually. The human brain processes images much faster than text. Retention of visual information is better than text-based.

Poll the Audience

Quizzes, calculators, assessments and contests all consistently attract attention. I know my Facebook feed is filled with results of quizzes and assessments that my connections have taken. People can’t seem to get enough!

Think about ways to present your content in these interactive formats. Pose a question and let people pick the best answer. Set up a quiz that lets them test their knowledge or find out something about their own interests.

Talk About It

Consider adding podcasts to your content mix. Talk about a topic, either as the sole expert or bring one or more guests into the conversation. There is no better way to inject personality into your content marketing than to let people listen to what’s on your mind.