What do iconic TV shows like De Slimste Mens Ter Wereld and Iedereen Beroemd or popular sitcoms such as Friends and The Big Bang Theory have in common? They rely on a recognizable format that continues to trigger something positive in their viewers. You can find the same principle in content marketing. Why are content formats an absolute winner within your marketing approach? Content marketer Gerry is happy to tell you more about it.
A content format uses a predetermined, recognizable framework – a so-called hook – to hang your new, always unique, collected content on.
In addition, formats give you as a marketer a solid foundation for creating a content plan, both in terms of frequency and the channels used. Do you release the format once a week or once a month? And do you only apply it to your website, or do you also create cross-media derivatives for your social media channels, newsletters, company magazine, you name it?
In this way, you convey your message to your target audience in a consistent manner and hold their attention over a longer period. By regularly releasing an effective format to them, you create a pattern of expectation: your content feels familiar, stimulates engagement, and thus increases the chance of likes, click-throughs, and ultimately conversions.
Within your company or organization, formats are an important key to professionalizing your content marketing. For a content marketer and for content teams, formats provide a strong guideline to support predefined marketing goals. Do you want to focus more on brand awareness? Build more interaction with an existing target group? Or are you creating content to support your sales team? You develop every content format based on the KPIs to be achieved.
Moreover, you can better estimate the workload within your content team, and it quickly becomes clear whose skills are a better fit for certain types of content.
In summary: you create content efficiently precisely because you always base your new content on a recognizable and existing framework.
Whether your potential customer is at the top, middle, or bottom of the funnel, a strong content format has its place everywhere. However, at the top of the funnel, the focus will mainly be on (general) knowledge. The deeper into the funnel, the more specialized your content becomes and the more it focuses on experiences with your company.
The founders of Houben are building the world of tomorrow. We’re not just talking about impressive concrete formwork and structural wizardry with tower cranes. All of their content is dedicated to investing in the future, emphasizing their pioneering role in innovation. We express this through the following formats, among others:
Not necessarily. But the party will be more fun and last longer. Because formats are like that one friend or acquaintance you run into regularly, making you realize immediately: this is going to be a great night.
Especially if you build the formats used directly on the DNA and branding of your company. And preferably with a pun or another creative twist. Bazinga!
We would love to inspire, advise, and strengthen you in this. Contact us for an initial appointment!