Having fresh, informative and interesting types of content remains the best way to attract readers and search engines to your website or social media page. Diversifying your content types can also set your business apart from the many other web pages vying for your customers’ attention. Content marketing done well can increase your brand awareness, boost your reader engagement and help your pages to rank higher in search engine results.
Most popular types of content
The best websites create a mix of different content types to keep their readers interested. While there are hundreds of different types of web content, these 50 in-particular are our favorite types of digital content.
1. Articles
This type of web content develops an idea and incorporates interviews, quotes, and data to support the article’s hypothesis. Articles are usually long-form content, between 1,000 and 3,000 words.
2. Blog posts
Blog posts typically range between 500 and 750 words, focusing on a variety of topics. Some of these topics can include news in the industry, bios of industry leaders, reviews of new products, and more.
3. Surveys
Adding surveys to your content arsenal can gauge your readers’ interest and to increase reader engagement with your brand. Surveys are also fun for the reader and is one of the more interactive content types.
4. Quizzes
Quizzes are another way to engage your reader, by having a question on one page and the answer on the next, which adds extra potential for ad revenue and click-throughs.
5. Photos
Images help make your content more visually appealing, and contributes to the overall user experience. Additionally, optimizing your photos with alt-text and captions to your images can even help with your rankings on Google Images.
6. Videos
Using videos is a great way to diversify your content and add visual interest to your pages. These can be videos you take yourself or videos from sources like YouTube or Vimeo. (Just make sure to give credit where credit is due.)
7. Case studies
Case studies outline how a particular individual or company used a product or service. Seeing a real person use your product can help potential buyers see themselves using it and, thus, encouragement to purchase from you.
8. Website content
Website content encompasses many content types. This can include website pages detailing your individual services, products, people, locations, etc.
9. Guest blogs or posts
Find guest writers from notable people in your industry, writers of other blogs or websites that focus on your topic, or on social media pages or groups related to your topic. Adding a few posts by guest writers adds a new voice to your pages and helps to bring in new readers to your website.
10. Interviews
First person interviews with people actively involved in your topic is a way to share different points of view with your readers and expand their knowledge of your topic. You can ask readers to submit questions in advance to increase your user engagement.
11. FAQs
Everyone has questions. A FAQ (frequently asked questions) page is one of the best content types to help address common questions all in one place. This helps you better manage your time and not have to answer the same question over and over again.
12. Press releases
Press releases from companies in your field make good fodder for your blog or website. Just make sure that you don’t copy the release directly to avoid a duplicate content penalty from the search engines.
13. Announcements
Do you have a new employee, product, or even some new swag? Let your readers know about it in an announcement post. Market your site as the place readers can learn about news from your company before any other source.
14. Contests
Contests are a good content type for getting new readers and to keep your readers coming back to your site. Like quizzes, this repeat traffic is good for increasing your click-through rate.
15. E-books
Having an e-book that your readers can download, or read directly on your site, can expand on your regular content types with more in-depth information. Promoting an e-book is an excellent way to promote your company as an expert in your field.
16. Landing pages
Landing pages are designed as the first page that a site visitor sees when they take an action like clicking on an ad. It’s important that these remain your highest-quality pages, so they make a good first impression to the user.
17. Infographics
Out of all the other types of content, infographics remain one of the best at providing a visual representation of data or information to your reader. Plus, they also just look cool and can often illustrate a point much more clearly than if you explained the point with only text.
18. White Papers
A white paper is a concise report that seeks to educate the reader about a complex issue, which you can post directly on your site or offered as a download. Like e-books, they help to establish your site as a leader in your industry.
19. “How to” posts
Readers like to learn how to use a product or accomplish a task. (Look at the proliferation of YouTube videos of this ilk.) “How to” posts can range from recipes to instructions on installing a hot water tank.
20. E-courses
E-courses are designed to teach your reader about your topic. Generally divided into several sections, the reader can complete one each day or week. This type of post is another good way to get readers to return to your site.
21. Lists
Lists are, arguably, the most popular type of web content. Whether it’s “9 ways to attract a new boyfriend”, “The 10 hottest guys on the PGA circuit” or “5 ways to cook acorn squash”, there’s just something compelling about a list. List headline are very clickable and a good way to introduce new readers to your site.
22. Reader questions
You probably get questions from readers. Rather than answering the same questions privately over and over again, it just makes sense to create a page or two of real questions you’ve received from readers. (Just make sure that you get permission from the reader if you use their question verbatim.)
23. Roundups
Roundups are compilations of links to other sources posted elsewhere on the internet. This can include things in the news related to your industry this week or something like the best places to shop online for a product related to your industry. Make sure not to copy text from the other site, just the link, to avoid having your SEO suffer.
24. Book reviews
Every topic has books written about it. Share with your readers the ones you’ve read and what you thought of them. (Just make sure not to spoil any plot twists or surprises.) You might even ask readers about their favorite books to increase engagement.
25. Product reviews
One of the perks of having a successful blog or website is that companies are often willing to send you a product to review at no cost to you. You can also purchase a product to review (with none of the potential ethical problems of accepting gifts.)
26. Predictions
Look for this web content type towards the end of the year, when everyone with a web address is offering their opinion about what will happen in the new year. Prediction posts are fun and, until January 1st, you can’t be wrong. This is another way to encourage readers to view you as an industry expert.
27. Demos
Similar to “How to” posts, demos show how to use a specific product and can be a useful way to market your wares.
28. Live streams
Live streams, such as Facebook Live broadcasts, let your readers attend events, board meetings, product unveiling, contest drawings and other happenings right from their homes or office. This is another good way to engage site visitors.
29. Awards
Awards are a fun way to get other businesses and individuals involved in your site. “Best of 2021”-type awards can start with nominations, move on to have readers vote on the top picks and end with an announcement of the winners. This type of content not only engages readers, but draws in fans of the nominated companies that may not have been familiar with your site before.
30. Guides
Guides are a comprehensive look at a topic or destination. For example, if you have a site about Ohio travel, you might create a “Travel Guide to the Lake Erie Islands”. With several of these pieces, you can market your website as a comprehensive resource about your topic.
31. Templates
Templates are examples for readers to use to create their own documents or crafts. This type of content might be a sample resume format or how to write a letter of recommendation.
32. Check lists
Checklists are useful lists that help readers prepare for something. For example, a checklist might be “things to pack when you hike the Appalachian Trail” or “Documents to take when you apply for Social Security benefits”.
33. Memes
Memes are just silly, funny content that combine images with jokes, sarcasm or political humor.
34. User-generated content
Why not have your readers create your content? These can be blog posts, videos, images or full articles. Just make sure that you post guidelines and that your readers understand that you have editorial control.
35. Research and data
Recent statistics and research can make for interesting content and help your site provide industry-leading resources for your readers.
36. Maps
Maps are useful to illustrate where a user can find an attraction, business or other sites.
37. Essays
If your website is like most sites, the bulk of your content is informational and written in the second or third person. Essays give you an opportunity to share your own, first-person experiences and create a rapport with your readers.
38. Event calendars
Event calendars list things that are happening during a particular time frame. For example, you might post “What to Do in Nashville in May” or “Stephen King Book Events in the Midwest”. These can be a useful resource and bring new visitors to your site.
39. Giveaways
Do you have some swag you’d like to offer your readers? You can ask them to take an action like signing up for your newsletter or liking your social media page in order to qualify for the freebie.
40. Social media posts
Posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are generally shorter versions of the content on your website. You can include a link to your longer content, so readers can learn more if they are interested in your topic.
41. Podcasts
Podcasts are increasingly popular. These might be interviews or instructional talks and work to support your other marketing efforts.
42. Testimonials
Share what your readers and/or customers are saying about you with a testimonial page. (Again, it’s important to ask permission before you use someone else’s words.) Testimonials are great from a marketing point of view because they come from (presumably) unbiased third parties.
43. Industry news
This might be a roundup, a recap of a press release or an article about a single happening in your field.
44. Glossary
This type of content page is especially useful if your industry or topic has a lot of jargon within your field. Prevent readers from becoming confused by creating a glossary page that defines these terms and then link back to it when you use those terms on other pages.
45. Comparisons
A type of product review, comparisons show a side-by-side look at two or more products. This might be a face-off between a Ford Mustang and a Chevy Camaro.
46. Best practices
This type of page gives readers advice on how they can make their life a little easier. It’s even better if you can include how your product or service can make a reader’s life easier.
47. Recipes
Who doesn’t like cooking? Just make sure that you only post original recipes. While ingredient lists aren’t subject to copyright restrictions, the instructions on how to cook a dish are.
48. Cheat sheets
Everyone likes to learn about an easier way to do something. Again, see if you can work this around one of your products or services.
49. Screenshots
Screenshots are images of what’s on your computer screen at a particular moment. These are useful when you’re trying to explain to readers how to do something on their computer.
50. Calculators
Calculators can be useful for things like figuring compound interest, paying off a mortgage early or estimating retirement income.
Creating Quality Content with Crowd Content
We understand that creating quality content can take you away from your other job responsibilities. That’s why Crowd Content matches quality writers to website and blog administrators like you. We have more than 5,000 professional writers waiting to create top quality content for your web pages.
To learn more about adding diverse types of content to your website, blog or social media pages, feel free to contact us today.
