On the internet we are all so used to the same old thing… reading content and moving onto the next article or website before we even get halfway through it. I’m sure this article will be another perfect example of that! Sure, you are reading it now, but the majority of you won’t make it to the end–even though it is quite great!
At the same time, it’s nothing personal and it really has nothing to do with the quality of content either. It’s simply that people now have a shorter attention span now than ever before and are always looking for the next bigger, better thing.
As bloggers and online marketers, content is something we have to deal with on a daily basis. This is especially true if you are the content creator or a marketer behind it. With more people wanting instant gratification and interactive content, it’s time for brands of all sizes to start considering their options and how they can simply do better to cater their audiences.
With all of that in  mind, today I’m going to share five fun and exciting ways to deliver your content to new audiences while leaving a lasting impression in the process. Each of these methods are unique in their own way, but proven examples of what’s working today as well.
I’m sure only a small percentage of you are actually implementing each of these five methods into your existing websites, blogs, and marketing. For each method you aren’t using, sit back for a moment and think about how effective they might be for your brand and reach.
5 Working Examples of How to Give Your Brand and Content a Breath of Fresh Air
Content is all about providing value, being engaging and shareable at the same time. Each of these methods are working great for me, so be sure to try them out with your brand and marketing as well.
Turn Existing Content into Animated Video
As site owners and bloggers, the one thing we all have in common is content — and lots of it! I personally have over 10,000+ original articles across my major blogs and while all of them do rank in the search results, it’s the latest posts that will always get the most attention.
One of the best ways to bring your old content to life is to give it a rebirth. The internet has changed a lot since your older content was first written, so you should treat it with a new type of lifestyle as well.
A great way to accomplish this is through the use of infographics and animated video. Infographics are awesome because they quickly deliver information and data in a way that people actually enjoy — through visuals. They are also somewhat easy and cost effective to create as well. So what’s better than turning your text blog posts into infographic? Turning your infographics into animated video of course!
Here’s a great example of the process in action. Take this original infographic on corporate branding, then watch it come to life through the video.
Infographics are great and they are the perfect marketing tool for building backlinks and getting social shares. However, if you aren’t integrating video into the mix… you are missing out on the billions of daily impressions being served through YouTube and Facebook video.
Create Stickers and Buttons for Your Audience Offline
All too often we forget about the real world we live in and what it used to be like to have physical items of value. Whatever happened to the days of when teachers would give you a sticker on your paper when you did a good job, or wearing a button of your favorite sports team, show or slogan? Now it’s all about digital stickers and posting updates to your wall.
While not used as often as they once may have been, brands like Twitter, New York Post, Google and Facebook all use stickers and buttons to help grow their brands today. Die-hard fans love to put stickers on their laptops and mobile devices, along with buttons on backpacks, hats, and shirts. Plus it’s kind of cool to actually have something you can physically put in your hand or wear around.
While the concept of stickers and buttons have remained the same, one thing that hasn’t is the pricing and process to create them. Now through the internet and sites like Stickermule, creating custom buttons and stickers is as simple as uploading your logo, selecting your size and choosing how many you want.
This is just way too easy and fun to not create for your existing brand or blog.
Start a Facebook Group and Become the Expert
We are all likely on Facebook and have probably joined various Facebook Groups as well. While most bloggers and brands probably already have a Fan Page for their site, the Facebook Group is where all the action is.
I just recently started my own private Facebook Group for Blogging.org, where users shares their experience and help others with everything related to blogging. Within a few short weeks the group already has over 1,000 active members.
So why are Facebook Groups so much better than Fan Pages? Actually, there are many reasons. The first is that all your Group members will be able to see what you are posting and it’s a lot more engaging than a promotional fan page. At the same time, having your own Facebook Group is a great way to grow your audience and expertise, while also having total control over the content being posted to the site.
Stop focusing so much on your Fan Page, as the organic reach is decreasing monthly. Start a Facebook Group and bring the conversation to life!
Run a Free Q&A Webinar for Your Audience
Not all of your content needs to be focused on the goal of making money or converting your audience into leads. A great example of how you could give back to your audience while providing amazing content in the process is through the use of webinars and live interviews.
This is something I’ve done several times over the past year with John Chow, where we would co-host a webinar and share our best blogging tips. Someone else who is doing something similar right now is Jeremy Schoemaker with his weekly “ShoeMoney Live” show where he basically just has a 60-minute live conversation with an industry expert.
If you wanted to start a live webinar or video chat with your audience, don’t worry about getting all technical and thinking you need to spend a lot of money. Tools like GoToWebinar are pretty cheap for smaller webinar groups and Google Hangouts is a great free option as well. On top of everything else, this is just a great way to get yourself out there and become a ‘real person’ with your audience as well.
Connect with Your Audience through Mobile Apps
Just as I mentioned at the beginning of this article… text-based content is still important, but people are now using their mobile devices and looking for live engagement more than ever before. This doesn’t mean you should stop using text content, but it does mean you need to start adapting.
The online world of content, to social media to now mobile engagement is rapidly transforming. Just take a look at Snapchat and it’s massive growth numbers over the past year. Another clear sign of change is the Pokemon Go mobile application, which is bringing unexpected business to millions of local retail location.
Mobile is the future and with auto-billing capabilities, the future is bright. This is something TicketChat, a mobile application focused on monetizing audience engagement, has just released their app for the world to better connect with their audience. Through such an app, industry experts and YouTube stars can engage with their following on a one-on-one chat or group setting, while also having the ability to charge a premium fee for such access.
While the model is new, it’s definitely a direction that content is quickly headed. We all want better engagement, and as experts within our niche, we’d like to be compensated for our time in the process. Wouldn’t you pay a few dollars to instantly connect with your favorite celebrity of YouTube star?
The Future of Content is Changing. Are You?
It’s safe to say that blogging and text-based content isn’t going anywhere anytime soon… however, there is definitely a shift in the mobile and video direction.
A clear example of this is with YouTube, which has been around for over a decade now. Even John just realized the power of video through his YouTube Channel less than a year ago, and now he’s racked up an additional following of over 18,000 subscribers and more than 5 million video views!
I can’t tell you what the popular social network of mobile application is going to be a year from now, but what I can tell you is that each of these platforms have access to billions of users. Take advantage of the opportunity at hand and bring your content to life through each of the methods and real life examples listed above.
As the saying goes, “CONTENT IS KING”… now it’s just a matter of choosing which castle (platform) you want to be the king of!
Click Here To Download John Chow’s New eBook, The Ultimate Online Profit Model!