The Guide To Content Formats
As a PR company in Hong Kong, Eight PR specialises in public relations, media relations, B2B introductions and content services.
With this post, we thought we'd answer the 'what is content?' question by providing more clarity on the topic.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines content as being:
'The subject or ideas contained in something written, said, created, or represented'.
If content was an articulated lorry, it could drive right through that definition, such is the breadth of what content encompasses today across different formats.
In this gude to content marketing formats, we highlight the different content varieties to help you determine which formats are best suited to your business goals and audience.
Content Blizzard
In 2024, we find ourselves actively seeking information on our various devices or encountering content inadvertently through pushed notifications and auto-playing videos.
This never-ending blizzard of words, images, music and more vying for our attention every single day. With consumption this high and choices abundant, standing out from the crowd has never been more important.
Producing engaging content in a variety of formats and distributing it strategically across multiple online channels is key to breaking through the noise and capturing audiences.
This means understanding different content types and which will best serve unique objectives and target demographics. Consider these facts*:
- Approximately 3.2 million new blog posts are published daily
- There are over 600 million blogs worldwide as of 2023
- YouTube is the most visited website globally, with 5.5 billion monthly visitors and over 1 billion hours of video content watched daily
- Social media platforms have experienced substantial growth, with the number of active users increasing by 138.2% in eight years
- In 2024, there are over 600 million blogs online, with more than 6 million new posts published every day
Here are some formats available.
1. Information Sharing - Build Expertise and Knowledge
- Web pages/articles - In-depth articles covering topics in a solution-oriented way
- Ebooks/white papers - Authoritative reports on trends, solutions, and research findings
- Product documentation - Guides users to get the most value from offerings
2. Discussion Stimulation
Meant to spark discussion and share diverse perspectives, such types include:
- Blog posts - Regular commentary and thought leadership on industry topics
- Podcasts - Conversations that educate and entertain listeners
- Opinions/commentary - Expert insights and perspectives on relevant issues such as this one by Charles Russell Speechlys in Hong Kong Business
3. Community Building By Engaging and Cultivating Audiences
- Newsletters - Regular topic roundups that deepen engagement over time
- Webinars - Live and recorded presentations delivering valuable takeaways
- Videos - Explanatory and demonstration content in visual formats
- Social media posts - Bite-sized updates across popular platforms
4. Customer Demonstration Through Content Validation
- Case studies - Profiles highlighting customer successes with solutions
[As an example, here's a case study we wrote for Barracuda]
- Interviews - Conversations with industry voices to humanize brands
- Infographics - Visual stories telling data narratives effectively
[We're rather proud of our infographics and host them on Pinterest and here's our SWOT on AI.]
5. Content Sub-Categories
Here are some common content sub-categories:
- Evergreen content: Provides timeless information that remains relevant for long periods. Examples include definition pieces, tutorials, guides.
- News/current events: Newsjacking breaking news or updates within an industry or topic. Needs to be published quickly to be relevant.
- Educational/how-to: Teaches skills, processes or provides step-by-step instructions through explanation and examples. Helps users learn to do something.
- shortcuts,Best practices/tips: Recommends proven methods, shortcuts, or lessons learned to help users optimize workflows or results.
- Research/reports: Aggregates and analyzes data/findings on industry trends, challenges, emerging technologies through surveys, etc.
- Guides/primers: Broad but shallow overviews for beginners new to a topic looking to get up to speed. Entry points for learning.
- Content clusters: 5-10 articles based on one topic or product for executive thought leadership. This content layering ensures consistent communication of the key messages and reinforces brand authority on that particular subject area.
The goal is mixing content to keep the lineup fresh, engaging and balanced for the audience.
Determining Your Content Strategy
Now that you understand the variety of content types available, the next step is deciding on a content strategy tailored to your specific business goals, brand, and target audience.
Consider the following questions:
- Which content formats seem most applicable to your business or clients based on this overview?
- What industries or topics are you most interested in developing content campaigns around?
- How can PR professionals like Eight PR best support your content needs and distribution goals?
With the right strategy and mix of informative, engaging content, you can effectively spread your brand message and build valuable relationships with prospects and customers.
We hope you found this guide insightful and have others that may be of interest including:
Eight Public Relations is a PR agency in Hong Kong, helping clients to stand out from the competition.
From media relations to content development, corporate reputation management to thought leadership programmes, and digital communications, we’ve got you covered. Our goal is simple: to empower your business with all things PR and help you achieve your goals.
Email: eight@eightpr.com or Tel/WhatsApp: +852 9186 2984
*Sources: www.backlinko.com/social-media-users and www.ryrob.com/blogging-statistics/