Promoting your business

Blogging, podcasting or YouTube? Which one is right for you?

Two decades ago, the most important marketing channels were print, TV and radio. But today, blogs, podcasts and videos are now the main ways we consume information.

Your marketing needs to adapt to these formats, or you risk losing valuable opportunities to reach your customers. 

But with so many different digital marketing content formats, how do you choose the right one? This post will take you through the top three formats and the pros and cons of each.

Firstly, what is content marketing?

Blogging, podcasting and video creation are all forms of content marketing. This type of marketing involves creating relevant, interesting content and sharing this across different platforms to promote your brand.

Content marketing isn’t focused on creating content that directly advertises your brand or product. It’s about providing truly engaging and informative content that addresses a problem your potential customers are trying to solve. The idea is that this builds trust and brand awareness among your target audience. 

Done right, content marketing can help increase website traffic, leads and ultimately increase sales.

Content marketing team at desk discussing marketing channels

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLATFORM

Each format has its benefits and drawbacks. It’s important to be aware of these, so you can decide which method is best for your business.

PROS AND CONS OF BLOGGING

Pros:

  • Blogging for business is cheap, and it’s easy to get started. Anyone can create a blog for marketing using a platform like WordPress or Squarespace.
  • Having a blog for digital marketing can improve SEO and boost traffic to your website.
  • You can incorporate different types of content in a blog post, from images to videos.

Cons:

  • Business blogging requires constant energy and effort. You need to regularly create and upload content.
  • It requires a high level of written communication.

PROS AND CONS OF PODCASTING

Pros:

  • Popular podcast apps have hundreds of millions of listeners. You can reach a large audience and increase brand awareness.
  • Podcasting is easier than video recording, as you only have to record and edit audio.
  • You have your audience’s undivided attention. They are less likely to be distracted by ads or click off to a different website.

Cons:

  • You need to invest in recording equipment to create podcasts for business. Poor audio could turn people off listening.
  • If your host isn’t engaging, you risk losing your listeners.
  • It doesn’t directly lead to traffic on your website. Most podcast listeners use an app.

PROS AND CONS OF YOUTUBE

Pros:

  • There’s a huge audience. YouTube receives over 30 million visitors daily. 
  • Video shows, not tells. As a result, if you use YouTube for marketing, you’re more likely to make your messaging stick.
  • You can leverage your YouTube content marketing on other channels, such as social media or your blog.

Cons:

  • Using YouTube for business requires technical skill, both to shoot and edit your video.
  • Video is time-intensive. It takes far more time than writing a blog post or recording audio.

More tips for developing a content marketing strategy

  • Do your research. See what types of content your competitors are posting and use this as a benchmark.

  • Create a content calendar. This will help you plan ahead and stick to a schedule. Regular content is key to effective content marketing.

  • Consider bringing a professional on board, or look into an online course to improve your content creation skills.

  • Don’t forget about distribution. To get the best results, you need to actively promote content on other channels, like social media and your website.

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