Content marketing is far more than writing blogs. Way more. It’s the full system of formats you use to earn attention, build trust, and turn that trust into revenue.
If you’re just getting involved in content marketing, start by launching your blog and publishing consistently—think problem-solving posts mapped to what your audience actually searches for.
Then, once your blog is established and purring along, layer in new formats that match your goals and your audience’s habits.
Chances are you’ll see a fast lift—fresh traffic, better-qualified visitors, higher conversion rates, and stronger SEO signals.
Things to Know Before Jumping In
Before we share the types of content that can drive more traffic and revenue, keep a few principles in mind:
You don’t need to try all of these examples — different formats suit different brands at different stages. If a format won’t serve your audience or your goals, skip it. This is a menu, not a mandatory checklist.
Don’t be afraid to try new stuff — many teams avoid new formats because they seem time-consuming or risky. Start scrappy. Want to test video? You don’t need a studio. Your phone, natural light, and your existing YouTube account are enough for a pilot. Ship small, learn fast, scale what works.
Pick one and put it in your schedule — add one or two of these to your editorial calendar for the next month. If it isn’t on the calendar, it won’t happen. Commit to one test in the next four weeks.
This list is not exhaustive — think of content first as ideas, then as formats. Nail the idea and audience outcome, then choose the most useful way to deliver it. The variety is endless—you might even invent your own signature format.
So, let’s get started…
1. Infographics
An infographic presents information or data visually—info + graphic—to make complex ideas fast to grasp and easy to share.
Infographics are still widely shared and referenced. They package research into a format people can scan and embed. One study found that infographics were liked and shared on social media up to three times more often than many other formats. The viral potential is there when the topic and data are strong.
How to do it
If you have a graphic designer in your network, tap them to craft the visual story. Some designers specialize in data visualization. If budget allows, services like Visual.ly can help. Costs vary widely by scope and research needs—expect anything from a few hundred dollars for a simple design to a few thousand for a fully researched, brand-custom piece.
When to use it
Use infographics to communicate data, research, comparisons, timelines, or frameworks where visual structure increases understanding and shareability.
Things to keep in mind
- Infographics can be expensive when original research or illustration is required, so choose topics with long shelf life and clear search or outreach demand.
- “Infographic” alone won’t make it go viral anymore. You need a compelling insight, clean design, and an outreach plan to earn embeds and links.
- Consider lightweight motion (gifographics) to explain processes or show change over time—subtle animation can boost engagement without heavy production.
2. Memes
You’ve seen memes. They’re fast to make, highly shareable, and great for injecting humor and cultural relevance into your brand voice.
Memes work because they’re playful. People love to laugh, tag friends, and share a clever take on a familiar template.
How to do it
- Memes don’t require design skills—use a popular template and add your copy. Keep the joke obvious and on-brand.
- Memes shine on social platforms. Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, and X are fertile ground—post natively and watch comments for what resonates.
- Memes are “just-because” content. When a timely idea strikes, ship it while the cultural moment is hot.
Things to keep in mind
- They’re adaptable to any niche—use insider language and scenarios your audience will instantly recognize.
- Memes are low-stakes and low-depth. Don’t overuse them. If they start diluting your message or positioning, scale back.
3. Videos
Video spans product walkthroughs, explainers, webinars, short-form social clips, interviews, and more. A strong video delivers a clear message quickly and memorably. Done well, it can be extraordinarily persuasive.
How to do it
- Whatever the format—office tour, explainer, or demo—start with a tight script and promise a specific outcome. A video isn’t just moving pictures; it’s narrative.
- Publish where your audience watches. Upload to YouTube for search and long-form discovery, and create cut-downs for social platforms to broaden reach.
Things to keep in mind
- High-production shoots cost more, but you can start with simple, well-lit phone videos and clear audio. Upgrade as the channel proves ROI.
- Length should fit the job: under 60 seconds for social teasers, 2–5 minutes for explainers, and longer only when depth is warranted. Respect the viewer’s time.
4. Guides
A guide is a detailed, long-form piece—an epic blog post with depth, structure, and visuals. Our Advanced Guide series remains among our most consumed assets because it goes beyond surface tips into step-by-step execution.
How to do it
Great guides require a strong writer, a thoughtful designer, and a relevant idea. The writing should be actionable and comprehensive, while the design uses headings, callouts, and diagrams to aid scanning. Consider offering a downloadable PDF in addition to the on-page version.
Things to keep in mind
- Guides make excellent lead magnets: “Get the full guide via email.” Deliver real value so the exchange feels fair.
- Readability depends as much on layout as prose—invest in formatting, imagery, and a clear table of contents so readers can jump to what they need.
5. Book reviews
A book review shares what a title covers and your take on it—highlighting what’s worth applying (and what isn’t). Reviews help position you as a curious, helpful expert.
How to do it
A simple 7-point format keeps it tight and useful:
- Introduce the book: 1–5 sentences.
- Introduce the author: 1–5 sentences.
- Summarize the major points: 1–3 sentences per point.
- What you liked: 1–5 sentences.
- What you didn’t: 1–5 sentences.
- Who should read it (or skip it): 1–3 sentences.
- Call to action: link to the book.
Things to keep in mind
- Reviews work best when your audience actually reads books—choose titles they’re considering and share how you applied the ideas.
- Timely reviews of new releases (or interviews with authors) can boost discoverability and authority.
6. Opinion post (a.k.a. “Rant”)
This format differs mainly in tone. Instead of a cautious, fully sourced explainer, you take a clear stance. Strong, informed opinions get read and shared—especially when you address a timely industry change.
How to do it
Occasionally publish a first-person take on a big issue or shift. It could be your view on a major platform update, policy change, or trend. Timely topics tend to earn more search and share activity.
Things to keep in mind
- Don’t overuse it. Constant rants can exhaust readers. Save them for moments that matter.
- Be civil. Passionate ? personal attacks. Protect your brand while making your case.
- Be clear that it’s your perspective, grounded in experience and evidence, and be open to nuance.
7. Product reviews
Product reviews establish authority and help readers make confident decisions. Every niche has tools, software, and services worth evaluating. Share your real-world experience and a clear recommendation to earn trust.
How to do it
Use a consistent pattern so readers know what to expect:
- Introduce the product
- Introduce the producer
- Describe the product
- Share what you like
- Share what you don’t like
- Provide your recommendation
- Provide a call to action
Things to keep in mind
If the product is physical, add a video component so viewers can see it in use. Disclose affiliate relationships and review units, be explicit about your testing process, and include pros and cons—credibility beats hype.
Take product reviews to the next level
Many reviews feel biased or shallow. That’s an opportunity—thorough, transparent testing stands out and earns links and shares.
The challenge is that great reviews require work—planning, testing, and clear scoring criteria.
If you commit to quality, you can create content that outperforms for years.
Before we break down the components of a standout review, here’s an example worth studying.
This channel, “America’s test kitchen,” shows what a useful review looks like—repeatable tests, objective measurements, and clear takeaways.
They’ve nailed the kitchen niche with high-conversion videos that rack up serious views because the methodology is trustworthy.
You can do the same in your niche (and it doesn’t have to be video—written reviews with photos and data can perform just as well).
What’s in a great review? Go beyond features to include:
- actual product examples tested side by side
- useful, repeatable test results (with thresholds and scenarios)
- clear comparisons with a scoring rubric readers can scan
Here’s a simple process.
Step #1 – Pick a specific type of product: Start where your audience spends money and asks “what’s best?”—narrow beats broad.
Ideally, you’ll answer a high-intent question people are already searching for.
Some examples from different niches are:
- Link building tools
- Rank tracking tools
- Marketing courses
- Futons
- Dining room tables
- Lawn mowers
- Cat food
There are thousands of viable categories—pick one where you can add unique expertise.
If you’re stuck, browse Amazon or category leaders to see what consistently ranks and sells in your niche.
Step #2 (Important!) – Actually buy the product: Most weak reviews are written by people who never used the thing. Use it like a real customer and document your experience.
People can tell when a review is genuine—and they reward it with trust and clicks.
This can get expensive, but truly hands-on reviews tend to pay for themselves over time via traffic and revenue.
Give yourself time to test thoroughly—weeks for gadgets, longer for courses or services.
Step #3 – Decide what tests would be useful: Design tests that mirror what buyers care about most.
For example, blenders should be tested on smoothie smoothness and speed; set a timer and a consistency score so results are comparable.
You’ll usually need multiple tests to reflect real-world use, not just a single scenario.
In our blender example, you might add nut butter, ice crushing, and cleanup time—covering the full range of typical tasks.
Step #4 – Quantify and compare the results: Avoid arbitrary conclusions. Build a weighted score from your test data so rankings are defensible.
State your criteria up front and show the numbers behind your verdicts.
That makes it easy for readers to see the trade-offs and choose what fits them best.
Here’s what a simple scoring table might look like—clear, scannable, and tied to tests:
And that’s the blueprint for next-level reviews. It takes effort, but nearly anyone can do it with a plan and persistence.
8. How-to
The how-to is a perennial winner. It targets intent (“How to…”, “How do I…?”), builds goodwill by solving problems, and earns long-tail traffic for years.
How to do it
Start with a common problem and a clear outcome. Then follow this simple model:
- Introduce the problem
- Introduce the solution
- Break down each step
- Summarize key takeaways
- Close with next steps or tools
Things to keep in mind
- Topics are inexhaustible. Pick something you do often and codify it. Industry-specific or general is fine—clarity and outcomes win.
- Use diagrams, screenshots, and short clips to show key steps. Keep steps current—update when interfaces or best practices change.
9. Lists
Lists are endlessly appealing because they promise structure and completion. We’re wired to love them. You’ll encounter list posts everywhere—“5 Security Breaches You Need to Know,” “17 Ways to Rank Higher in Google This Month”—because they work.
From ancient commandments to modern checklists, numbered ideas remain popular. You can’t go wrong with this format, and even major magazines lean on list-driven covers to sell issues:
How to do it
- Pick a topic, then pick a number. You’re halfway done. For example, here’s a post on 7 ways to increase your rankings without leveraging content marketing.
- Structure it simply: brief intro, numbered points (each with a clear action), and a short conclusion.
Things to keep in mind
- Depth beats fluff. Add specifics, examples, and links to help readers act.
- Long lists can work well—just keep each item scannable and useful.
- There’s no magic number. Odd, round, short, long—all can win if the ideas are strong.
10. Link pages
A link page curates the best resources on a topic. Done well, it helps your audience discover quality work, earns goodwill from creators, and signals your editorial judgment.
How to do it
A link page (often called a roundup) is simply a list of links: write the title, hyperlink it, and number items for easy scanning.
Things to keep in mind
Add a short blurb for each link—why it matters, what’s new, or who it’s for. Your annotation is the value-add that keeps readers returning to your curation.
11. Ebooks
An ebook packages long-form content—often as a PDF or on-page “web book.” Ebooks make strong lead magnets and authority builders when they deliver real depth and utility.
When e-books first took off, the format alone implied high value.
Today, perceived value comes from usefulness and credibility—audiences invest time when the promise is clear and the content delivers.
Exceptional ebooks still break through—especially when they’re focused, well-designed, and tightly edited.
Here’s a collaborative ebook approach that naturally attracts shares and links.
The idea:
Invite one influencer per page to contribute a short chapter on a single topic—e.g., 20 experts, 20 pages, one cohesive playbook.
It’s an expanded expert roundup with more depth and better reader payoff.
Instead of one-line quotes, each contributor writes a full, actionable mini-chapter so readers get breadth and depth.
Here’s an example: This shows the power of the model.
Stoney deGeyter, from Pole Position Marketing, put together an e-book of “link building secrets”.
He gathered 20 professionals to contribute one “secret” each—creating a compact, highly shareable asset.
Several contributors were influencers, which amplified reach and discovery.
The results included meaningful social lift and sustained traffic from their audiences.
Contributors also linked to the ebook from their sites—earning high-quality backlinks that compound over time.
Beyond performance, he built 20 new relationships—fuel for future collaborations.
How to do it
There are three main parts to producing a collaborative ebook:
- Choose a tightly focused topic readers want.
- Invite contributors who add unique, complementary perspectives.
- Edit, design, and package the content into a polished book before publishing.
Some steps are easier than others.
Choosing a topic is straightforward if you’ve read these posts on finding great content ideas.
Formatting for delight matters too—thoughtful typography, illustrations, and clear structure elevate perceived value.
The hard part is recruiting contributors.
If you already have relationships, invites are easy. Otherwise, you’ll need a brief but compelling pitch and some social proof.
What if your ideal contributors don’t know you yet?
That’s normal.
Improve your odds before you pitch.
First, build genuine relationships with 3–5 influencers.
How? Try this mix:
- leave thoughtful comments on their blogs
- engage on social with value-add replies
- join their email lists and send helpful responses
Relationships take weeks or months—worth it for this and future projects.
Early on, your goals are (1) don’t be a pest and (2) be memorable for adding value. Ideally, you’ll find ways to help before you ask for help.
Once a few say yes, invite the rest—momentum helps.
But don’t you need 20?
The first 1–2 unlock credibility; you can recruit the rest with those names as social proof.
It’s ideal to know 40–50 people, but that’s not always possible, so expect to cold-email many.
Cold emails struggle without credibility. Borrow it (ethically) by naming confirmed contributors—this boosts replies dramatically.
Here’s a simple opener structure…
Hi (name),
I wanted to quickly offer you an exclusive opportunity. I’ve already got (influencer #1) and (influencer #2) to agree to participate.
(book details here…)
Recognizable names provide instant context—worth a closer look.
Using social proof significantly lifts positive responses.
Once you hit your target contributor count (expect to email 50–100), assemble, design, and publish.
Send contributors the live link—most will share it. Do your own basic promotional work too—performance is usually above average with collaborative assets.
Things to keep in mind
- A strong title is everything. Promise a specific outcome and audience.
- Design matters—color, imagery, typography, and white space signal quality.
- Offer both a PDF and an HTML version. The HTML version lets you embed media and capture search demand.
12. Case Studies
A case study tells the story of a client challenge, your approach, and the results. It’s proof that your method works in the real world.
How to do it
Use this structure for clarity and impact:
- Executive summary with outcome highlights.
- The challenge—context, constraints, stakes.
- Your solution—steps taken and why.
- Results—metrics, timeframes, and quotes.
- Conclusion and clear next step for readers.
Things to keep in mind
- Avoid brochure tone. Teach as you tell—share decisions and trade-offs so readers learn.
- Make it a story: protagonist (client), conflict (problem), resolution (your method), and proof (results).
13. Podcasts
Podcasts remain a powerful format—people listen during commutes, chores, and workouts. They’re intimate, great for interviews and analysis, and excellent for building a loyal audience.
How to do it
Production can be simple: a decent microphone, a quiet room, and light editing. Plan segments, keep episodes focused, and publish on a consistent cadence.
Things to keep in mind
Always pair episodes with written content—show notes, key takeaways, and a transcript. Announce new episodes on your blog and social to expand reach and add SEO value.
14. Interviews
Every field has leaders. Interviews with them bring unique insights your audience can’t get elsewhere—plus credibility and share power.
How to do it
Invite your guest, prep a clear angle, and run a structured conversation:
- Introduce the guest and why this topic matters now.
- Ask questions and let answers breathe.
- Follow interesting threads with smart, on-the-fly follow-ups.
- Close by thanking the guest and offering a next step or resource.
Things to keep in mind
If the interview is audio or video, publish a written summary with highlights and timestamps so scanners can find what they need.
15. Research and Data
Terms like big data and machine learning are common, but the real opportunity is simpler: analyze meaningful datasets to reveal new, actionable insights.
Technically, big data means very large datasets, but for most marketers, even hundreds of thousands of rows can surface patterns the market hasn’t seen.
Large-scale analysis uncovers fresh findings others can’t get from small samples.
Anyone can share obvious tips.
Writing about SEO? Sure—include target keywords.
By now, that’s table stakes.
The unique observations come from analyzing large samples—and that usually requires programming skills or budget.
Few marketers produce this, which is why it performs so well.
An example: Here’s how big-sample analysis becomes standout content.
OkDork published a post analyzing 100 million articles for patterns behind viral content.
They sought data-driven reasons why content spreads rather than opinions alone.
Their findings surfaced surprising correlations such as ideal content lengths for shares.
It was a breath of fresh air compared to generic “create curiosity” advice.
The community responded accordingly—hundreds of comments and thousands of shares.
With large datasets, you can draw data-driven conclusions that carry weight and teach readers something genuinely new.
That credibility is hard to match with opinion alone.
How to do it:
This can feel intimidating, but like any skill, it’s learnable—and rare enough to be a major differentiator.
Plenty of tactics once felt out of reach. Those who lean in early benefit most.
You can wait for easier tools later (and compete with everyone), or you can get ahead now and reap outsized results.
If you can’t run the analysis yourself, two practical paths work well.
Way #1 – Hire a developer/programmer: You won’t manually analyze hundreds of thousands of rows. Scope a script to fetch and analyze data.
Timeline depends on complexity and data access—expect anywhere from a handful of hours to a multi-week engagement for typical projects.
Find talent on major freelancing boards and post a specific brief.
Post a job with a clear scope and invite bids to gauge feasibility and cost.
You can also search for developers with prior data-analysis projects and invite them directly.
Include these details in your posting:
- (optional) budget — if you include one, you’ll attract candidates in range
- project goal — what data you want to analyze and what decisions it should inform
- what you already have — an existing dataset or API access reduces scope and cost
If you’re not technical, do your best—good developers will refine the brief with you.
By “data source,” we mean an existing database or platform that exposes data programmatically.
In the OkDork example, BuzzSumo supplied the dataset—no scraping required.
Search for “(your topic) + database api” to find options.
APIs provide structured access to data, reducing project time and friction.
Way #2 – Partner up with someone who can: If budget is tight—or your audience is sizable—partner with a company that already collects the data and co-publish.
That’s what Noah Kagan (founder of OkDork) did.
We’ll quote him to show how straightforward it can be:
A few weeks ago someone sent me a link to the BuzzSumo website. It is a gold mine of data regarding what content is the most shared across any topic. Cha-Ching. So I reached out to the company to help understand what the main ingredients for insanely shareable content are.
In these partnerships, the data company helps assemble the dataset and often co-authors the post. You gain authority, they gain exposure. Win-win.
Companies with rich datasets increasingly recognize the value of content marketing.
BuzzSumo, for example, has collaborated widely, including this analysis with Moz of 1 million articles.
This is a great moment to build relationships with data providers in your industry.
16. Become a scientist (at least for a little while…)
Science values rigor—clear hypotheses, careful methods, and accurate measurements. That mindset produces standout content because it reveals new information through valid tests.
That’s the heart of great content: discover something useful and show others how to reproduce it.
You don’t need a lab coat—just a testable idea and discipline.
How to do it:
Step #1 – Come up with a hypothesis: A hypothesis is a specific prediction you can test.
Use this simple pattern:
I think (action) will result in (measurable outcome).
Not every hypothesis will be right. The point is to learn—and share evidence either way.
Here are a few examples to spark ideas:
- I think guest posting will grow our blog traffic by X%.
- I think I can eat at McDonald’s and still lose weight
- I think doing push-ups every morning for a month will let me hit 100 per day by the end.
- I think you can grow a tomato plant in 60 days using Procedure XYZ.
Choose hypotheses that, if true, produce content your audience will want to follow and apply.
Step #2 – Create a valid experimental setup: Take the McDonald’s example—define exactly how you’ll run the test.
Your setup should include:
- how you’ll track results (e.g., daily weigh-ins, weekly photos)
- precisely what you’ll do (the procedure)
- controls that reduce confounding factors (e.g., keep exercise constant)
We should also note that sometimes the data you want already exists but hasn’t been packaged into useful content. That’s okay—curate and analyze what’s available, but disclose limitations.
Step #3 – Run the experiment and analyze results: There are no shortcuts—do the work. Some experiments take months.
It’s hard, which is why so few people do it—and why it stands out.
Collect data, then analyze it to produce conclusions that help readers make decisions.
Even disproven hypotheses teach valuable lessons—share them.
Centralize your data (often a spreadsheet) and calculate the metrics that matter.
Step #4 – Turn results into a resource for your community: Convert findings into a practical guide, checklist, or routine people can follow.
Here’s an analysis we did of the performance of our past infographics—we quantified visitors, backlinks, and shares per asset.
Rather than saying “infographics worked,” we shared specific numbers and methods so others could replicate success.
We also had enough campaigns to make the sample meaningful (which took time—that’s normal for rigorous content).
Whenever possible, translate your findings into steps readers can use immediately.
17. One type of content that’s more practical than the rest
This final advanced format is one every applicable business should try at least once.
Build a tool (yes, we consider tools a form of content).
If you remember the old Quick Sprout homepage, we offered a web page analyzer that returned SEO, speed, and social scores—a simple, useful diagnostic.
Even though the tool cost more than expected, it generated substantial backlinks, email signups, and pipeline—an excellent long-term return.
You don’t need something complex. A small tool that solves a narrow problem can punch far above its weight.
How to do it:
Step #1 – Choose the problem: Tools exist to remove friction. List the recurring problems your readers face and rank them by frequency and pain.
For example, we noticed SEOs struggled to:
- quickly check on-page SEO
- produce repeatable reports for clients
- combine diagnostics across SEO, social, and performance
We designed a tool that accepted a URL and returned a clear, prioritized report—speed to value was the key.
Step #2 – Create the tool: If you’re not a developer, hire one to build a minimal, reliable version and expand from there.
Post briefs on major freelancing boards to collect estimates and timelines, then choose a partner with relevant portfolio work.
Be mindful of cost and scope. Prices range widely based on complexity—start with the smallest version that solves the problem well.
If quotes exceed budget, pick a simpler problem for version one and iterate.
Step #3 – Promote the tool: Useful tools are easy to share—launch in relevant communities, product directories, and your owned channels.
Tools are relatively rare, so they face less content fatigue than standard posts—especially if they deliver value in seconds.
Mention your tool in future content and onboarding sequences—it becomes a memorable entry point for partnerships and sales conversations.
Conclusion
To succeed with content marketing today, your work must stand out for usefulness, clarity, and credibility.
The more you diversify into formats that fit your audience and goals, the more leverage your content engine gains.
Content—whatever the form—earns attention, teaches, and converts when it solves real problems. The potential is there for any brand willing to execute. You’ve got the playbook. Go build.