We have all heard the saying, "content is king" but has anyone ever really taken a good hard look at the content on the internet? In this article I decided to do my own study of internet content. My hope if to provide you with my findings.
In my personal experience when I want to learn something fast I usually go looking for video content. When I want to learn something leisurely I look for audio content that I can listen to in my car while driving about in daily activities. When I am looking for step by step or troubleshooting a problem I look for written content.
Since Pinterest has become a big player on the internet we now have infographics which also provide information content and not just a bunch of pretty pictures.
So when it comes to content on the internet there are four main kinds of content on the internet: text, graphics, audio and video with each having benefits and drawbacks and each appealing to different audiences.
Here's an overview of each of these four kinds of content and when they are frequently used.
==> Text-Based Content
This is by far the mother of all internet content. Before there was Youtube, before there was Facebook, and before there was the mighty mobile phone, there was written content starting primarily with email.
What a confusing time for people, email was a wonderful tool that connected us instantly through the written language. We could respond instantly or we could respond when we got around to it.
Every webpage, every piece of information on the internet either audio, video, or graphic, is backed up by some kind of written content.
Content is easily understood by search engines and is a huge part of any website. So, if you are writing content on your website and spraying various content with your signature to your webpage, out on the www, chances are you will be found by the search engines and have a ranking.
Content is the least demanding to produce. No special microphones or video cameras, no special editing software, just a good grasp on spelling, grammar, and a decent words-per-minute typing speed.
==> Graphic-Based Content
Graphics have come a long way on the internet. We started out with simple clipart to help with emphasizing our point and to add interest, to complex graphic-based content online called, infographics.
Infographics are essentially graphics that contain progressive information on a multitude of topics such as how to's, statistics, and advertising.
Infographics have benefits since they are entertaining and informative at the same time. I have seen infographics as decorations in a office framed on the wall with the content very detailed or general.
For example, if you're illustrating the history of the internet, it's much more alive to actually have graphics than just to describe it in words.
==> Audio
Audio content has really taken off ever since the iPod became popular. The popularity of the iPod actually created new terms that we added to the dictionary called a podcast.
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A podcast is a digital medium consisting of an episodic series of audio, video, radio, PDF, or ePub files subscribed to and downloaded through web syndication or streamed online to a computer or mobile device.
The advent of podcast, made it where I could download a podcast to a thumbdrive, plug it into the radio in my car, and play it back while driving about town. No need for a cd that had to be tediously written or a special player. I just plug in this little thumbdrive, that I had in my pocket and it played podcasts or my favorite Christmas music, while I tooled around doing errands and taking care of my offline business.
Today, people can listen to audios anywhere they go. In the car, on the bus, walking, or at lunch, using their cell phone. It saves time and is extremely convenient. Audio content is easily transportable, and if your like me you always have your phone, so it is always handy.
==> Video
Video is probably one of the strongest of contenders for content on the internet. Once streaming media became smooth people began dropping their cable and satellite subscriptions to have just internet feeds for television viewing. Video is a dynamic method of distributing content on the internet. You can put funny content, informational content, interesting content, high tech content, personal content - just about anything you can think of.
Video also crosses the also crosses the language barrier and has some of the strongest "share culture." With many of us having the ability to capture video with our cell phone it is very easy to share video content with friends on Facebook. If something is to go "viral" on the internet, chances are it will be a video.
Creating high quality content does take effort such as special equipment to shoot the video, edit the video and finally render the video. The whole process could take many hours, rather than just 30 minutes to write an article.
At the end of the day each type of content has it advantages and is convenient for different circumstances. It really depends on what kind of content you're creating and who your market is. The best rule of thumb is to try and have all four different kinds of content and seeing which one(s) your audience responds the best to.
For me...well I don't really like being in front of the camera, I would rather be behind the camera. I might try and get some audio content created but right now I'm still not feeling real brave about it.
I love writing so for now I'll keep writing content. Sooner or later I'll get the rest done.
I hope this article got you thinking about what you can do to add to your content on your website. If it did then that is the whole purpose...to get you thinking and to remind me that I need to get brave(r).