​The world is no longer ‘going digital’ – it is digital, and it is going to stay that way.

In this new normal, where timelines are reduced, communication is easier than ever before, and disruption is the norm. Things have changed – from the way we connect with each other to the way we connect with brands; from the way we consume products to the way we consume content.

Brands that are looking to connect with customers through content must realise that the rules of the game are different. The average person pays attention for about eight seconds (according to Microsoft) before losing interest – that means that we have shorter attention spans than goldfish! With such a short amount of time to make an impression, content must be impactful, punchy and memorable to ensure that people engage with it. Furthermore, brands must think about what type of content is best suited to their customers and their channels and deliver accordingly.

Here are some of the top content types that seem to be working a lot more in today's world:

Infographics

These graphical tools are an excellent way to represent complex statistics, information or knowledge in a visual way that is easy to digest and remember. The trick with infographics is to keep them visually engaging and focussed on a specific topic that adds value to readers. For brands, infographics can be a great way to communicate important company information on their website, or interesting success stories, numbers and facts through social media. And don’t forget – keep it simple, always.

Content videos

Content videos, which are simply slides of information presented in a video format, are a great way to get your point across in an engaging manner. Keep the content short, concise and to-the-point – a few keywords per slide with an eye-catching background or photograph works best. Good music in the background (but nothing too distracting) is always a plus. These videos work best on social channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, but you can also link them to your website and blog wherever relevant, for more views.

Don't worry if you don't know where to begin. Here are some things to keep in mind for a successful video marketing strategy.

Organic videos

In a world where people are bombarded with content from every direction, visual storytelling is quickly replacing verbal storytelling. Plus, video elements such as lighting, music and scripting can add a lot of character to video content and enhance the message that you are trying to get across. Keep the videos short and engaging – sixty seconds is ideal but the shorter the better. And remember – it can be tempting to restrict your budget and make it as low as possible, but high-quality content creates the impression of a high-quality brand. Post these videos on your key social media channels, especially Instagram, and make sure to cross-promote for maximum engagement.

Graphic content

Visual elements are absolutely essential in content marketing – they help in capturing attention, engaging emotionally with your audience and driving memorability of your content. You can use graphics content in several ways – from creating infographics to call-to-actions on your website and blog page, to create interesting visual graphics for your social media content and blog. It’s worth investing in this part of your content strategy, to ensure that your graphics are aligned with your brand, your message and your audience.

Curated content

You can also take advantage of the huge volumes of content that already exist, sorting through it to select the most relevant and meaningful pieces for your audience – whether it is posted by other bloggers, photography from other creators or anything of the sort. But remember – if you’re going down the content curation route – always, always, ALWAYS give credit to the original content creator and never try to pass it off as your own. Plus, curating content and giving credit often creates a sense of reciprocity, and people are more likely to use your content and link it back to you as well, helping you widen your audience and reach.

Another form of content curation that is gaining attention is working with your customer or clients and co-creating the content with them, giving them a voice on your channels.

Take a look at our latest content jobs here and put your skills to the test!