5GiveIn today’s technologically advanced era, everybody goes online whenever they need information – which is great for companies raising awareness of their products and services.

The practice, known as content marketing, provides valuable information to readers, without the annoying sales pitch. Jamie Oliver is a good example of this – he shares great recipes for free on TV, on his website, and on talk shows, and it helps him establish a loyal audience that buys his books and visits his restaurants.

However, when sharing information on online platforms, it is important to present it in a manner that provides an optimal viewing experience. A disjointed mess of text squiggles and images is not likely to be read, let alone shared.

So what is the best approach to get people to read the information you offer online, and come back for more?

Cater to the content

First, you need to decide what information you want to share, and which platform is most relevant. Case studies, product reviews, how-to guides, and opinion and trend articles work well for websites, or as blog posts.

Adding infographics, which use data and statistics to tell an attractive, visual story, can make content easier to digest – and increase the chances that your content piece will be shared on social media platforms. If there is a large amount of information, you may want to package it as a downloadable e-book.

For audiences that prefer to watch and/or listen, videos allow you to communicate a more memorable message. You can use video for many different purposes: interviews, humorous features, or instructional displays, to name a few. Even the humble podcast can let you deliver great content to people who carry their reading material around in their music players.

Cater to the consumer

Different consumers have different tastes, so do your research to understand their preferences. For example, will your audience likely be reading your article from a 20-inch monitor screen at the office, or on their mobile while commuting to work?

Most of the time, it makes sense to create different versions of a content piece for different platforms, even if this may cost extra. When adapting written articles from a desktop browser to a mobile platform, remember to make sure any visual elements remain clearly visible.

When it comes to consumers on the go, your content needs to be appropriate for both tablets and mobile phones. Generally, consumers view content on these while filling time, such as travelling on the MRT or waiting in a queue. So mobile videos, for instance, work best if they are only a few minutes long – short and snappy. If viewers like the content, they can be encouraged to watch it again on a larger screen.

With more online platforms emerging, and the range of different types of content widening, you will have more ways to reach out and share your knowledge with growing communities. So, how do you want them to view your content?

By Chester Teck

The writer is the Content Manager of GetIT Comms, a company that develops and implements marketing programmes, campaigns and projects for B2B organisations. Read more about B2B marketing strategies at www.b2bento.com