Ok, this has to be one of the most meta projects I\u2019ve worked on: a piece of digital content about digital content \u2014 but, hey, it\u2019s an important one.<\/p>\n
From toddlers to senior citizens, everyone today wields a mobile device. So much of our lives are spent staring at screens that very few can say they don\u2019t consume digital content<\/a>, whether they call it that or not.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n No one knows this better than modern marketers, but for those of you new to the field or looking for a refresher on what actually falls under the umbrella of digital content, I\u2019m here to break it down.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll also share what some industry thought leaders predict digital content will look like next year.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n What is digital content?<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n Simply put, digital content is any type of media used to reach and connect with an audience that is created, hosted, and distributed through the internet.<\/p>\n Many people, like artists, digital creators<\/a>, journalists, and media organizations, create digital content simply because it\u2019s their offering; it\u2019s a new medium for them to express themselves and communicate with others.<\/p>\n However, businesses, entrepreneurs, and marketers like me usually create digital content to drive traffic and awareness, generate new leads, and convert new customers.<\/p>\n In other words, digital content could also be defined as online media created for content marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Content thought leader and Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs Ann Handley once said<\/a>, \u201cEverything the light touches is content\u201d \u2014 and she\u2019s not really exaggerating.<\/p>\n That email you deleted this morning? Digital content.<\/p>\n The meme your dad texted you this morning? Digital content.<\/p>\n The YouTube video linked in your group chat? Digital content.<\/p>\n This article? Digital content.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s just scratching the surface. Digital content includes, but is not limited to:<\/strong><\/p>\n Blogs\/Articles Emails<\/a> (Newsletters, RSS feeds, transactional emails) Interactive Tools<\/a> (Quizzes, Calculators, etc.) Now, some of these mediums can exist offline, too, like articles, quizzes, and templates, but when they are digitized, they offer a number of unique and unmatched benefits.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n For modern businesses, the importance of digital content can\u2019t be overstated \u2014 and I don\u2019t say this simply because my career depends on it.<\/p>\n Overall, content can drive brand awareness and build trust with your audience but digital content management<\/a> comes with a wealth of operational benefits that analog mediums don\u2019t.<\/p>\n One of the biggest benefits of digital content is its cost-effectiveness. Many mediums use low \u2014 or no-cost tools such as blogging, SEO, and social media, making it accessible for businesses and teams of all sizes.<\/p>\n Yes, paying seasoned, skilled professionals to own and execute your digital content strategy can come at a pretty penny, but the barriers otherwise are quite low.<\/p>\n Plus, your work tends to compound. Once you build site authority and social media followings, quality digital content tends to deliver more without much more immediate attention.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get me wrong, I love traditional media. I love seeing what I\u2019ve designed or written brought to life as something tangible that I can touch and feel \u2014 but these sensory analog treats are just not as versatile or convenient as digital.<\/p>\n With its online format, digital content is easy to repurpose for different platforms and mediums<\/a> and enhance for use on larger scales. Blog posts can be turned into videos or social media posts, and podcasts can be transcribed into guides.<\/p>\n Digital content can also be cross-posted or promoted to multiple platforms with just the push of a button. This just can\u2019t be done as efficiently with analog content.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>AI can make repurposing content even easier for marketers. Learn more in this article.<\/a><\/p>\n Being internet-based, digital content is also easier to share and collaborate on with people near or far. For instance, if I stage an article for publishing in the HubSpot CMS, anyone on my team with the right permissions can go in and leave comments or make edits to it.<\/p>\n All someone needs to share their input is a link and an internet connection.<\/p>\n When you publish an article in a newspaper or hang a billboard, you can\u2019t truly know how many people took the time to read that message and take action. With digital content, you can.<\/p>\n Most social media tools and content management systems offer in-depth information on your content\u2019s performance, such as views\/clicks and conversion rates, but they can also be linked to third-party tools like Google Analytics<\/a> or Databox<\/a> to get even more granular.<\/p>\n These insights can help you better understand what types of digital content are working to achieve your goals and what you may need to change.<\/p>\n Ok, so how do you create this oh-so-useful digital content?<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Creating digital content isn\u2019t really that different from creating for analog mediums. It\u2019s when the time comes to distribute and analyze that the two go in different directions.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk through the five main steps of creating digital content, and I\u2019ll explain.<\/p>\n At this point, we will assume you\u2019ve already determined what you are trying to achieve with your content.<\/p>\n In other words, you know what you need to get your audience to do or feel after consuming it and grasp who they are and what they\u2019re interested in.<\/p>\n (This is all a part of a greater content marketing plan<\/a>.)<\/p>\n So, here, you outline your content. You create your game plan for the piece of content you want to create. This includes, but is not limited to:<\/p>\n Title <\/p>\n Focus Keywords<\/a>\/Topic This is the first step I take with every article or piece of content I create.<\/p>\n Now that you know what you\u2019re writing, you can start your content research.<\/p>\n Even if you know the topic like the back of your hand (like I know digital content), you should still be doing some research. I certainly did when working on this piece.<\/p>\n Research<\/a> is how you know what you\u2019re up against (aka what your competitors say). It\u2019s how you know what perspectives and ideas are already being discussed and what new value you can offer.<\/p>\n It also helps you fact-check yourself and find third-party data to support your claims.<\/p>\n So, you have your outline and your research; here\u2019s where you put them together. This is also where those differences between analog and digital that we talked about can start to show up.<\/p>\n Perhaps you\u2019re writing in a word processor or CMS, stitching clips together in a video tool, or framing graphics in a design tool.<\/p>\n Regardless of the type of content, you\u2019re likely creating it using a computer and possibly even collaborating with your team virtually.<\/p>\n Need some assistance?<\/span> Tools like Canva<\/a> have comprehensive libraries of templates and even AI to help you create visual content, while HubSpot\u2019s free AI content writer<\/a> can help with text.<\/p>\n After the content has been finalized, it\u2019s time to set it live. With your content living online, it will be accessible to search engines, shareable through links, and in play for engagement via likes, comments, and shares.<\/p>\n After your content is live, it\u2019s time to see how it\u2019s performing. Depending on your goals and the platform, this could mean analyzing the clicks, views, and leads generated or likes, shares, and comments. I suggest a minimum of three pulse checks:<\/p>\n On the day of publish If your digital content is doing very well from the first check or the content is more of a long-term play, I\u2019d increase this frequency.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Canva does so many things right with its marketing, and its digital content is no exception. \u201cDesign School\u201d is essentially the brand\u2019s resource center, where users can learn about design principles, color theory, trends, and how to use the Canva tools.<\/p>\n\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n It offers video-based, on-demand courses, tutorials, and certifications.<\/p>\n Why is this great digital content?<\/strong><\/p>\n It offers tons of relevant educational value to the audience SEO tool Semrush capitalized on the Barbie movie craze during the summer of 2023 with this infographic.<\/p>\n The film’s marketing made just as much of a splash as the film itself, and Semrush used this design to share various performance stats from its strategy.<\/p>\n\n
\n Types of Digital Content<\/a>
\n Importance of Digital Content<\/a>
\n How to Create Great Digital Content<\/a>
\n Examples of Great Digital Content<\/a>
\n What will digital content look like in 2025? (According to Experts)<\/a> <\/p>\nWhat is digital content?<\/h2>\n
Types of Digital Content<\/h2>\n
\n Videos (Static and Live)
\n Podcasts<\/a>
\n Images (Photographs, Graphics, Infographics) <\/p>\n
\n Downloads (Guides, Reports)
\n Webinars
\n Templates <\/p>\n
\n Social Media <\/p>\nImportance of Digital Content<\/h2>\n
Benefits of Digital Content<\/h3>\n
Cost-effective<\/h4>\n
Versatile and Scalable<\/h4>\n
Easier Collaboration<\/h4>\n
Better Analytics<\/h4>\n
How to Create Great Digital Content<\/h2>\n
Plan<\/h3>\n
\n Key Talking Points
\n Medium
\n Platform
\n Call-to-action <\/p>\nResearch<\/h3>\n
Create<\/h3>\n
Publish<\/h3>\n
Analyze<\/h3>\n
\n One week after publish
\n One month after publish <\/p>\nExamples of Great Digital Content<\/h2>\n
1. Canva Design School [Resource Center]<\/h3>\n
\n It showcases Canva\u2019s thought leadership, positioning it as an expert in the design space
\n It introduces people to Canva products and teaches how to get value out of them
\n Video-based, catering to modern buyer content preferences
\n Content exists both on the website and YouTube, expanding its reach and<\/em> helping with SEO. <\/p>\n2. Semrush: \u201cBarbie Phenomenon\u201d [Infographic]<\/h3>\n