Never Run Out of Content Ideas Again: 12 Dynamic Types to Captivate Your Audience
Staring at a blank page can feel like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded—frustrating and a bit disorienting. To help you steer clear of content monotony and keep your creative juices flowing, I have (literally) a dozen types of content that can add significant value to your audience.
1) Educational
Educational content is your ticket to becoming the beloved professor—minus the tweed jacket and elbow patches. By teaching your audience something new or enhancing their skill set, you position yourself as a trusted valuable resource. Think detailed how-to guides that simplify complex tasks, webinars that dive deep into industry secrets, white papers that offer in-depth analysis, or comprehensive blog posts that leave your readers feeling enlightened. It can also be simple posts that contain a micro-lesson. This is the majority of how I gained my first 20k followers… i.e. by showing my mindset behind pricing a job.
2) Entertainment
When it comes to entertaining content, it's all about bringing a smile to your audience's faces. Inject some humor with funny videos, quirky memes, or lighthearted behind-the-scenes glimpses of your operations. Just remember, while viral trends can boost engagement, use them sparingly so as not to attract the wrong audience. Still, if you haven’t tried it, take a viral trend or joke and abstract it to your industry.
A good friend did the “never let them know your next move” in the lawn care industry on TikTok and it went viral with lawn care operators. It was a perfectly executed use of a viral trend.
3) Informational
Informational content positions you as the news anchor of your industry (cue the dramatic theme music). Provide factual data and insights that help your audience stay up-to-date. Create insightful reports or analyses, design eye-catching infographics, or break down the current state of the industry. Sharing relevant news updates or trending topics not only informs but also establishes you as a thought leader. Was there a breakthrough in technology in your industry? Easy content. Tell people about it and add your commentary about it.
4) Engaging
To truly engage your audience, encourage interaction and foster a sense of community. Pose open-ended questions that spark discussion, solicit topics they'd like you to address, or host live Q&A sessions where spontaneity reigns. User-generated content (UGC) campaigns—like sharing personal stories or creating unique hashtags—invite participation. And don't underestimate the power of surveys or polls; just be sure to share the results, so your audience feels heard (and maybe a tad famous).
If you’re on certain platforms, you can leverage “going live” which allows your audience to interact with you in real time. This is also really fun, too!
5) Aggregate
Aggregating content is all about doing the heavy lifting for your audience by curating the best resources out there. Compile lists like "Top 10 Must-Have Apps" or "Weekly Roundup of Industry News." By sifting through the noise and presenting organized, concise information, you become the go-to source for quality content—kind of like that friend who always knows the best restaurants in town.
6) Sales
Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to sell—after all, your product or service is valuable! Promote it directly with the goal of converting your audience into customers. Highlighting features in real-world scenarios that resonate was one of the most successful strategies I found to incorporate sales content into my content calendar. This also ensured that my audience was going to get value from watching my sales messages! The first time I posted something with a strong CTA the video was no longer than 30 seconds, and the CTA was in the last 5 seconds. The following 24 hours we had so many new accounts created that it exceeded our largest month’s record by 40%. Just remember to keep it tasteful; nobody likes the pushy car salesman approach.
7) Inspirational
Inspirational content offers a fantastic opportunity to be genuine and connect on a deeper level. Motivate or encourage action by tapping into emotions and aspirations. Share heartfelt stories, recount the trials and triumphs of your founder's journey, or spread your mission-driven messages. It's like giving your audience a digital pep talk.
8) Demonstrative
When you demonstrate, you showcase how something works, often through tutorials or product demos. This is your chance to play show-and-tell with your audience. Provide how-to videos or walkthroughs that guide them step-by-step. By revealing your process, you satisfy their curiosity and establish trust—kind of like revealing a magician's secrets, but with less risk of being kicked out of the magic circle.
9) Collaboration
Collaboration is a content and audience engagement cheat code. By working with industry experts, influencers, or even your own audience members, you expand your reach and introduce fresh perspectives. Think guest blog posts that offer new insights, podcast interviews that delve into intriguing topics, or collaborative social media content that combines audiences. It's a win-win.
10) Challenge
Feeling bold? Challenging content dares to push boundaries and encourages users to think differently. Host a 30-day challenge that tackles your customer's pain points, spark debates with hot-take thought leadership pieces, or encourage participation in social challenges. The more customer-centric the challenge, the stronger the impact—it's like inviting them on an adventure where everyone comes out a little stronger.
11) Testimonial
Testimonial and Advocacy Content lets your satisfied customers do the talking (and who doesn't love a good compliment?). Showcase stories that vouch for your brand, product, or mission. Repost unsolicited user-generated content, share detailed case studies, or highlight customer testimonials and success stories. It's social proof at its finest, turning your audience into your best advocates. Tagging them in the post (when applicable) also makes it easy for them to re-post and share with their followers, which naturally boosts engagement and drives more people to you and your brand.
12) Document
Lastly, consider simply documenting your journey. No, not like a full on documentary. Think smaller! You can turn on your front camera and provide raw, behind-the-scenes content emphasizes transparency and authenticity. Share vlogs of your daily operations, post candid "day in the life" snapshots, or reveal the ups and downs of your brand or founder's journey. It's like reality TV but without the scripted drama and confessional interviews… or the post-production hassle.
Find a Balance
While this list of content types provides a robust toolkit, it’s important to remember that not every tool needs to be used equally. Each leader and company has a unique voice, and your content strategy should reflect that individuality.
Think of your content strategy like crafting the perfect menu for a diverse dinner party. Some guests might relish the hearty "meat" of educational deep-dives, while others prefer the crisp "veggies" of lighthearted entertainment or inspirational stories. You wouldn't dish out equal portions of every course to each guest—that could lead to unsatisfied appetites or overwhelmed plates. Instead, pay attention to what your guests are savoring. If you notice your audience piling their plates with certain "dishes," don't hesitate to serve up larger helpings of those favorites. By catering to their tastes while still offering a balanced spread, you keep the experience delightful and engaging without force-feeding them something they don't want. Remember, a great host—and content creator—knows how to please the palate of their audience.
The only caveat to that is to make sure that the people you are catering to are truly the types of people who could become your ideal customers. If a piece of content gets massive engagement, but the people engaging with it don’t fall within your ideal customer profile, I’d recommend that you not try to replicate those posts.
Action Items
Take a look at your content. Is there a type that your audience resonates with?
Take just 15 minutes to write 2-3 ideas for each type of content. This idea-banking exercise will help you the next time you go to create.
So, the next time you're confronted with the ominous blank page, remember you've got a treasure trove of content types to explore. Happy creating, and may your content stay valuable and never boring!
