As a collector and as someone who has a fetish for things illustrated, drawn, sketched, music-tized, videotized and demonstrated- especially information in a graphical format – I try to spread, bookmark and pin whenever/whatever I can/find something of value. Helps me keep a repository and go back to it when I need it- say if I am working on a strategy or need to get inspired for visualizing something.

One thing that struck me recently is that companies/brands have been sending many infographics. These are professionally developed graphics or hand drawn good looking sketches of notes from an event or even just a mind map- explaining a phenomenon or outlining a trend. It can be professionally made or an amateur attempt at creating a short, edgy video or piece of music. And I think that is an awesome marketing approach.

If you are establishing your niche as a thought leader (as a company or as a personal brand)- this works in multiple ways. Provides value to the eco-system, creates consistent contact opportunities with stakeholders (across multiple platforms), is immersive rather than interruptive- and enables the community to become advocates. All this apart from the usual marketing benefits of driving linkbacks, pageviews, registrations, etc.

Since a few years now, I have propagated that the era of Search Engine Optimization as we used to know it- is fast getting over. Evolution in this space has ensured that the era of Social Asset Optimization has begun. And what was SEO- would be a part of social experience for now.

I refrain referring SEO as SEO (if not for the fact that this terminology is understood by people). I have preferred calling it COSE (Cozy)- Content Optimization for Search Engines instead.

This is how search is evolving and this is how Social is maturing. We’ve always propagated that Social Media Marketing needs “Social Objects”- and for the context of this article- these infographics can certainly be social objects.

So Content marketing does not really mean starting a newspaper of your own- rather it is about creating opportunities where content could be created or curated across mutiple mediums, expressions, ways, shapes or forms- and enabling it to travel. Consistency and quality are key virtues that will make all the difference- and help stand out from the crowd.

Infographics are an exemplification of content marketing. Multiple opportunities exist for those who want to try. Multiple opportunities to create these Social Objects.

For fun sake I call them creating Social Asset Snacks. So instead of creating full fledged features- create small assets – that could be consumed instantly and in a short span of time- get them out more frequently and let people consume them in chunks. 

Not a three course meal (read- big budget marketing campaign). A Snack. Social Asset Snack.

This is what ‘Viral’ marketing essentially is- though Content Marketing or Social Asset Optimization is better suited and more ‘legit’/less frivolous a description.

So you can imagine- B2B businesses- where the buying cycles are so much more longer, recommendations probably play an even bigger role than impulse products and where thought leadership is everything- this is a phenomenal approach for those businesses.

I have covered various infographics earlier- and lately some more . Here is another one below- sent to me by a company called Online Graduate Programs who are spreading this Infographic on “The Age of Instant”

Enjoy.

Created by: Online Graduate Programs

Featured Image: Fornal from Flickr