Yup, totally didn't expect yesterday's post to be so long. When I first listed out all the 29 types of contents, it sure didn't look as long. Then when I started elaborating on each of them, and before I knew it, an hour has passed, and I was only at #15!
But is the elaboration necessary?
Of course. Without it, the post types won't hit home, and you (and the readers) won't be able to visualise how to package the different types of Steemit posts.
Is there one that is better than the other? Yes and No.
Yes, because there are some contents that can be packaged more effectively, and easily, in certain formats.
No, because it is up to your preference as a writer too. Each of us have a different way of processing and categorising information.
PACKAGING EXAMPLES
Let me give you an example. Say you want to create a post around the latest musical hit, The Greatest Showman. Some ways you can package the contents are:
List - 7 things you didn't know about The Greatest Showman
Review - My honest take on The Greatest Showman, and why I think it's my Greatest Show of 2018!
Dummies Guide - How the Dances are Choreographed in The Greatest Showman | A step-by-step guide
Recommendations/Curation - 10 other movies that you should watch if you loved The Greatest Showman
Failure Stories - Why The Greatest Showman's PT Barnum is a dick in real life
Success Stories - Bet you didn't know what Hugh Jackman's doctor said to him before his audition!
Interview with Subject Matter Experts - One secret Rebecca Ferguson told me about her role as Jenny Lind in The Greatest Showman
Facts & Figures - Records Sales for the Greatest Showman | Monthly Box Office Update
And for those who have zero clue what I just talked about…
Kinda cool eh? Not just the trailer but how one topic - one idea, can generate so many different post types. And if you apply the Chunking Method mentioned in my previous post (How to generate at least 365 post ideas for your Steemit Life (and possibly never run out of ideas again!)… man, sky's the limit!
Cool! Ready to continue the list?
- Mythbusters
Ah, conspiracy lovers and controversial tale seekers. These kind of posts plays with your readers' natural curiosity, and if you angle the title right, it's a great click bait!
That's because, internally, humans like to be correct. Call it ego or pride, or just plain human nature. So when something we know is being challenged, we will try to disprove it.
Hence the click bait. :)
- New (Updated) Editions
Some of your contents will need to be updated over time. The sad thing about Steemit (or should I say the best thing :P), is that your posts cannot be edited after 7 days. This is where trending contents work well, because within 3 to 6 months, you will have new info, and it's time for a new post!
A few contents that fits this post types are: consumer behaviour reports, market statistics, crypto-analysis, softwares and hardwares, data of sectors/indsutries/countries and more!
One brilliant example, which turned out to be a brilliant business model too, was Derek Siver's Woodegg. It's a site that Derek started in 2012 when he was living in Singapore, and he wanted to know more about his neighbouring countries. Check it out.
Image source
- Definitions
If your experience at work revolved around technical terms that the general public do not understand, you are sitting on a goldmine of post ideas! From P/E Ratios to Click-Through-Rates, Coleman Liau Index to FIFO, the possibilities are endless!
Your ultimate value, though, is not just providing the definition, which your readers can just take off a dictionary. Instead, focus on what it means to your readers. Dumb it down for them, to a level that they can relate to. Give them examples that can help them connect the dots.
Now, if you think about it, that's one heck of a post series! And since Steemit is on a blockchain, and new terms are literally created everyday, you should totally do a series on it!
- Tutorials & E-Courses (Steem Courses)
Kinda like the how-to or dummies guide, but tutorials or e-courses are usually more detailed, step-by-step with videos or screen shots. And remember, you are not writing for experts, because they would already know what you're trying to teach. Think of the amateurs, the newbies, and how to guide them effectively. Make it simple for them, breakdown into smaller steps if you have to, and extend a little helpline where they can reach you should they need more guidance.
Boy, do this well, and you're gonna be Steemit's Most Loved Player!
Oh yeah, if tutorials are your thing, you may also wanna check out what the folks at @utopian-io.
- New Solutions to Common Problems
We live in an age of technology and various advancements, but we still have same old problems to deal with. Do a quick AnswerThePublic around your topics, and see what questions are being asked about them. That's tremendous insight into challenges others are having, and if you have new, innovative solutions to it, you're in luck!
Psychologically, because it's a common problem, when your title promises something controversial or unheard-off, it's a natural click bait.
A few examples that come to mind are:
This mom took isotonic drinks to fix her migraines!
How to use Eventbrite to boost app downloads
Why Tinder is a great channel to promote your restaurant business
- Top Things
Fundamentally, this works like a list type or recommendations, but the key difference here is the priority and urgency around your contents.
For example, many would have create topics around travels and lifestyles, which is why contents like "Top things you need to do in Bali" and "Top jazz bars you have to visit before you die (touch wood)" works really well. Your readers already know there are lots of options, and they value the fact that you help them rank it, so they can make better decisions around it.
- Pros & Cons
Ah, the comparisons. Some would call this post types as the 2.0 of product reviews. Here's also where you expertise on the subject comes heavily into play. If you are able to constructively layout the differences between two competing products or services, sprinkling your personal biases only when needed, your readers would appreciate that. You will enjoy a huge boost credibility, and fans will chime in at the comments section, driving engagement to your posts.
- FAQ
If writing is not really your super power, and linking sentences and paragraphs is an issue, the this is your lucky break. Especially if you have a wealth of knowledge in a particular area, and is aware of the common questions asked around the topic.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), is basically a simple post packed with a list of questions and answers. It can be a long article, so consider breaking it into different posts if you have to. For the latter, consider using categories to group the questions together.
Heck, due to the nature of the 7 day edit period, you can even combine this with #17 (New and Updated Editions), and have updated FAQs every few months!
- SAQ
Short for Should Asked Questions, this is a hybrid of a checklists and newbies guide. Because you're a subject matter expert in a certain area, you probably know the ins-and-outs of the industry.
Highly useful before a big purchase or one with a long-term commitment - investments, properties, insurance policies - your readers will appreciate your inside-info because chances are, you're gonna save time lots of time and money, and probably from mistakes too!
- Series Posts
Kinda like my daily Mini Motivations, this sets a tone of consistency, something your readers can expect from you regularly. It also creates continuity, and chances are, if they liked one of the posts within your series, they will read through the previous ones as well. And if you regularly win their hearts, the Follow Button is just the next natural thing for them to click on.
Of course, you can adapt the proven formula of TV series and employ them in your writing, especially in fiction. Leave your readers in a cliff-hanger as they anticipate for the next post from you. You've just opened up a loop in their minds, and until they "close" it, you and your posts will be percolating in the back of their mind. #sick
- Seasonal Posts
Ah, the holidays. It's on everyone's mind, which also mean there's probably an influx of posts just like yours, making it harder to stand out.
That's where your creativity comes in.
Personally, I avoid seasonal posts because it has a short life span; it's not evergreen, and you gotta put in extra effort to gain the attention. Still, don't let my personal preferences stop you. If you have an interesting twist to your post, you can benefit from being under the (crowded) spot lights. This is totally a double-edge sword thing. :)
- BTS Posts
Highly recommended for video, event and music producers, Behind-The-Scene is a great way to lure fans and interested parties alike. The thing is this: people are generally curious when it comes to how things are made, and if it's something they are familiar with - say a short video, trending song or a sensational event - they will be keen to know what goes into the mix to produce it, who are the people involved, what are the challengers and more.
A recommended use is to have a post dedicated just for the video or audio content, and have a separate BTS post a few days later to drive traffic to both pieces of contents.
I'll admit, I haven't done much of these, so if you have a few tips, do let me know in the commends below.
- Crowd-Source Posts
Image source
This was a post idea given to me by one of my friend, Yasmin (@icehockeyandher), who is a travel blogger and ice hockey enthusiast. She hosted a few sessions of Ask Me Anything (AMA) at AMAfeed.com, where she just posted a little bio about herself (travel blogger, marketer, national ice hockey player etc), and anyone can ask her questions about that her, her job, experiences, expertise everything! It's almost like a FAQ post, but just a lot more interactive, since the questions are from real people. And If I'm not mistaken, she mentioned she got paid for hosting those sessions too. Check out the site, and use it as a means to crowd-source contents for your Steemit posts.
- Contest Posts
There are many of these on Steemit - from tee shirt design to photography to poetry writing to even an icon design. If you got some SBDs lying around or a decent amount of Steem Power (or delegation), hosting a few contest will rapidly boost up your number of followers, upvotes, mentions and overall popularity. Try to be different from the rest of the contests around though, because nobody wants a me-too. :)
So there you have it. A WHOPPING TWENTY NINE different post types for your Steemit Career! Actually I have a couple more which didn't make the list, but I think with the 365 post ideas, combined with 29 different ways to package it, is probably gonna keep you super busy until 2027!
Heck, and these are just for written contents. You can totally take things up a few notches with videos, podcasts, animations… #nolimits
If you do use one of the post types from here, leave a comment below with the link to your post. Would love to check it out.
Probably gonna take a weekend break after a week full of long form posts :)
Wait, why's Mav posting on Steemit nowadays?
Well, unlike other blogging and social media platform, Steemit is the only platform that allows me to earn cryptocurrency when I engage with it. Yup, one Steem is about USD5, and you, too, can earn Steem Dollars every time you:
Create content (articles, blog posts, podcasts, videos, photos)
Upvote (like) other people contents
Comment on other people's posts
Have discussions, share opinions etc!
Yup, basically it's the very same thing you're doing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc all along!
The only difference? For once you can earn a nice income on the side!
Sign up for a free Steemit account, and you can thank me by coming back and upvoting this article. And guess what, you will earn Steem too for doing that! #awesome
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