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What is a customer story? Writing customer stories is a way of telling a client success story in an engaging fashion by demonstrating the results of a campaign or collaboration in a visual, narrative format — versus a more bland and predictable “problem/solution” model that sends people for the exits. 

It used to be that if you wanted a client testimonial, you’d simply ask a key stakeholder for a quote about the work completed. They’d write one — or ask you to do it for them.

Said quote would then be prominently slapped onto a piece of collateral or splayed in a sizable font on a website designed using Earthlink.

But that’s not how it goes anymore. Now, writing customer stories involves a slightly different process.

The days of using testimonial quotes exclusively enjoyed a nice run. Times have changed, and with it, the nuances of how client success stories get told. The best are called customer stories: a place where context can be given, where storytelling has a place, where attention can be rewarded with colorful language. It’s a format where characters can shed light on their quirks, elaborate on customer quandaries, and even share quips.

How that customer story looks is up to you. Newfangled formats range from more traditional articles/blog post layouts to more innovative takes.

Whichever format you choose, there are some basic tenets to all customer stories you should be acutely aware of — the “do’s,” if you will — that will keep your stories telling and your clients kvelling.

There are also some “don’ts” as well. Things that could turn an attempt at a positive into a negative experience.

So, let’s get into it all.

5 do’s for writing customer stories

When it comes to writing customer stories that will have great results for your brand, there are some “do’s” you’ll want to follow.

1. Do find the format that works best for your brand (and your customers).

First, consider what format is best for you. If your marketing strategy includes a hefty dose of video, you might approach your customer about going on-camera to shoot a quick video for you.

Videos are the holy grail of customer stories as they demonstrate passion and emotion, straight from the horse’s mouth. More likely, your client does not want to go on camera and would prefer to lend a few words.

If that’s the case, consider the different lengths and formats for their account before scheduling an interview.

ClearVoice breaks down different customer-story lengths something like this:

• Short Form (250 words): Mainly a few good testimonial quotes strung together with little context or explanation. Short-form is usually collected by phone or email and is by far the quickest to do and easiest to accomplish that asks the least of your customer in terms of time and effort.
• Standard (500 words): This is where longer, more telling testimonial quotes can start to be woven into several paragraphs using glue in the form of contextual sentiment. Generally, the baseline for where more engaging customer stories should begin.
• Long Form (1,000+ words): A longer-form article broken into sections (with subheads) that gives further insight into a problem/solution solved by the company for the customer. These pieces fit well into existing blog content and dedicate themselves to storytelling rather than pure fact-based recaps.

2. Do approach clients/customers in a respectful way that leaves room for them to politely decline.

As a business, it makes sense you’d want to sing the praises of a successful project. To tell the world about what you can do, as a way to establish authority, spotlight creativity, and ramp up new business opportunities. But know this: Not every customer wants to brag about the success of a project.

In fact, some don’t even want the public to know they used an outside resource to complete the work — as it could pull focus away from the talents and accomplishments of their own internal marketing team.

For the best chance at securing a ‘yes’ from your client, try this three-step approach:

1. Send an email to the key stakeholder laying out your goals for completing a customer story, detailing where you plan on featuring it and how it will make them — and their efforts — look great.
2. Let them know exactly what you need from them in terms of time — and how you want to do it. For example, “If you’re comfortable doing it, I’d need just 20 minutes of your time for a quick phone interview. Please let me know the best time for us to accomplish this at your earliest convenience. Thanks again!”
3. Follow-up immediately after the customer approves the request with call details and/or a Zoom link, so the meeting appears in their calendar. This makes the ask official and shows you’re handling their time responsibly.

3. Do make the client/customer look as good as can possibly be.

Your job is clear when writing customer stories: Write what would read like the equivalent of a quick-paced news story to describe how the relationship with your client came about, how your companies worked together, and highlight the wins along the way.

This includes:

• Being strategic about the quotes used: Each interview yields lots of content. You will need to capture the most telling ones — ones that are revealing, that land with impact, and are not too verbose.
• Couching them in a narrative with a beginning, middle, and end: Like any good story, you want to introduce the characters at the beginning, those tasked with accomplishing a goal — and then get into process, problem, and solution. And make it good — keeping someone engaged is never a given.
• Making it a success story: We live in a data-driven age where analytics and telling metrics are used to define success. Do your best to mine this data from the answers you’re given, so you have palpable results that substantiate success — versus relying on hearsay and a lot of flowery adjectives.

4. Do keep it all about the client/customer — not you.

It should be said that when writing customer stories, there might be a temptation to take too much credit for the work. After all, when it comes to marketing, agencies often do crack the creative nuts by coming up with solutions on their own that overdeliver for clients when it comes to results, praise, or earned media.

Don’t succumb to this temptation. Remember — it’s always about the client or customer. Without their budget, this work would cease to exist. Keep the spotlight focused on them. It’s the classy thing to do and might even keep you in the fold next time an agency review rolls around.

5. Do allow your customer to review the story before publishing.

Once you’ve picked a format, conducted your interview, and written up the best version of the customer story you can, it’s time for the customer review. It might be tempting just to hit the ‘publish’ button once you’re finished, given you’re building around things they said, but don’t make the mistake of publishing too hastily. Give them a quick peek.

It’s quite possible the client will want to review their quotes in context to make sure it’s faithful to their intention. Also, since the interview, they may have figured out a better way to say something or even a tangible metric that lends well to the customer story.

Give them the opportunity to expand or finesse their quote. It’s the respectful thing to do and also covers your own butt since they will have signed off on the final product before it goes live.

5 don’ts for writing customer stories

Now that you know what to do when writing customer stories, let’s take a look at what to avoid.

1. Don’t abuse the time of your interviewee.

Asking too much time from a client or customer puts them in the uncomfortable position of having to say ‘no.’ Once you set the terms of your interview, stick to them.

The last thing you want to do is ask for 20 minutes of someone’s time and then go 60 minutes over. Be respectful of what you agreed to. After all, they’re allowing you to use their brand to boost your own. Don’t be greedy.

2. Don’t ask too many questions your subjects won’t know the answer to.

There’s no worse way to spend your allotted time than asking questions your subject is not prepared to answer. Not only does it make it uncomfortable for them by having to admit ignorance on a topic, but it shows a lack of preparation on your part by not knowing someone’s role in a story’s success. It’s a waste of time. Theirs and yours. Be better.

3. Don’t engage in “gotcha” journalism.

More traditional interviews in journalistic reporting call for probing questions that try to “catch” the interview subject saying something more honest than they probably should. Don’t do it. It could create tension or remorse. After all, you’re not going for a Pulitzer here — you’re trying to make a client look so unbelievably good that they thank you in the form of a wine-country gift basket. Goals.

4. Don’t sacrifice flexibility at the expense of urgency.

Remember, your customer is doing you a favor by participating in a customer story. Make sure to give them several options for how to get it done at their leisure. Maybe they want you to email the questions to them in advance, do a quick phone interview, or text you their quotes.

However you can get it, take it. And avoid tight time parameters. If you’re under the gun, that’s on you. Don’t make it their problem.

5. Don’t take too much credit for the work yourself.

It’s been touched on, but it’s worth reiterating: Nobody likes someone who takes too much credit for the work created. Whether it’s true — or worse, not — remain humble about your own contributions and avoid over-exaggerating your involvement when writing customer stories.

Now, it’s your turn…

Doubt the power of what positive words and peer reviews can do for a business? See Amazon or Yelp, who will gladly tell you what five-star raves do for customers. Having people who experienced your service firsthand sing your praises via customer stories will always move the marketing needle in the right direction.

So go get these gems with a good grilling. They’ll always be in style when it comes to your content marketing goals.

Need a little help putting together a customer success story for your business or a client? Talk to a content specialist at ClearVoice today to get started.

The post How to Write a Customer Story: 5 Do’s and 5 Don’ts for a Compelling Narrative appeared first on ClearVoice.

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is an animated video?

Animated videos are videos created with original designs, drawings, illustrations or computer-generated effects that have been made to move in an eye-catching way using any number of artistic styles. Although they may integrate live action video, they don’t require any live action recording to convey an idea or story.

Different types of animated videos include:

• Cartoons
• 2D animation
• 3D animation
• CGI
• Whiteboard animations
• Motion graphics
• Stop-motion animation (a la “claymation”)
• Kinetic typography
• Flipbook or stick-figure animation

The long and short of it

When choosing a length for an animated video, first consider the purpose of the video (Is it more informational than promotional?) and the platform(s) you intend to promote the video on. For instance, animated videos under 30 seconds automatically loop on many social media platforms — over that length and they don’t. Or, if you’re buying ad spots on a broadcast, time requirements for spots are often down to the millisecond.

A general guide to animated video length:

• Short Form (15 seconds) —   Good for looping ads
• Standard Form (30 seconds) — Good for ads, looping or not
• Long Form (60 seconds) — Good for explainer videos
• Extra Long Form (90 seconds) — Good for in-depth explainer videos or brand stories

Why produce animated videos?

If you’re in charge of planning a diverse mix of deliverables in a content plan, animation will always present an elegant and cost-effective alternative to live-action video production.

Like motion graphics, animation is a compelling way to tell a story, letting you do things that could never be done in the real world — without breaking the bank. For instance, this creative celebration of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick’s filmography.

Popular use cases for animated videos…

• Explainer videos
• Instructional videos
• Short films
• Branded videos
• Corporate videos
• Product demos

Businesses that could use motion graphics…

Any business that has a small budget for video marketing will have more avenues to choose from in the realm of animated video options — versus anything on the live-action front.

Animated video examples – short form

Animated video examples – standard form

Animated video examples – long form

Animated video examples – extra long form

Understanding content quality in examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

More content types with examples:

• What Is an Article?
• What Is an eBook?
• What Is a White Paper?
• What Is Email Content?
• What Is a Customer Story?
• What Is a Product Description?
• What Is an Infographic?
• What Is a Presentation?
• What Is a Motion Graphic?

Animated videos can help you capture the attention of your target audience. Talk to a content specialist at ClearVoice about producing engaging copy for your next video today.

The post Animated Video appeared first on ClearVoice.

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What are motion graphics?

Motion graphics are animations often used in ads, movie title sequences and other multimedia projects with movable text often used as graphical elements, adding depth to a story.

The long and short of it

Motion graphics can range from simple GIFs to full-on title sequences in videos. Since they can be made in any number of programs for a variety of media, their formats and complexity can vary widely. For starters, though, you can think of complexity in terms of image layers, regardless of the final format.

A general guide to motion graphics complexity:

• Simple (1-3 layers/slides)
• Standard (4-6 layers/slides)
• Complex (7-10 layers/slides)

Why should a business use motion graphics?

Much for the same reason that an audience would rather see a presentation move — versus one shot up by bullet points — motion graphic videos have skyrocketed in popularity as a powerful storytelling method in terms of inspiring, delighting and spurring customers to action.

Given the newfound ease and lowered cost to creating motion graphics, combined with the ease of production using scripting and voice-over narration, it looks like motion graphics are here to stay as a way to tell stories (at a relatively cheap cost). Especially as an alternative to live action, which can be more costly.

Popular use cases

As an alternative to live action, which can get pricey depending on how you do it (even in a “normal” production climate), motion graphics are now being used more than ever to produce:

• Ads
• Product marketing
• How-to videos
• Presentation
• Promotional videos
• Explainer videos

Businesses that could use motion graphics…

Businesses looking to create cost-effective ads or digital media for their content pipelines and marketing channels will get more bang for their buck using motion graphics versus static slides.

Motion graphics examples – simple

Motion graphics examples – standard

Motion graphics examples – complex

Understanding content quality in examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

More content types with examples:

• What Is an Article?
• What Is an Ebook?
• What Is a White Paper?
• What Is Email Content?
• What Is a Customer Story?
• What Is a Product Description?
• What Is an Infographic?
• What Is a Presentation?
• What Is an Animated Video?

The post Motion Graphics appeared first on ClearVoice.

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their basic fundamentals so you can start with a solid foundation — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples.

What is a Presentation?

A communication device that relays a topic to an audience in the form of a slide show, demonstration, lecture, or speech, where words and pictures complement each other.

Why should you think of presentations as content?

The beauty of content creation is that almost anything can become a compelling piece of content. It just depends on the creativity used to convert it and the story that brings it to life.

The long and short of it

Although the length of a presentation in terms of time can depend on the overall approach (Are you talking a lot? Are you referring to the screen in detail or not?), consider the number of informational content slides when tallying the overall presentation length. For instance, don’t include title slides in your tally when conveying length to a content creator.

A general guide to presentation length:

• Short Form (5 content slides)
• Standard Form (10 content slides)
• Long Form (20+ content slides)

Popular use cases for presentations…

Let’s consider TED Talks for a minute: one of the best examples (bar none) of how words, pictures, and a narrative can make people care about something they otherwise might not.

These “talks” pre-date podcasts and blend a compelling use of language and imagery in presentation format to spread ideas in unique ways.

TED Talks have been viewed a billion-plus times worldwide (and counting) and are worth considering when it comes to how you might use video-presentation content to connect with your customers in creative, cool, new ways.

Business types:

Any company that has a pitch deck, executive summary, sales presentation, or any kind of internal document can repurpose them into external-facing content pieces — without pain.

Presentation Examples – Short Form

Here are some short-form examples with curated to help inspire you.

Presentation Examples – Standard Form

Presentation Examples – Long Form

Understanding Content Quality in Examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan.

In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Remember though, multiple variables determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

How to Get Exceptional Content That Elevates

If you want to impress your clients, co-workers, or leadership team with your next presentation or product demonstration, to might want to consider working with proven content creators.

At ClearVoice, we have a Talent Network of 4000+ professionals across 200+ industries. That means we can find creators with the exact skill sets and expertise you need to create content that gets results.

Talk to a content specialist today to start the conversation.

The post Presentation appeared first on ClearVoice.

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is an infographic?

As a hybrid of “information” and “graphics,” the infographic is a visual communication device that tells a complex story graphically using designs, images and a minimal amount of copy.

Why produce an infographic?

A great infographic doesn’t just communicate a complex concept uniquely, but the best make you want to share it with others because they’re creative and jam-packed with practical info.

It may begin on a data sheet, but thanks to the work of a writer and graphic designer, a compelling flow can be created that keeps eyeballs affixed as they move down the page.

Sure, you could serve up data with old-fashioned bullet points, relying on percentage signs, decimals and pie charts to tell your story. But you probably shouldn’t unless your goal is to put people to sleep.

The long and short of it

Here’s a quick breakdown of how to think about infographic lengths (with examples):

• Short Form
  • 1-3 sections
  • 2-4 larger graphics or charts

• Standard

  • 3-5 sections
  • 5-9 larger graphics
• Long Form
  • 5+ sections
  • 9+ larger graphics or charts

Beyond length, here are three popular thematic types of infographics:

• Data visualization: Big data is huge, so representing statistics in this fashion is an aesthetically pleasing way to dish out data and analysis in an easy-to-devour fashion.
• Information design: This type can cover everything from how a process works to chronological timelines to anything dealing with concepts (instead of data).
• Editorial/news-driven: Most magazines and newspapers have digital editions that meet or surpass print nowadays, so tackling a timely topic — or working with publishers to tell these stories in a branded content play could make sense, depending on your story.

Businesses that could use infographics include…

Any business that wants to distill complex information (data, original research, and/or studies) into a digestible and shareable communication device might consider an infographic.

Infographic examples – short form

Infographic examples – standard form

Infographic examples – long form

Understanding content quality in examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

More content types with examples:

• What Is an Article?
• What Is an Ebook?
• What Is a White Paper?
• What Is Email Content?
• What Is a Customer Story?
• What Is a Product Description?
• What Is a Presentation?
• What Is a Motion Graphic?
• What Is an Animated Video?

Need help creating engaging content for infographics? Talk to a content specialist at ClearVoice about getting content created for your brand today.

The post Infographic appeared first on ClearVoice.

What is a product description? A product description is a piece of writing that conveys the features and benefits of a product, ranging from basic facts to stories that make a product compelling to an ideal buyer.

When you’re considering buying something online, what’s one of the first things you do? Scroll to the product description to find out more details, right?

That’s why this intro to your product or service is such a crucial component of marketing — it’s a chance to solidify the sale, increase customer confidence in your business, and reduce customer service emails by providing the answers to common questions upfront.

What is a product description?

A product description is a piece of writing that conveys the features and benefits of a product, ranging from basic facts to stories that make a product compelling to an ideal buyer.

Product descriptions commonly include…

• Physical product details and features
• Styles
• Colors
• Weights
• Dimensions
• Images
• Technical specifications
• Product uses and benefits
• Types of materials used in construction
• Stories relating the product to the ideal buyer
• How something’s produced (i.e., manufactured or handmade)
• Where something’s made (or the sourcing in the production chain)
• Sustainability details
• Pricing details
• Delivery details

How long should a product description be?

Depending on the cost, complexity, or purchase frequency of a product, the length can vary. For example, purchasing a car requires far more information than buying a pair of jeans.

• Short form (50 words or less)
• Standard (100  words)
• Long form (250+ words)

What can product descriptions do for a business?

Aside from educating and enticing potential customers, the best descriptions can help you differentiate your product and brand from your competitors by putting forward your most salient features and benefits.

As mentioned many times: ads only get you so far. If you want to ultimately convert customers with content, you have to give them the information they need to make a decision.

Benefits of product descriptions

Any business, regardless of industry, can use descriptions to sell their goods, whether they are intended for B2B, B2C, or D2C (direct to consumer) markets.

Here’s a look at the benefits:

• Increases SEO for your product pages
• Helps consumers compare features and benefits
• Builds trust in your products and brand
• Improves conversion by moving customers further down the purchase funnel

Product description examples – short form

Product description examples – standard form

Product description examples – long form

Our team rated the examples above according to three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you understand what makes a great product description and to better gauge the resources needed for your content plan.

In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below so you understand how much time it’ll take to create similar content and/or who you’d need to hire.

Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

Want some help creating persuasive product descriptions? Talk to a content specialist at ClearVoice and find out how we can craft expert product descriptions that boost your SEO, increase trust, and get sales.

The post Product Description appeared first on ClearVoice.

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is a customer story?

A customer story is an engaging article integrating testimonial quotes from a happy client or customer praising the work completed together. (*To be used only with expressed permission.)

Different types of customer stories include…

Various ways of presenting client testimonials, customer interviews, use cases, or case studies by detailing the story of a problem/solution given a collaboration of sorts.

Many customer stories might follow the standard “Challenges. Solutions. Results.” format.

The long and short of it

Lengths vary given the customer or client’s willingness (and availability). But generally speaking, the amount of praise they’re willing to give ultimately informs the length of the story.

A general guide to customer story length:

• Short Form (250 words):  A testimonial quote or a quote couched in a contextual statement.
• Standard (500 words):  A longer testimonial quote (or quote excerpts) couched in a longer contextual statement.
• Long Form (1,000+ words):  A longer-form article broken into sections that gives further insight into a problem and solution solved by the company for the customer or client.

What can a customer story do for a business?

Whether it’s a five-star review on Amazon or Yelp, having the people who’ve used your business sing your praises is always good. A customer story (with positive insight) offers credibility and immediate relevance to a business as they shine a light on a collaboration that worked — yielding positive upticks in sales and/or benefits from a specific relationship.

Businesses that benefit from customer stories…

Anyone can benefit from a customer story that showers a business with praise. Especially when the customer story is strategically placed on a company site or social channels as content… and as a way of getting the word out to new prospects who can envision their own relationship.

Popular use cases to consider…

When our team decided to build a section dedicated to Customer Stories on the ClearVoice website, many satisfied clients, fortunately, came out of the woodwork to offer time up for interviews. The section is now a highly trafficked adjunct connecting to our home page.

Here’s what generally goes into a customer story:

• Testimonial quotes:  From CEOs, CMOs, and other C-suite executives invested in the success of a relationship. The quickest and simplest ask is for a single quote.
• Case studies:  A more traditional approach, case studies often break down into sections how a problem was identified, tackled, and solved by the company posting it — with permission from the client or customer. Quotes from both sides can be used.
• Stakeholder interviews:  More Q & A-focused with the company asking questions of a key client stakeholder, who talks about the experience and results from the working relationship.

Customer story examples – short form

Customer story examples – standard form

Customer story examples – long-form

Understanding content quality in examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

More content types with examples:

• What Is an Article?
• What Is an eBook?
• What Is a White Paper?
• What Is Email Content?
• What Is a Product Description?
• What Is an Infographic?
• What Is a Presentation?
• What Is a Motion Graphic?
• What Is an Animated Video?

Need help creating customer stories for your business? Our expert writers can handle everything for you, from interviewing customers and gathering testimonials to crafting an engaging story. Talk to a content specialist today to get started.

The post Customer Story appeared first on ClearVoice.

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is email content?

Email content is any message sent to a subscriber, customer, or prospect’s inbox on a personal basis or by using a comprehensive email builder or automation platform.

Email content includes…

Everything from weekly to monthly newsletters to automated replies to promotions to new product announcements. Essentially any email sent to a customer or prospect through the customer lifecycle — that offers value to them — would fall under email marketing.

The long and short of it

Lengths will vary greatly depending on whether you’re sending an automated reply or a newsletter, and on the degree of design. However, here are some reference points when it comes to best practices:

A general guide to email copy length:

• Short Form (50 words)
• Standard (100 words)
• Long Form (150+ words)

What can email content do for a business?

It can serve as a brand builder and lead generator and drive traffic directly to a business’s other marketing channels, leading to short-term wins and long-term gains.

Here’s something to remember if you want to up the customer response rate from emails.

“For email content, remember that context is what makes something compelling,” reveals Jeff Rosenzweig, Senior Director of CRM at successful online dating site, Match. “The more relevant your content is, the better the response. Step into the mindset of your subscribers, where they are in their customer journey, and make sure to consider the broader cultural narrative.”

Businesses that benefit from email marketing…

Essentially, any company with a customer relationship to nurture and products to push can benefit from an effective email marketing program.

Popular email use-cases to consider…

Email marketing offers hope that, if executed correctly — from subject line to body copy to graphics — you can drive someone to take action (versus getting ignored, deleted, or sent to junk).

Here are a few ways email can be used:

• To drive leads and sales: By touting new products, offerings, or content, a company can convert customers directly from email using a creative design/marketing approach.
• To retain customers: By keeping a friendly conversation with your customer, you can build trust and confidence — to lower turnover and increase upsell/cross-sell potential.
• To promote values: By sharing your brand’s efforts to support your mission and vision, you can align your business/brand with the values that it stands for.

Email examples – short form

Email examples – standard form

Email examples – long form

Understanding content quality in examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

More content types with examples:

• What Is an Article?
• What Is an Ebook?
• What Is a White Paper?
• What Is a Customer Sory?
• What Is a Product Description?
• What Is an Infographic?
• What Is a Presentation?
• What Is a Motion Graphic?
• What Is an Animated Video?

Retain customers, get more sales, and boost brand awareness with high-quality email content from ClearVoice. Our experienced writers can craft email content for your next marketing campaign or newsletter. Talk to a content specialist to get started.

The post Email Content appeared first on ClearVoice.

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is a white paper?

A white paper is an in-depth piece of content (similar to an ebook) or well-researched report that allows a business to serve as an authority on a topic, often by presenting a problem alongside a solution. They often include charts, graphs, and visualizations to help hammer a point home.

What makes white papers more than just ebooks?

Unlike ebooks, white papers deliver an abundance of focused and original research. Their reason for being includes everything from presenting data analysis to new studies to academic research.

They can be created from…

• Case studies
• Original data
• Presentations
• Research papers
• Reports

The long and short of it

Whether it’s a case study or report requiring a deeper dive, white papers often range in depth depending on how much information is in the ocean of information to explore.

A general guide to white-paper length:

• Short Form (1,500 words or less)
• Standard (3,000+ words)
• Long Form  (5,000+ words)

What can white papers do for a business?

A white paper can serve as a powerful, persuasive, useful, and lead-generating tool positioning a business as a credible thought leader on a given topic.

Popular use-case examples for white papers

White papers establish authority and build trust with an audience — but one of the most compelling reasons to produce one is capturing qualified leads. For example, you can capture personal information upfront as a gateway before granting access to the white paper.

Business types:

White papers are historically popular in places such as the government or financial sector when a study’s findings must be relayed in a relatively succinct format. However, they have been more universally adopted by companies well-versed in content marketing.

White paper examples – short form

White paper examples – standard form

White paper examples – long form

Understanding content quality in examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

More content types with examples:

• What Is an Article?
• What Is an Ebook?
• What Is a White Paper?
• What Is a Customer Story?
• What Is a Product Description?
• What Is an Infographic?
• What Is a Presentation?
• What Is a Motion Graphic?
• What Is an Animated Video?

Want data-backed white papers created for your business? ClearVoice’s team of experts can help. From strategists and writers to editors, we can craft high-quality white papers from start to finish. Talk to a content specialist today to get started.

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