Marketers are always looking to maximize their return on investment, or ROI. Getting the most out of a marketing campaign depends a lot on the method you employ. Take a closer look at the marketing methods that deliver the best ROI.

Featured Articles Have Wide Reach

In a 2013 study, 62.2 percent of marketers said featured articles provided their best ROI. These articles are attractive for a number of reasons. As they’re not dependent on being newsworthy, they can have a long life as they’re shared online and picked up by various websites and publications. They also speak of a topic that interests a business’ target audience without seeming overly salesy. Feature articles offer an informed point of view that can help a company gain credibility and become recognized as an expert in its field.

White Papers Gain Credibility

Like featured articles, white papers can also be a valuable way to gain credibility within your industry. Their academic nature means that they don’t have the widespread appeal of feature articles, but they can really make an impact amongst people looking for a more in-depth understanding of an industry or issue. White papers work particularly well for companies seeking to paint themselves in a serious light, such as technology, finance, and business firms.

Photos Communicate Quickly

If the ROI on photos is any indication, the old adage that a picture can say a thousand words holds true. The rise of photo-focused social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram points to modern society’s love of images. Users aren’t just gawking at photos of their friends, either. Research shows people are more likely to engage with brands when they post pictures over any other content type. In fact, Facebook photos attract 53 percent more likes than standard posts. For this reason, companies should take time to create original visual content. It’s much more effective to show rather than tell.

Video Marketing Engages Senses

Studies show people remember only 20 percent of what they hear and 30 percent of what they see. However, combine audio and visual aspects as you do in a video, and people remember 70 percent of the message. This relatively high rate of retention is one of the key reasons video offers such a high ROI. There are a number of different methods for analyzing the ROI of videos, as outlined in the white paper Calculating the ROI of Video. The best method for your business will depend on your industry.

Interactive Media Engages Users

Interactive media is a growing area, but it’s one that already shows good ROI. It’s a broad term, but one that describes any type of media that responds to the user’s actions. The games some companies post on their social media pages or websites are simple examples of this. IKEA also used interactive media when it released a mobile app companion to its 2013 catalogue that allowed users to see how the items looked in their homes. Interactive media works because it engages users, forcing them to pay attention to your marketing message.

Choosing one of these effective marketing methods to get the most out of your campaigns and help your company achieve the best ROI.

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