Types of contents and how the brain processes them

Do you know what types of content are the correct ones for your digital marketing strategies? Texts, videos, infographics, images… there are many types of content to choose from. In fact, based on the platform or medium in which you share them, it will be more convenient to use one or another. However, the key is not only to adapt the content to the support. The key is in the brain itself.

Sometimes, an adaptation of a book into a movie turns out to be more successful than the book itself. There are still people who prefer to give free rein to their imagination and imagine stories in their mind while they read. But why do movies or audiovisual content generally win over the rest?

Many factors come into play when it comes to answering this question: the actors, special effects, soundtrack, the environment created or the screen. Everything has an influence. The reason? Some stories are better understood in specific formats. This depends, obviously, on the message you want to convey.

Emotional decisions

The way in which the brain processes different types of content is linked to the viewer’s emotions. In fact, some Naurociencia studies state that 95% of the decisions we make come from our emotional side.

In fact, you may have worked deeply on your campaigns, creating relevant pieces, selecting the keywords, adding buttons to share them in networks… but you cannot create engagement. Not only that. Users might not even interact with your landing page.

In order to clarify your doubts regarding the types of content, here is a summary for you to understand the impact each format has on the brain.

The importance of color in content marketing

Today brands are placing great emphasis on content marketing. Their concern is to reach users with these contents, but not to reach them in order for them to read them, but to achieve impact, get them to interact with them and to achieve conversions.

There are several factors that come into play when processing information. According to Natalie Nahai, a web psychologist, color is one of the most important tools when it comes to persuading. More than 90% of purchasing decisions are conditioned by visual factors.

In this field, neuromarketing has an essential role. It is a discipline derived from neuroscience that studies the consumers’ behavior towards advertising or varied content. The client demands more and more; and it is not just about personalized promotions or contents. The key to reaching the users is understanding their mind.

The goal of brands is to reach the most subconscious emotions of consumers. In that way, you can get users to check your content, be interested and click on it.

Studying how the user’s brain processes content and how they manage to capture their attention is the key to developing strategies that are more effective.

How the brain processes different types of content

Thanks to the data provided by MainPath , you can identify different ways in which our brain reacts based on the contents shown to it:

1.- Written contents

Even if you do not realize it, when you read something, you do it because it really catches your attention. In fact, creating interest in users through texts is one of the most difficult engagement techniques.

It requires effort on the part of the user and an active attitude. It is not like videos, where they only have to watch them. Texts require something more. In fact, if you continue reading this post, it is because we have captured your attention or the information that we provide is valuable to you.

In general, the most common types of text content are:

• Blog posts. Blogs allow the user and the brand to create relationships. They do not show a very promotional attitude, but rather try to give a push in the learning process.
• E-books. They often incorporate information related to blogs. They are used as an alternative way to propose similar on different times.
• Case studies. They can be a smart way to involve people who are not within your target.
• You website’s content.

When the user reads, the brain automatically places itself in the author’s situation. In fact, different terms are used to visualize what is described. This is because the same areas are activated in the human brain when read something or when you see it in real life.

When to use text content?

• To establish relationships between the brand and the consumer.
• To emphasize knowledge and experiences.
• When working on the trust process with the user.
• To measure and compare your services and products.
• When sharing opinions and reviews. This will increase the users’ confidence.

2.- Graphic contents

Visual contents create greater memories and help users to understand what is being shown more easily. Unlike written texts, images do not require an effort from the user.

These are the most common types of visual content:

• Do not forget to include links to your website on them.
• Slideshows. Think of presentations. Presentations serve as a support; they allow your imagination to relate the contents with aspects associated to them. They are more likely to be remembered.

Visual contents help you remember and understand contents more quickly. You already know the saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.‘ Images are stored in the long term brain.

Images are the best option for:

• Presenting complex data and ideas.
• Attracting attention and interest to your brand.
• Creating memorable content.
• Creating persuasive content.

3.- Interactive contents

Interactive contents combine visual contents, stories and participation. They activate various areas of the brain. As with the text, the users have to have an active attitude towards the content. This type of format makes the user get involved, and this participation leads to higher retention and learning rates.

The most common types of interactive content are tests and interactive infographics. As simple as it sounds, when users answer tests, they feel thankful when they receive the results, even more if they are personalized results.

This type of content can be used easily on social networks. Questionnaires, in fact, are one of the most shared formats on Facebook. To use them, you must take into account the fact that they will come in handy in the following cases:

• To share your content on social networks.
• To involve a reader on a more personal level.
• To develop interactive experiences that will be remembered.

4.- The King of content, video

Video is the perfect combination of information, images and words. That is why it has become the great king of the internet. Videos can achieve the most emotional connection with the audience.

But as we can see in the example in the beginning, regarding a book and a film, videos can emphasize aspects that arouse more emotions. From intonation to body language or music, all these factors help to capture the user’s attention, both consciously and unconsciously.

The brain processes videos 60,000 times faster than texts. Watching a video does not require an active participation, therefore, it does not require much energy for the brain to process it.

Videos are the best option when:

• Sharing personal stories about your company, its history and your brand.
• Creating emotional links with the user.
• To learn: webinars or tutorials have a very good impact.

Here you have a comprehensive infographic with the different types of contents:

The keys to neuromarketing in order to attract attention

Now that you know when to use each type of content, it is time to learn how to get the most out of each one from the neuroscience perspective for you to optimize your campaigns. Some ideas that you can implement are:

1. Create self-service needs. Human beings have a system through which we act unconsciously. Actions like eating or going to the bathroom are automatic. Why not trying to create new needs with your content?
2. Focus on the emotions. Let your contents include images and stories. You must awaken the users’ curiosity and selfish nature. This will get them to press your action button.
3. Emphasize familiar elements. I.e., use images, colors or data that are familiar to the user. He will perceive it in another way.
4. Easiness. Everything that users perceive as something easy to do will be more likely to be processed with more force than something that looks complicated. But not only that. The very word ‘easy‘ is synonymous of relief. It will let you create more engagement.
5. Appeals to the senses. 90% of the information our brain processes is visual information. Therefore, try to include all the human being senses on your content. That is, while the user is watching a video, for example, help him imagine the smell of what is being shown, the feel of textures, etc.
6. Offer solutions to your users’ problems. In general, human beings want to escape from suffering. For this reason, the best way to capture their attention is to show them ‘good‘ and pleasurable things. Making them feel better will be one of the challenges of your content. Think of something that may bother the user or provoke negative feelings on him, and work on it by offering a solution.
7. Recommendations increase confidence. Do not forget to include reviews and comments on your content. Everything that shows you as a real person, without needing to do it, speaks well of your brand.

The human mind is a tool from which we must continue learning. Finding what causes consumers to make decisions can help you avoid real headaches when launching digital marketing strategies. In fact, the best thing to develop good campaigns is to use marketing platforms that centralizes all your efforts.

Today, content marketing has become an essential part of any digital marketing strategy. You only have to identify the appropriate contents that fit your brand. For this, you need to identify the content marketing platform that connects your brand and the content. Register as a brand in Coobis and start increasing your visibility on the Internet.