Blogging vs. Other Content Formats

If you're new to content marketing, one of the first questions you'll face is this: Should you start a blog or focus on something like YouTube or TikTok?

With so many content formats out there, it's easy to feel pulled in every direction. But not every format fits every goal.

In my experience, blogging is still the best starting point for most marketers. It’s reliable, scalable, and great for SEO.

That said, other formats like video and social posts play important roles too. This post breaks down how each one works so you can pick the right place to begin.

What Each Format Actually Does Best

Not all content is built to do the same job. Some formats are better for search. Others are built for engagement, lead gen, or fast distribution.

Here’s how the major content types stack up:

1. Blog Posts‍

Written articles are your best bet for ranking in Google. Blogs are ideal for answering questions, explaining topics in depth, and attracting steady search traffic over time. They're easy to update and can be repurposed into other formats.

2. Videos‍

Video is powerful for showing personality, explaining complex ideas visually, and grabbing attention fast. YouTube is the second largest search engine, but to rank in Google, you’ll still need text to support it.

3. Podcasts‍

Podcasts build a loyal audience and work well for storytelling or interviews. The downside is discoverability. Without transcripts or detailed show notes, podcasts are mostly invisible to search engines.

4. Infographics‍

A strong infographic simplifies dense info and earns backlinks. Great for visual learners and social sharing. Just remember that Google can't crawl the text inside an image, so you’ll need a surrounding blog post or description.

5. Social Media Posts‍

Social is fast and viral by nature. It’s perfect for sharing ideas quickly and boosting reach. But social posts don’t rank in Google, and their visibility fades quickly after posting.

6. Email Newsletters‍

Email is unmatched for building trust and repeat traffic. It’s not a discovery channel, but it’s excellent for nurturing readers and promoting your best blog posts or videos.

7. Webinars‍

Webinars are ideal for B2B, education, and high-intent leads. They create deep engagement and can double as gated content. After the event, you can reuse the recording, slides, or transcript to create blog posts or video clips.

Where Each Type of Content Fits in the Funnel

One reason content formats work differently is that they serve different stages of the buyer journey.

If you understand where your audience is in that process, you can choose a format that matches their mindset.

Top of Funnel (Awareness)‍

This is where you grab attention. Short, visual, and shareable formats shine here.

• Social posts, short-form videos, and infographics work well to spark interest.
• Blog posts targeting broad informational searches also do great here, especially for SEO.

Middle of Funnel (Consideration)‍

Now your audience is curious and wants to learn more. Educational content wins at this stage.

• In-depth blog posts, how-to videos, podcasts, and webinars help build trust.
• These formats allow you to teach, explain, and guide.

Bottom of Funnel (Decision)‍

Here your goal is to convert. Prospects are comparing options or looking for proof.

• Blog posts like case studies, product comparisons, or FAQ pages help with final decisions.
• Testimonials in video or infographic form and follow-up email sequences can seal the deal.

Matching content to funnel stage is one of the most overlooked steps. When done right, it moves people naturally from first click to customer.

What Google Actually Wants

If you’re trying to get traffic from search, understanding how Google treats different content formats is crucial. Not everything you publish has an equal chance of ranking. And in my experience, this is where a lot of beginners get tripped up.

Google is still built to understand text first. That means blog posts, articles, transcripts, and any form of well-structured written content have a major advantage when it comes to SEO. You can optimize a blog post with headings, internal links, and keywords. Google can crawl it, understand it, and match it to specific search queries. That’s why blogging continues to be the foundation of most SEO strategies, even in 2025.

Now, that doesn’t mean video is useless for search. In fact, video can rank in Google, especially for how-to queries or anything visual. You’ve probably seen YouTube results appear right in the middle of search results. But here’s the catch: Google still relies on surrounding text to understand what the video is about. If your video lives on your site, you’ll want to include a detailed title, a solid description, and ideally a blog-style summary or transcript on the same page. Without that, your chances of ranking drop significantly.

The same idea applies to podcasts. Google has made progress in showing podcast episodes in search results, especially if they’re submitted through Google Podcasts. But again, without written content to go along with each episode — think transcripts or detailed show notes — they’re tough to discover through search. Audio alone doesn’t carry much SEO weight.

Even visual formats like infographics need support. They can be powerful for backlinks and shares, but Google can’t read the text inside an image. If you want an infographic to drive traffic, publish it alongside a blog post or at least a few paragraphs of supporting content that explain what the visual shows.

At the end of the day, Google’s goal is to surface helpful content. That’s what its recent algorithm updates have made clear. Whether you’re writing a blog post, filming a video, or recording a podcast, the format matters less than the usefulness. But if your plan is to get found through search, the most direct route is still written content that clearly answers questions and provides real value.

My Experience: What’s Worked (and What Hasn’t)

Over the years, I’ve tested just about every content format out there. Blogging, video, podcasts, social posts, webinars. Some got results fast. Others fell flat. And a few only worked when paired with something else.

Blogging has always been the most reliable starting point for me. When I’ve put time into writing helpful, well-optimized blog posts, they’ve driven traffic and leads for years. That kind of long-term payoff is tough to get from formats like social or video, which tend to spike and fade.

I’ve also seen people go all-in on video without a clear plan. They spend hours creating YouTube content, hoping it will take off, but then struggle to get consistent results. Video is great if it’s supported by strategy, but it is not always the best place to begin. Without supporting content, it can be hard to maintain visibility.

Where things really take off is when formats work together. I’ve taken blog posts that were ranking well and turned them into short videos. I’ve turned podcast interviews into blog summaries and then pulled quotes from those for social media. That kind of repurposing multiplies the value of one good idea.

If you’re just getting started, focus on one format you can do well. If that’s writing, start with a blog. If you prefer talking, consider podcasting or video, but always support it with text. The goal is to build something sustainable, not to be everywhere at once.

How to Choose Your Starting Format

Picking the right content format has nothing to do with what’s trending. It’s about what works for your goals, your audience, and what you’re actually good at producing.

Start with your objective. If you’re aiming for long-term traffic and visibility in Google, blogging is still the best place to begin.

If brand awareness or social engagement is more important, video might be a better fit. Lead generation? That’s where webinars or downloadable content supported by email often shine.

Then look at your audience. Younger users tend to hang out on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Professionals are more likely to skim blog posts or click into a detailed email. If your content needs to reach people during their commute or while multitasking, podcasting could make sense.

Finally, be realistic about your own strengths. If you’re a solid writer, start with a blog. If you’re confident on camera and have basic gear, video might come naturally. If you can hold a good conversation and stay consistent, podcasting could work well.

Here’s the rule I give most beginners:

• Blog if you want search traffic and depth
• Use video if you need attention fast
• Try podcasting if you already have a niche audience

Pick one format you can do well. You don’t need to launch with everything. One solid channel beats five mediocre ones every time.

Common Content Pitfalls to Avoid

I’ve seen a lot of marketers waste time, money, and momentum by falling into the same traps. If you’re just getting started, here are a few things to steer clear of.

Chasing trends without a strategy
It’s easy to get pulled into whatever’s hot — TikTok, YouTube Shorts, live streaming. But choosing a format just because it’s popular is a fast way to burn out. Always ask: Does this serve my audience? Does it align with my goal? The “pivot to video” trend a few years ago is a perfect example. Big media companies dropped blogging in favor of video and ended up losing traffic instead of gaining it.

Skipping SEO fundamentals
If you’re publishing videos or podcasts without adding titles, descriptions, or transcripts, you’re leaving a lot of traffic on the table. Search engines still rely on text to understand your content. Even a simple paragraph or summary can make a huge difference.

Trying to do everything at once
When you’re starting out, it’s tempting to launch a blog, start a YouTube channel, run a podcast, post daily on Instagram, and send a weekly email. That sounds productive, but it usually leads to burnout and low-quality content. Start with one main format. Once you’ve got a rhythm, you can add another.

Ignoring the data
It’s easy to stick with the format you personally like, even if it isn’t working. Maybe you love podcasts, but your audience doesn’t listen. Or you’re making infographics that no one shares. Pay attention to what’s actually performing and be willing to pivot based on results.

Final Thoughts: Your First Step in Content Marketing

When it comes to content marketing, there’s no single best format for every business. Each one has its own strengths, its own role in the funnel, and its own production demands.

That said, if you’re just starting out, blogging is still the most practical foundation. It gives you something to rank in Google, something to link back to from social media, and something to build on later with video, audio, or visuals.

Once you’re publishing consistently and seeing what works, you can start layering in other formats. You might turn a blog post into a short video or repurpose a webinar into a blog and email sequence. That kind of format stacking is where content marketing really starts to scale.

You don’t need to be everywhere on day one. Start where you can win. Then build from there.