Digital Marketing Collateral Ideas for When You Can’t Look at an Email

Creating digital marketing collateral can be a great deal of fun, but not when you’re stuck on ideas, making the same thing day in and day out. There’s nothing wrong with traditional collateral, but even the most dedicated marketer needs a break from those formats now and then. When you’ve just about had it with email, there are plenty of other options to try.

What Is Digital Marketing Collateral?

Marketing collateral is the range of materials a company uses to promote its products, services, or mission. Typically, these materials are put into action after a potential client has come into contact with the company and are used to persuade them to take the next step in the buying journey – essentially, they’re a sales tool.

Beyond that, marketing collateral enables companies to make their mark and provide something unique for their audience – but the benefits don’t end there. If a company’s resources are funneled entirely into one form of marketing, they are only able to speak to a fraction of their potential audience; investing in marketing collateral diversifies your efforts, allowing you to reach a much wider range of individuals.

Digital marketing collateral is the electronic version, and it’s the crux of a strong online strategy. Physical collateral is certainly important, but it will only reach the people who happen to pick up a pamphlet or take a sticker; online, you have access to the masses.

Digital Marketing Collateral Ideas

Customer Case Studies

Case studies are used by marketers to display real clients’ opinions and experiences of working with a company. Unfortunately, people don’t tend to trust brands – but they do trust other people. Not only is a customer feature a great excuse to showcase what the product or service can do for a buyer, but it also shows that you will deliver on your promises (or surpass them). What’s more, this form of digital marketing collateral adds a personal touch to your marketing – it humanizes the brand.

Traditionally, case studies are in-depth articles on how the company helped a client solve a problem or accomplish a goal, but they don’t necessarily need to be articles. You could interview the client in a podcast, have them make a video, or even create an animated short depicting their story.

The right customer feature for your company will depend on what you are hoping to accomplish, and who you are hoping to accomplish it with. Most companies have a few different segments within their customer base, so the story you choose to highlight may or may not appeal to all of them.

Infographics

Infographics kill two birds with one stone; not only do they function as digital marketing collateral, but they also provide something of value to viewers. Infographics turn complex topics into easily digestible content by displaying them visually, making them a great resource for people to turn to. Providing a valuable source of information for viewers positions the company as an expert, and the more people who trust your expertise the better.

Infographics are both useful and visually appealing, so they’re often shared by viewers. However, people are unlikely to share an infographic if it’s excessively lengthy or stuffed with information. It’s best to keep them a reasonable size and simple enough to navigate with ease. Keep the copy brief; when it comes to making infographics, visuals are key.

According to MovableInc, we process images 60,000 times faster than text, and even if we do take the time to read, most people only end up reading 20–28% of the words on a page.

Infographics don’t have to be all facts and figures – they can also show off your company’s creativity. For example, a child-centric brand could make their infographic a printable coloring page or placemat.

Pillar Pages

Pillar pages are rising in popularity as an effective, useful form of digital marketing collateral. These long-form articles cover broad topics related to the company and contain links to more in-depth pieces on the subjects covered.

The pillar page structure is often referred to as the topic cluster model, a term coined by Hubspot. In this model:

• Pillar page = the broad article
• Cluster pieces = linked articles on subtopics

Pillar pages can also tie in multimedia collateral such as explainer videos, infographics, ebooks, or other supporting materials.

Example: A home goods store could write a topic page around gardening, with links to:

• Explainer video: How To Choose The Right Type Of Flowers For Your Climate
• Article: You’ve Been Watering Your Herbs All Wrong
• Product catalog: Must-Have Gardening Tools
• Article: Pesticides, Herbicides, And Fertilizers: Poison Or The Cure?
• Article: Benefits Of Gardening On Early Childhood Development

Pillar pages also boost SEO by building internal links, improving site structure, and using higher-volume keywords – showing both algorithms and readers that the company has deep expertise.

Employee Bios

Employee bios are an excellent way to:

• Show employees they are valued
• Give them a sense of ownership
• Build a positive company culture

They also serve as a powerful form of digital marketing collateral by showing the human side of your business.

“There are several reasons why companies should show and present their employees in their marketing campaigns. First, it helps to create a personal connection with potential customers. When people see real employees working hard to create a product or deliver a service, they are more likely to feel a personal connection to the company. This can lead to increased brand loyalty and customer retention. Additionally, featuring employees in marketing campaigns can help to attract new talent.” — Max Benz, marketing expert at lieferservices.eu

Employee bios go beyond the brief snippets found on an About page. They’re more in-depth, often casual in tone, and can include creative elements like Q&As, video interviews, or personal photos.

Since many people find it difficult to talk about themselves, companies can provide a set of prompts covering:

• Current role and work history
• Hobbies and interests
• Personal values or achievements
• Niche-relevant fun facts

Catalogs

Catalogs are a comprehensive collection of a company’s offerings, giving consumers all the information they need on each product or service in one place. Benefits include:

• Reducing friction in the buying process
• Keeping customers on your site longer
• Serving as a sales tool for representatives

When creating catalogs:

• Provide thorough product descriptions
• Use high-quality product photos
• Keep catalogs up to date

Digital formats make updates quick and easy.

Video Demos

Video demos help prospects and customers understand your product without lengthy explanations. Benefits include:

• Saving time for sales teams
• Generating higher quality leads
• Helping current customers get the most from the product
• Encouraging upgrades or add-on purchases

These videos showcase benefits, provide visual guidance, and can serve as a customer support tool.

Streamline Digital Marketing Collateral Creation With Ashore

There are a plethora of digital marketing collateral formats a company could employ, but regardless of which you choose, making sure they are in top shape before sharing is essential.

Whether your collateral takes the form of PDFs, web pages, videos, audio, or images, Ashore has the tools you need to conduct a thorough review.

With:

• Markup tools and contextual commenting for clear feedback
• Customizable workflows
• Instant notifications
• Automatic reminders

Ashore keeps projects on track and ensures collateral is polished and ready for launch.

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