Mix It Up: The Five Kinds of Content Every Brand Needs

Every week, a client of ours shares a new custom comic strip on LinkedIn and through their email marketing. It’s clever. It’s unexpected. And, when it comes to staying top-of-mind, it’s incredibly effective.

In a space where most of their competitors are posting technical updates or hard sales pushes, they’re telling stories and entertaining their audience. Using simple, funny visuals, they’re making their brand memorable and human. They’re not just showing up; they’re standing out. That’s the power of creating content that adds value.

When your audience feels educated, entertained, or inspired, they lean in. When they feel sold to, they pull back. Every “buy now” post chips away at attention; every value-driven piece of content earns it back.

If your goal is to build connection, trust, and top-of-mind awareness, your content strategy can’t be one-dimensional. You need a mixed, balanced rhythm of content that educates, engages, inspires, builds trust… and even entertains. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Educational Content

Help your audience understand something new. Whether it’s the latest news and implications, best practices, leadership lessons, or trends shaping your industry, educational content establishes your brand as a trusted guide.

• Builds authority and trust.
• Positions your business as a go-to expert and advisor.
• Helps readers make better decisions more quickly.
  

Engaging Content

Draw people in through story, authenticity, and conversation. The best brands don’t just speak at people, they speak with them. Engaging content makes technical topics relatable and human.

• Builds connection and relatability.
• Turns expertise into storytelling.
• Keeps your brand top of mind and shareable.
  

Inspiring Content

Move people to think differently, act differently, or simply feel something. Inspiration reminds people of why you do what you do, and helps them see themselves in your story.

• Elevates your leadership voice.
• Reinforces brand values like care, drive, and positivity.
• Works especially well for culture, purpose, and leadership content.
  

Trust-Building Content

Content like case studies and blog posts reinforce your reliability, accuracy, and responsiveness. Trust is the foundation of every client relationship, and it’s built through consistency, clarity, and transparency.

• Demonstrates credibility and follow-through.
• Builds comfort for clients, recruits, and partners.
• Shows how your brand delivers, not just what it delivers.
  

And Yes… Even Entertaining Content

People don’t log into LinkedIn to be sold to. They check in to connect, learn, and enjoy.
A little levity can go a long way, as the example below from Summit 360 shows. When your brand has personality, people remember it.

• Adds humanity and personality to your brand voice.
• Helps you stand out in a sea of sameness.
• Makes technical industries feel approachable.

The Takeaway

The brands that win are the ones that add value before they ask for anything. They earn trust by showing up consistently. They build connection by mixing education, inspiration, and a little fun. They become the brands people want to hear from, not one they scroll past. 

Whether your next post is a thought leadership article, a behind-the-scenes story, or even a comic strip, remember this: Add value first. Attention (and loyalty) will follow.