8 Content Formats that Will Drive Blog Traffic in 2024 and Beyond – Expert Opinions

To help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of content marketing, we asked eight industry professionals, including a blogger and Head of Content and a Digital Strategist, this crucial question. From embracing free tool pages to committing to authentic, human-created content, here are the top eight content formats these experts believe will significantly drive traffic for blogs in 2024 and beyond.

• Embrace Free Tool Pages

• Capitalize on "Best" Roundup Content

• Prioritize Short-Form, Relevant Content

• Engage Audience with Interactive Content

• Leverage Official Statistics in Articles

• Utilize Interactive Infographics

• Enrich Posts with Explainer Videos

• Commit to Authentic, Human-Created Content

Embrace Free Tool Pages

The most shocking change this year is that 6/10 of the highest-trafficked blog pages are now free tool pages. Over 15 free blogging tools have been created this year, and they're rapidly becoming the most visited, highest engaged, and best converting for new email subscribers joining the list. 

Building simple, free tools using ChatGPT for the blog has completely changed the business. They're only going to continue disrupting what it means to help an audience with content. My advice is to get creative with the ways to view your role in your industry and stay focused on the things you can do to provide real, unique value to the lives of your audience. 

Do that well, and you’ll build long-lasting relationships with customers.

Ryan Robinson, Blogger and Head of Content, ryrob.com

Capitalize on "Best" Roundup Content

The best roundup content performs very well for driving a high volume of high-intent traffic. This works for both service providers and e-commerce brands. "Best" searches, like "best door hardware" or "best digital marketing company," require lists, so you must be willing to link to competitors. 

However, it's your page, so you get to control the narrative. You can put your product or service up top and write in a way that makes it sound like the most attractive option. We do this for clients very often, and it works well. It's a great content format to focus on for 2024 and beyond.

David Kranker, Digital Marketer and Owner, David Kranker Creative

Prioritize Short-Form, Relevant Content

As Google continues to grow its generative AI feature within the search engine, blog owners and content writers will need to push for more short-form content that focuses on recency and relevancy. On the front end, we are seeing Google feature these articles in their beta program. On the back end, it will help further your topical authority for service and product pages.

Jason Vaught, Director of Content, SmashBrand

Engage Audience with Interactive Content

I believe that one content format that will significantly drive traffic for blogs in 2024 and beyond is interactive content. Interactive content includes elements such as quizzes, polls, calculators, assessments, and interactive infographics. 

Interactive content actively involves the audience, making them an active participant rather than a passive reader. This engagement not only keeps visitors on your blog longer but also creates a memorable and enjoyable user experience. When users are engaged, they are more likely to share the content, spend more time on your site, and return for more, all of which contribute to higher traffic. 

Interactive content encourages users to interact with your brand, increasing their investment in the content and fostering a sense of connection. This can lead to stronger brand loyalty and increased traffic over time.

Bruno Gavino, Founder, CEO, CodeDesign

Leverage Official Statistics in Articles

You've probably seen these types of articles, the "10 countries with the best schools in the world, according to specialists," right? Most of them are SEO clickbait, if you ask me, but if you use the same idea, with a little bit more research, you'll have a winner on your hands. Most of the time, you can use official statistics to publish a cool, useful article that will attract attention from news outlets.

Journalists are always willing to get quotes from experts and love to link to content that's researched, shows expertise, and uses trustworthy sources. And you get all that from official statistics. Most sources are free. Governments offer statistics for free, for example, but you can get aggregate stats from a service like Google Public Data. You only have to come up with a cool idea to present these stats, and you'll write content that attracts traffic like nothing else, increasing your brand trust in the process.

Ionut-Alexandru Popa, Editor-in-Chief and CEO, BinaryFork

Utilize Interactive Infographics

In 2024 and beyond, interactive infographics will enhance engagement and drive traffic to blog posts. The visually appealing segments and information-rich graphics within the blog keep readers engaged by presenting complex data in a digestible format. Interactive elements, like clickable links, animations, and embedded multimedia, make the content more engaging and shareable.

Infographics are highly shareable on social media, which can exponentially increase your blog's reach. As the name suggests, infographics must be catchy as well as information-rich. At the same time, the content format must align with audiences' evolving preferences online. With engaging pieces of information in a concise, structural format, interactive infographics will serve as a powerful tool for generating blog traffic in the years to come.

Faizan Khan, Public Relations and Content Marketing Specialist, Ubuy UK

Enrich Posts with Explainer Videos

Incorporate "how-to" and "explainer" videos within blog posts. These not only enrich the user experience but also make the content more comprehensive. Videos are easily consumable and shareable, increasing the likelihood of virality. 

They also improve key SEO metrics like time-on-page, which can lead to higher search rankings. Combining video with high-quality written content creates a multi-dimensional approach that appeals to a broader audience, thereby driving more traffic.

John Cammidge, Freelance Google Ads Consultant, JCammidge

Commit to Authentic, Human-Created Content

In 2024 and beyond, one of the most valuable content formats for driving blog traffic will be authentic, human-created material. As AI content creation becomes more advanced, we may see a proliferation of formulaic, computer-generated blog posts. 

However, these often lack the originality and relatability that connect with readers. The blogs that will rise above are those with content flowing from real-life experiences, unique perspectives, and raw human emotion. Readers crave that visceral feeling of another person sharing their unfiltered thoughts and stories.

The brands that commit to creating an authentic environment for diverse voices on their blogs, instead of chasing trendy gimmicks, will reap the rewards with traffic and loyal followers for years to come.

Mona Kirstein, Ph.D., Digital Strategist, Holistic Coach and Consultant, The Wholehearted Path