Show ’em What You’ve Got: Creating a Case Study
When shopping for a product or service, a smart consumer will likely do a fair amount of research on the internet before making a purchase. Naturally, you’d think they’d look for reviews, but then what? Well, they’ll try to find proof of value, and what better way than by reading a case study?
In digital marketing, a case study is an in-depth and up-close look at the validity and value of a product or service. They vary in length and style with some being expressed through a sort of narrative that makes them accessible to the average reader, or, they can be specialized to appease to a specific audience
With so many options, how can you as a business or organization get the most bang for your buck when it comes to case studies? Here are some tips.
Create a page on your website
Once you’re able to build up a small collection of case studies, give them a designated home on your website. In other words, add “Case Studies” to your navigation options and house them together on a separate page. Not only is this more organized and aesthetic, but it’s extremely helpful for potential customers to see all of your “proof” in one place. They can navigate between studies easily and decide whether or not what you offer is right for them.
Tell a story
As mentioned earlier, many case studies have a sort of narrative feel to them. Now, depending on your industry, this may or may not be relevant, but we’re of the opinion that story-telling is valuable in all case studies. That means there are characters (past customers), conflict (they have some sort of problem), and resolution (your product/service.) People are much more apt to read and be engaged with your studies in this form.
Share on your blog / social media
Even if you give your case studies their own page, there’s more to be done to ensure they don’t just float in digital space –– unread and unappreciated. Tell your audience about the case studies! Reference them in your blogs and articles, and share them on all your social media channels. People who already use and like your product will share, and if you boost your posts, a brand new audience (which you can shape on mediums like Facebook) can benefit from them.
Convert into a video
Audience behavior is constantly changing, and as technology shifts, the preferred format of case studies may be beginning to as well. These days, people love to click and watch videos, and there’s no reason why your case study can’t be shared in a video format! It’s up to you whether you want to see your study come to life as animation, slides, or real in-person interviews. When deciding to switch things up, we’d recommend running an A/B test, comparing the performance of a long-form case study and a video case study to better inform future decisions.
When You Work With Cosmitto
If you think your business could benefit from a case study (and we believe almost any business would), tune into our blog for regular tips, or give us a call. We not only write case studies and help you create a space for them, but we help you tell stories, share them through content and social media, and even make high-quality videos.