Content is – at its core – one of the best drivers of brand engagement.
Content is what attracts people to your website. It’s what gets people engaged on social media platforms. It’s also something you can sell as a product or service.
When education and entertainment combine… you get edutainment.
Edutainment is – in our opinion – a greater driver of brand engagement because there is an increased value and takeaway. Used in business, you can leverage edutainment to grow your brand while also having fun in the process.
Here’s what to know about combining entertainment with education to build a brand.
What is Edutainment?
Edutainment is a blend of educational content with entertainment. This includes articles, videos, games, and more. The result is a learning experience that’s fun and engaging. It also engages the various learning styles and preferences since it adapts to those enjoying it.
A perfect example of edutainment is the classic video game: Math Blaster.
In Math Blaster, players are tasked with solving math problems to progress through the story. The game educates while being a fun form of interactive fiction. These memorable experiences do wonders for helping the player retain what they’ve learned.
There are many more examples of edutainment out there – some you’ve likely engaged with as a child, teen, and maybe even an adult.
In fact, those in the U.S. are almost certain to have engaged in one form of edutainment or another over the years. The reason? Educational entertainment was pioneered by none other than Walt Disney. Shows like Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood are prime examples of edutainment shows. The classic Schoolhouse Rock is another example of combining education with entertainment.
How to Use Edutainment to Build and Grow a Brand
People tend to use the Web for (mostly) three main things:
- Content
- Interactions
- Commerce
Whether it’s catching up on the latest news or learning something interesting, content is what gets people engaged. This very article fulfills this purpose since you’re reading this.
So then… how can you use edutainment to build a brand?
Well:
Start by asking, “what would my audience want to learn?”
The answer to this question depends on your brand, what it offers, and your intent. But more often than not it will solve a problem. This problem ties into your offer whether that’s helping them build a website or finding financial freedom.
The challenge is answering the question of, “how do I make it entertaining?”
Personality
The first method is by injecting personality into the content.
Look at how content is presented in your industry and turn it on its head. Add some flair and fun to how it’s presented (or do the opposite if it’s not serious enough). You essentially want to add as much of your personal brand into the content as the depth of what you’re teaching.
Format
The second method is to use a fun format to how it’s presented.
Video is one of the better formats for edutainment because it combines so many different visual and auditory elements. It also lets you be part of the content if you decide to hop on camera.
In-depth articles, infographics, video games, podcasts, and other formats are great, too.
Again, look at what the industry is doing and become an outlier with how content is presented. If everyone is doing blogs then maybe videos or podcasts would engage better!
Storytelling
The third method is by injecting some storytelling into it all.
Storytelling lets you interweave an entertaining element into the educational concepts. Now, people are as much engaged with the story as they are the teachings. This lets them follow along and essentially learn without realizing it – because they’re so zoned into the story.
Gamification
The fourth method is using what’s known as gamification.
Gamification and edutainment go hand-in-hand. Gamification is when you add game elements to an activity.
For example, adding a progress bar and badges to a curriculum. It challenges individuals to progress while also adding fun achievements. These achievements are then shared through social platforms which further fosters engagement!
Start Owning Your Space with Educational Entertainment
Our guess is that there are very few competitors (with your business) doing edutainment.
This is a HUGE advantage for you.
We know that people enjoy educational entertainment. We know that this content format can help people make informed buying decisions. We also know that entertaining content gets shared and goes viral on social media.
So… what’s stopping you from creating it?
Don’t be afraid that you’re “sharing too much” with your audience. There are no real secrets to give away. It’s better to be known as the expert and authority than to play catch-up. And, edutainment is that pathway to building and growing a stronger brand.
Give it a try.
See what you can create that will really wow your audience.
See if you can… teach to scale.
