If you work in content marketing, you already know how much is out there about best practices, SEO tactics, and generating great content.
There are so many articles, ebooks, and self-proclaimed experts that it’s hard to tell what’s legitimate. Trust me, I know it’s tough to wade through the muck, so I’ve compiled the ten best content marketing resources on the web, and I’ll also tell you why they’re worth your time.
For Those Getting Started
1. The Business Case for Agile Content Marketing by CopyBlogger
Wondering what content marketing actually means and how it can help your business grow? CopyBlogger’s free ebooks series is exceptional; they’ll guide you through the entire content process by helping you develop a thorough content strategy, create content that converts, and then effectively promote.
2. The Beginner’s Guide to Blogging and Content Marketing Strategy (ebook) by Contently
For those who are concerned with blogging and writing well, Contently’s ebook is an awesome resource. The Beginner’s Guide includes advice on how to start building content from zero, how to outsource writing, and how to distribute content so it gets the eyeballs that you want.
3. Beginner’s Guide to SEO by SEOmoz
You can’t be a good content writer if you don’t take SEO seriously, so sit down with this beginner’s guide that will get you from square one to a decent, working knowledge of SEO. SEOmoz explains how search engines work, teaches you how to do keyword research, and guides you through the building of links. If you want to be a valuable content marketer, you should know these basics inside and out.
4. How To Write Cool Copy For Unsexy Stuff by Crazy Egg
Crazy Egg has tons of articles about great copywriting, which will help you put some pizazz in the content you create. Most of us don’t work for Vogue or Coca Cola, so sometimes it helps to see how other companies are using words to market what they’ve got. “How To Write Cool Copy For Unsexy Stuff” proves you don’t need the world’s most fashionable and stylish products and services to write charming copy.
For The Experienced
5. The Advanced Guide to Content Marketing by Quick Sprout
If you already know something about content marketing, this 40,000 word guide will be your new best friend. Not only does the guide explain current trends and give advice on building a strategy, it also provides advice on whether or not a blog should have a separate domain name. Every nook and cranny of content marketing is explored in this allstar guide.
6. How To Rise Above Lackluster Content by SEOmoz
Sure, you can write content, but how do you take it to the next level? How do you make it rise above the sea of content that’s already out there? Thankfully, SEOmoz craftily put together a post on how you and your blog can win the internet. If you make it “surprising, interesting, intense, positive, and actionable,” you’re off to a great start.
7. How To Measure The ROI of a Content Strategy by Mashable
So how do you convince your boss, your partners or even yourself that content is a good investment? Check out Mashable’s post on how to measure ROI. The post suggests using retweets, shares, comments, time spent on page, and other metrics to quantify success. Warning: Be patient, ROI success doesn’t come overnight.
For Ongoing Learning
8. CMI Webinars by Content Marketing Institute
’10 Tips to Build an Audience with Content Marketing – Lessons from the Nightclub Dance Floor’ was one of CMI’s most recent webinars. If that dosen’t captivate you, I don’t know what will! CMI’s free webinars tackle some of the biggest issues in content marketing, featuring a variety of experts, and covering a vast array of topics. Their multimedia webinars focus on multi-cultural marketing, social media alignment, and “brandscaping.” CMI also hosts and attends a ton of live conferences and events.
9. Educational Webinars by The Content Wrangler
The Content Wrangler hosts webinars with industry leaders such as Mark Lewis and Marcia Riefer Johnston. The site’s most recent webinar focused on how to write powerful paragraphs and sentences. The Content Wrangler’s webinars are specific and cover a wide range of marketing topics.
10. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Your college professor or high school English teacher may have directed you to Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab, and that’s because it’s one of the best sources and has over 200 free resources for information regarding grammar, sentence structure, citations, and more. In order to create great content, your writing needs to be perfect. Consult OWL with questions.
There are more resources out there, and as time goes on, new ones might usurp the ones on my list. In order to be the world’s best content marketer, stay in the know, and educate yourself using these resources. They’ve been saviors to me!
