Right now the fire is hot for quality content about content (see what I did there?).
So whether you’re just getting started, or a seasoned vet, all 5 of these posts are definitely worth a Friday or weekend read, if content marketing is your MO… Which it should be.
1. The Content Marketing Manifesto
Rand Fishkin’s presentation from SEER Interactive’s SearchChurch is rock solid. 46 slides of high level, fun, simple, direct, and ultra important lessons (or reminders) about content marketing. And hey, it’s Rand, need I say more? If you don’t believe me, read this excerpt:
The Content Marketer’s Pledge
I [your name] pledge to create something remarkable. Something that people will love. Something that they will want to share. Something I can be proud of. And if it fails to achieve my marketing goals. I won’t give up. I will try again. My failures will be the failures I need to earn future successes and future customers.— Rand Fishkin
2. It’s not all about you: The value of objective content marketing
Brafton, who definitely practice what they preach, provide a nice reminder of the content marketing keystone, keeping your focus on your audience. Case in point; writer Sean Greene uses objective and research-based content to prove just how important those two elements are to your marketing goals, and this post does it well.
3. The Most Dangerous Opinion in Marketing: Yours
This week I stumbled upon Eric Wittlake for the first time, and ate this up with a spoon. He uses Heat’s infrographic to highlight the massive differences between a marketer and their audience (ie. you and ‘normal people’) to prove just how important it is to test your assumptions, he also suggests some pretty awesome tools to do just that. ;)
4. 10 Ways to Get Your Content Marketing Strategy in Motion
Need a little more of the ‘How-To’ when looking for smart content ideas? Bob Tripathi does a great job here breaking down 10 cornerstone methods like keyword based content, social listening, internal search & analytics and industry events & trends. Need content ideas? Yeah, start here.
5. The 10-Step Content Marketing Checklist
Oh CopyBlogger, I can always depend on you. If you’re building a marketing program for content, this post is a must read. Though there may be many more where these came from, don’t even think you’ve mastered content marketing until you can confidently check off all 10 of these first.
Got a little more time on your hands? Also check out 98 Content Marketing Articles to Make You an Insomniac. Sorry *and* you’re welcome.
If there’s one thing Content Marketers can depend on, it’s that the masters in the space share great content in droves. Did you spot some others recently? I’d love if you shared them in the comments… me needs another fix!