Joe Pulizzi says, “Of all the segments of content marketers we’ve studied over the last year, technology marketers are the most focused on lead generation as a goal for content marketing. While tech marketers were the group most focused on lead generation last year as well, the percentage has increased from 86% in 2014 to 91% this year. It’s also notable that the tech marketers are shifting away a bit from brand awareness (which does not generate leads) as a primary goal, and more toward getting measurable results (using leads as one measure). Those are some of the key insights from... [...]

Graham Charlton says, “We’re great believers in the importance of evergreen content, and this has been a major factor in this blog’s growth. Here, I’ve compiled some of the evergreen formats we regularly turn to… What is evergreen content? Evergreen content is that which is still interesting and relevant weeks, months or even years after its initial publish date. It doesn’t date like news can, it can deliver value in terms of traffic, leads, social shares and can occupy valuable search positions for a prolonged period of time. The best examples are aligned with our... [...]

Shari Monnes says, “When it comes to using Facebook for business, many people wonder what the secret for success is. What kinds of posts get the best results, and how can you increase engagement? Are there things you should be doing that you’re not? While there is no one single right way of creating a perfect post, there are some best practices you can follow to help make your posts more successful. We’ve dissected the key elements of successful Facebook posts so you can properly optimize yours. But be warned, it’s not all kittens and dancing babies here. You’re going to have to... [...]

Ann Smarty says, “The blogosphere has been a major online marketing medium for years now. Bloggers are trusted voices who can bring in customers and help you build your community. They’re capable of exposing others to your message and getting the buzz started — but only if you approach the task diligently. Reaching out to potential blogger is a more intricate process nowadays than it was even five years ago. Great bloggers are constantly getting pitched by marketers, making it all the more important for you to stand out from the crowd if you want them to pay attention. Trust... [...]

Fergal Glynn says, “Effective content management can speed up the buying cycle by putting the right content in the hands of your sales representatives at the right time — and for the right prospect. Too much time is wasted by salespeople searching through dozens of repositories for the right content.As we found in our State of Document Management report, reps often settle for something that merely works instead of the most effective content, simply because the perfect collateral for the selling scenario isn’t readily accessible. But as customers increasingly take a self-led journey... [...]

Baer says, “When it comes to form conversions, small changes can make a big difference. A few minor modifications to your form’s design, messaging, or layout can lead to major gains. By using a measured and strategic approach to deploying these changes (and keeping track of what works), you won’t just make an impact on your current campaign—you’ll create a roadmap for success in future projects. To help kick off your own Project Conversion, here are the top five form areas to optimize today. Call to Action As marketers, we want to make our communications with customers as turnkey... [...]

Neil Patel says, “Engagement! Everyone wants engagement from their content. The problem is we’re not quite sure of the best way to get it. Engagement is one area in which content marketing is more art than science. Even though there are no formulas to predict engagement, there are patterns of success. Here are five things you should add to every blog post to increase engagement. But first, what is engagement? Since engagement is the whole point of this article, it’s important to define terms. Many of the how-to articles on online engagement simply gloss over the missing definition of... [...]

Kevin Lee says, “Successful content marketing means putting a lot of thought into content strategy and execution. Who exactly are you writing content for? What specific problems do your audience segments experience and how can you best address these needs? Where – besides your own site or blog – are the opportunities for giving your intellectual property more exposure? Establishing answers involves persona research and/or audience polls, general research, and a careful assessment of the content resources at your disposal. But to really excel, you’ve got to think beyond them. What... [...]

Baer says, “Content is king. You already knew that, though. If you’ve been in the content marketing industry for any amount of time, you’ve heard this statement. Content marketing is an abyss, a black hole that we fall into every day because we’re trying to build a congregation and a fellowship of readers. We already know that content is king. We serve it everyday. We are the serfs to this master because true content brings us everything we want… if we do it correctly. But Content isn’t alone. You may have heard this next statement too, although it’s not as popular”. Why... [...]

Chris Bibey says, “John Wooden won 620 games as the head men’s basketball coach of UCLA. From 1964 to 1975, he led his team to 10 NCAA National Championships. While the game of basketball has seen many great coaches over the years, many consider the “Wizard of Westwood” the best of the best. When Wooden was roaming the sidelines 40 years ago, there was no internet, no content marketing, no Twitter or Facebook. While the world has changed a lot since then, due in large part to the use of technology, many of Wooden’s famous quotes can be implemented in the world of content marketing”. What... [...]