Betsy Scuteri says, “As editor in chief at Business.com, paid distribution of our content is equally as important as the production of content. With Facebook’s constant algorithm changes, and Google promoting their own content over others, content distribution requires an aspect of paid promotion in order to reach earned media. As a rule, we don’t pay to distribute all content—our approach is to only promote stories that have proven successful organically first. It’s very similar to the approach that brands like Kraft take when using Pinterest as a sounding board for choosing the most... [...]

Christopher Ratcliff says, “Writing requires discipline, focus, talent, sacrifice and a thick skin, so I have no idea how I’ve managed to survive this long without my editor noticing my fundamental lack of these skills. What I do have though is an awesome arsenal of tools and web applications that help paper over any cracks in my expertise. From idea generation, to writing without distraction, to creating jargon-free copy, these 17 tools should also be able to help you improve your own craft and stop you from banging your head against the keyboard for too long”. 17 fantastically useful tools... [...]

Mitch Meyerson says, “It’s no secret that great content on a website is the key that opens the door to links, social shares, and traffic. But you may be wondering, What the heck is great content, really? I mean isn’t “great content” subjective? It is. But when I say “great content,” I’m talking about content that does one thing and does it well: generates high quality backlinks to your site. Content that accomplishes that lofty goal tends to have these four traits: It’s highly targeted to a very specific audience. “6 Evernote Hacks to Increase Productivity” will do better... [...]

Brian Clark says, “It’s an epic philosophical battle over how to best sell online. And we’re doing it up on stage at Authority Rainmaker, May 13-15 in beautiful Denver, Colorado. In one corner, we’ve got customer experience advocate Scott Stratten. Scott believes that an amazing customer experience that prompts repeat purchases and evangelical word-of-mouth is the way to sell products and services and grow your business. Scott now has more than 175,000 people following his daily rantings on Twitter, and was named one of the top 5 social media influencers in the world on Forbes.com.... [...]

Matt Byrom says, “Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that content marketing is the most popular kid on the block. I won’t bore you with the same old facts about how amazing content marketing is. You know that already, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. What I am going to do is share the 5 biggest mistakes that so many marketing pros make, so you can start creating content that actually works. 1. You made it ALL about you One of the biggest challenges that brands face today is publishing content that isn’t completely centered on them. The truth is, people don’t care about... [...]

Mathew Sweezey says, “Content marketing isn’t going anywhere, and new sources of data can help you to improve the content experience for your consumers. What makes content great? This is a question you are likely to ask yourself when you sit down to launch your next campaign. Before you begin to type, take a second to consider some larger aspects of content strategy, and let some new research to be your guide. As we strive to create honest and authentic content, there is now new data pointing you to the specifics of what really makes your content more authentic, honest, and credible, helping... [...]

Erica Tiffany says, “What makes for a successful family road trip? Some may argue that it’s a solid mix of entertainment and snack packs, but many seasoned vacationers know that in order to arrive at their destination unscathed, they need to pinpoint their exact route, find the right vehicle, fill up the gas tank, and double check their emergency toolbox before they can even think about hitting the open road. Content planning is a similar undertaking. Today’s buyers are willing to travel, but need a little nurturing from you to get to the right destination. Want to ensure you’re... [...]

Brian Clark says, “I vividly remember the first time I heard Black Flag. It was in a kid named Mike Goodman’s bedroom, and the record was called Damaged. That’s how it was pre-Internet in suburban Houston. If it wasn’t on the radio or MTV, it was invisible — unless some cool kid turned you on to something new (who probably got it from the older sibling of some other cool kid). And by “cool,” I mean a misfit who couldn’t abide in a Top 40 world. My first impression was, “Wow, this guy is pissed off!” And sarcastic, sometimes funny, sometimes sad. I loved it. At the time,... [...]

Scott Brinker says, “I’m looking forward to speaking at the Authority Rainmaker conference this May in Denver, Colorado. As a longtime Copyblogger fan, it’s a great privilege, and I can’t wait to meet many of you. The title of my talk will be: How to Design Interactive Content — Moving Beyond Button Clicks and Form Fills. Which begs the question, what exactly is interactive content? Most content that we’re familiar with — blog posts, ebooks, reports, webinars, infographics, podcasts, etc. — is designed to be passively consumed by our audiences. They read, watch, or listen to... [...]

Danny Ashton says, “In my last blog post I explored the reasons why content marketing with visuals leads to significant improvements in web and social engagement. Now I bring you the proof, with a few real life examples I found while doing research. For more on this topic download Econsultancy’s Digital Content Strategy Best Practice Guide or book yourself onto the content marketing training course”. Three great examples of high-performing visual content marketing ‘Econsultancy’ Blog  [...]