Archive for December, 2015

Looking Ahead to a Successful New Year!

Monday, December 28th, 2015

With the new year approaching, the thoughts of many turn to New Year’s resolutions. It’s an annual tradition of setting goals for the coming year that dates back millennia, according to Oklahoma State University’s “Newsline.” However, while a 2013 article from Forbes estimates that roughly forty percent of American’s make a New Year’s resolution, only eight percent end up keeping that resolution! We think we can beat that number. (more…)

Evaluating and Choosing the Right Content Creator for Your Brand

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015

Nobody would dispute that “content is king” in the 21st century. Marketers are scrambling to create, distribute, and repurpose content in ways that resonate with their audiences. Demand for original content has likely never been higher and continues to climb. That’s good news for the agencies and freelancers who are positioned to provide quality content; their numbers are growing exponentially.

That can be both a good and a bad thing for the companies that need unique, high-quality content to feed consumer demand and stand out from the competition. (more…)

“Newsjacking”: New Term, Big Opportunities

Tuesday, December 15th, 2015

David Meerman Scott, a well-known marketing strategist, coined the term “newsjacking,” which he describes as “the process by which you inject your ideas or angles into breaking news, in real-time, in order to generate media coverage for yourself or your business.” He’s even written an ebook on the topic: Newsjacking: How to Inject Your Ideas Into a Breaking News Story and Generate Tons of Media Coverage.

The concept makes sense, and we all know that a great way to gain relevance online is by leveraging hot topics and news items that are beginning to trend-but it’s a competitive, and fast-moving, field. How do content marketers stay on top of the relevant trends and news in their industries to ensure they’re curating and communicating fresh, engaging content? (more…)

Ideas for Choosing and Working Effectively With Freelancers

Thursday, December 10th, 2015

According to a recent article in Harvard Business Review,  freelancers represent 34 percent of the American workforce. This includes more than fourteen million so-called “moonlighters” who have full-time jobs but use freelancing to supplement their incomes. The good news about this data for freelancers is that there are a lot of opportunities for freelance work. The downside is that there is plenty of competition as well. (more…)

Email Marketing: Updating an Old Standard for Today’s Consumer

Tuesday, December 8th, 2015

Email marketing is still a staple of any digital marketer’s repertoire, but the technology has become much more sophisticated-and so have your consumers. In this cluttered environment, understanding how to best target and connect with your audience as well as compel them to action is critical. For those in the know, email marketing is far from being a dying breed, despite the proliferation of other online and mobile options. (more…)

Small Business and Content Marketing: Opportunities Abound but Strategy is Key

Tuesday, December 1st, 2015

Content Marketing Institute’s 2015 “Small Business Marketing Trends-North America” study, sponsored by Copyblogger Media’s Rainmaker platform, focuses on how small business marketers are changing their marketing practices. It also points to some potential opportunities for these small businesses and others to better leverage the value that content marketing can provide. Chief among the keys to content marketing success is having a strategy. (more…)