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The Ultimate Blogging Checklist for Marketers

blogbrooke522Crafting a blog post seems easy enough, right? You come up with an idea you think your audience will enjoy, write a couple paragraphs, slap on a title and you’re good to go. It’s really not rocket science. Or is it?

Blogging is now an integral part of businesses’ inbound marketing strategies.  It gives organizations the opportunity to create relevant content for their customers while helping to drive traffic to their website. While writing an impactful blog isn’t rocket science, it’s not easy. Below is the ultimate blogging checklist for marketers: Continue reading “The Ultimate Blogging Checklist for Marketers”

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Three Ways to Stay Current with Content Marketing

shutterstock_171929309There are specific moments in time in which it’s evident that we are on the brink of a massive transformation—and that the best is really yet to come. It came over a century ago when the Wright brothers developed the first flying machine, a fundamental breakthrough that made overseas travel a reality. It came again late in the 20th century with the unveiling of the IBM 5100, the first commercially available portable computer that gave way to the surge of laptops, tablets and smart devices. And it is happening now with the proliferation of content marketing: traditional marketing practices are becoming obsolete as avant-garde content marketing strategies become ubiquitous.

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Hidden Tricks Industry-Leading Content Marketers Keep Close to the Vest

shutterstock_131728910We’ve all been in the company of that individual—you know, the marketer who seems to be able to come up with witty slogans, awe-inspiring website copy and evocative white paper concepts on the fly. That individual who never seems scared or intimidated by behemoth marketing tasks.

He or she seems like a marketing superhero—even a magician—and, in truth, makes you feel wholly inadequate when it comes to your own marketing prowess.

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5-Step Guide to Creating a Killer eNewsletter

zeimusu_Thumbtack_note_emailIs your eNewsletter in desperate need of a face lift? Are your open and click through rates plummeting? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. While email newsletters are considered one of the most popular marketing tactics, they are often the hardest to get right. Below is a quick five-step guide to creating a killer eNewsletter that engages, nurtures, and converts—as well as some tips that we at Content Boost use when crafting our very own. Continue reading “5-Step Guide to Creating a Killer eNewsletter”

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The Beauty of Content Marketing? Everybody has a Story to Tell

Before I entered the wonderful world of content marketing, I worked for Golf Digest Magazine, perhaps the most prestigious golf publication in the world. As a golf-lover, it was a job I enjoyed thoroughly and it was a job that was also highly educational.

Story

Perhaps the most surprising and significant lesson I learned during that time was how important it is for amateur players to play with equipment custom fitted to their swing specifications. Many weekend hackers mistakenly believe that custom clubs are only beneficial for professionals when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

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If Your Blog Were a Refrigerator, What Would it Look Like?

Pouring mustard onto your hot dog should be one of the easiest things in life. Unfortunately, as “Good Eats” host Alton Brown pointed out in a recent YouTube post, it’s often a terrible process. Condiments tend to coagulate in the bottle, which makes it exhausting to squeeze them out. And since the bottles are bulky by design, storing them in a refrigerator rack is difficult, awkward and messy.

But as Brown proved, there is an easier way to organize your favorite condiments. By simply cutting off the top of an egg carton and storing the bottles top-down, you can solve both problems at once. All of the bottles can be kept in one place, and all of the liquid sits near the top which means easy access.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUig9IAwggM]

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The ‘Spoiler Effect’ and How It Can Transform Your Content

I love “Game of Thrones,” “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead.” At a glance these series seem to have absolutely nothing in common, but they do have one common denominator: they have the “spoiler effect.”

I’ve been seeing the “S” word everywhere lately, especially with the fourth season of “Game of Thrones” now at full speed. Every website you visit, radio station you tune into and tweet you see contains some sort of clause warning: “Spoilers ahead! Do not continue if you have not watched yet!” The fear that someone will stumble upon a juicy online review or overhear a spoiler-filled conversation has become a very real one. We’ve all probably seen irate fans share rants on social media about how people need to respect the fact that others haven’t caught up yet. This still happens even for “Breaking Bad”—whose series finale aired last September.

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Calling All Marketers: Picture Your Favorite Storytellers, Now Become Them

shutterstock_110537546Think of the last story you told. Was it about your recent vacation to St. Lucia? That embarrassing moment in a recent corporate meeting? Your kid’s game-winning shot during his soccer tournament? Chances are that no matter the story you told, it was rich with detail, emotion and descriptors.

That’s because when we tell our personal stories, we often speak from the heart—not pausing to consider the narrative, the flow and the descriptors. It just comes naturally. And what results are oftentimes some of the best, most engaging and truly organic stories that come from a place of honesty and from a desire to share our experiences with others.

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Maxwell House Proves the Importance of Never Resting on One’s Laurels

Coffee lovers around the world are certainly familiar with Maxwell House, and though it’s not my personal favorite coffee—I’m looking at you, Peet’s—I’ve certainly gotten through many-a morning sipping it. Though a household name, Maxwell House decided to cut its advertising budget to $7.8 million last year, a substantial decrease from the $38.4 million the Kraft Foods-owned company spent in 2010.

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But the company apparently learned a lesson quickly: In marketing, you can never rest on your laurels and must always strive to push the envelope and continue to be aggressive. Having seemingly learned its lesson, Maxwell House recently announced that it plans to spend between $20 million and $25 million on its marketing efforts this year. What’s more, the company has high hopes for its investment as it plans to “grow [the advertising budget] through growing sales, reinvesting it back in the business,” according to Chris McClement, senior director for Maxwell House.

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Are You Boring Your Readers to Death? Here are Five Ways to Revitalize Your Content

Is your company blog a snoozefest? Are you boring readers to death with lame headlines, a lack of exciting visuals, and ideas or concepts that they’ve already read a dozen times before? I get it; making something like ROI and business analytics “sexy” isn’t easy. But don’t get discouraged, there’s a little Jerry Seinfeld in all of us.

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