How many of the 249+ blog articles published by CMI in 2021 have you read? As I read everyone (it’s my job), I appreciate that very few others have. I get that – we are bombarded with content every day.
So that everyone gets the highlights, I’ve put together the 10 most popular posts of the past year based on data from BuzzSumo and Google Analytics (including social shares, email conversions, page views and unique linking domains) and a dose of editorial discretion.
You will find that all of these articles have one thing in common: The authors share tons of knowledge that you can immediately incorporate into your daily content marketing.
Since everyone feels pressed for time these days, I’ve listed the articles by time to read (from shortest to longest). I hope you find it as helpful as I do.
Time to read: 4 minutes
Author: Kate Bradley Chernis
Why read this: You don’t have to follow all of those English lessons you learned in school while writing, but you do need to make sure that your content is good. Kate shares some “easy-peasy” methods to spice up your content to entice your audience to read and act.
Tweetable tip:
Read your writing aloud. If it feels uncomfortable to come out of your mouth, it will be read uncomfortably to the #content consumer, @LatelyAIKately says of @Brandlovellc @CMIContent. #Writing tips Click to tweet
Time to read: 7 minutes
Author: Nady Khoja
Why read this: No matter the size of your team, repurposing can be the solution to reduce the workload of content creation. It’s also a great way to make your content accessible to more people in the formats they prefer. Nadya shares how you can get more out of the content you create. This is for anyone who has ever wished they didn’t have to write or edit so many pieces in such a short time, or who feel challenged to develop enough original content for multiple channels.
Tweetable tip:
Break a larger # content into smaller parts. Or combine multiple blog posts into one comprehensive guide, @NadyaKhoja says of @Brandlovellc @CMIContent. Click to tweet
Time to read: 8 minutes
Author: Kim Moussos
Why read this: Don’t read it if you think you will always get ideas when you need them. But take a look when you’re ready to explore and uncover the hidden content opportunities around you. Kim guides you on productive ways to find raw materials and polish them into something brilliant.
Tweetable tip:
Look at your competitors’ #content to uncover topics, audience reactions, and channels. Then trump them, @KMoutsos says about @CMIContent. Click to tweet
Time to read: 11 minutes
Author: Shane Barker
Why read this: Perhaps you are already driving enough conversions. But do you really want to be satisfied with that? sufficient? Shane offers ideas to get more visitors to convert – including tips on how to make your content more engaging, from the headline to the call-to-action.
Tweetable tip:
Your headline is the bait. Your intro is the catch, says @shane_barker about @CMIContent. #Writing tips Click to tweet
Time to read: 11 minutes
Author: Jodi Harris
Why read this: Your content marketing program will be judged on how it will affect the bottom line of your business. Jodi offers tips, templates, and techniques to ensure you measure (and act accordingly) things that make a difference.
Tweetable tip:
Knowing where your company’s priorities are in order to decide which #ContentMarketing goals to measure, then figure out which metrics to track, advises @joderama via @Brandlovellc @CMIContent. Click to tweet
Time to read: 15 minutes
Author: Mike Murray
Why read this: 2021 is almost over. But the 21 SEO tips, tools, tactics, and trends Mike Murray offered earlier this year can still help you protect your rankings – and maybe even gain an advantage.
Tweetable tip:
@Google’s Passages feature helps searchers find sections of the # content of web pages that answer their questions, which could aid # SEO efforts, @MikeOnlineCoach says of @Brandlovellc @CMIContent. Click to tweet
Time to read: 17 minutes
Author: Darek black
Why read this: Your content needs to win readers’ trust in order for them to come back, subscribe to your newsletter, buy your product, or take other desirable action. If you create content that feels stilted, monotonous, or academic, it may never come back. Conversational copying offers the antidote to monotonous content. Darek offers tips (not rules) on content that opens the door to connection – from one person to another.
Tweetable tip:
In the name of the conversation #copy, discard the grammar law that says a sentence never ends with a preposition says @ContentStride about @Brandlovellc @CMIContent. #Writing tips Click to tweet
Time to read: 18 minutes
Author: Stephanie Stahl
Why read this: CMI’s Visual Storytelling Summit featured stories, lessons, and examples that inspired, made people laugh, made them cry, and motivated. Stephanie rounds up the highlights that you may have missed (or forgotten). And you can click through to each session to view them when you need them (a single registration form gives you access to all of the sessions you choose).
Tweetable tip:
Live streaming can build your brand, build a deeper connection with your audience, and aid the sales process and cycle, says @dylan_hey of @EditorStahl @Brandlovellc @CMIContent. Click to tweet
Time to read: 22 minutes
Author: Ann Gynna
Why read this: At the beginning of this year we asked speakers from Content Marketing World what irritates them about our industry. They came back with a lot to tell. Much of their comments fall into some overarching categories: strategy, audience, and the content itself. Read this to see if the things that drive you crazy about the practice that we all love made it on the list (and Ideas what to do about it).
Tweetable tip:
It’s time to create evergreen #content and not waste time, money, and energy on single-use content, says @carlijnpostma of @AnnGynn @Brandlovellc @CMIContent. #CMWorld Click to tweet
Time to read: 26 minutes
Author: Aaron Orendorff
What you will learn: Aaron’s article ends up at the top of readers’ favorites year after year. (It first appeared in 2016, and we updated it earlier this year.) Why so popular? Figuring out which social media tools to invest in is overwhelming – and it seems like it gets more complicated every year. Fifty influential online marketers share their best social media tool (and why they love it). Not every tool on the list makes sense to you, but it’s a great place to start your research (or gather social evidence for tools you’re already considering).
Tweetable tip:
Use text overlays on videos – 80% of video ads on #Facebook are viewed without sound, @MariSmith says of @CMIContent. Click to tweet
We are very grateful to our readers and contributors for sharing their knowledge with us. If you’re ready to write for us in 2022, read our Blogging Guidelines, then follow the instructions on how to submit an article.
Cover photo by Joseph Kalinowski / Content Marketing Institute
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