17 Killer Content Marketing Resources All Entrepreneurs Need

Content marketing is here to stay, so if you’re working on your 2015 game plan, make sure to include the following articles in your “must read” list. Whether you’re looking for ways to stretch a single blog post topic into a meaty five-piece series or you’re wondering when to publish your posts for maximum effect, you’ll find answers to these questions and more in these 17 killer content marketing resources:

How to Establish Your Business Blog as an Authority in Your Industry

Quite frankly, there’s no reason to blog if you aren’t going to try to build influence for yourself within your industry.  This Social Media Explorer article shows you exactly how to do this, even giving you tips on the types of posts that will help you attract a following.

The Complete Guide to Content Marketing

Get More Marketing Juice Out of One Blog Post Idea

If you’ve got a great blogging topic, don’t waste it on a single post!  As Linda Dessau of the Content Mastery Guide demonstrates, spinning an idea into a post series is a great way to build engagement.

Three Keys to Effective Business Blogging – Lessons from the Top Business Blogs of 2014

What do the top business blogs of 2014 all have in common?  Effective calls to action, high-quality, consistent content, and audience engagement.  Learn how to build these elements into your content marketing campaigns with this Business2Community post.

10 Stats on Why Blog Content Can Be as Valuable (or More) Than Ads

Did you know that 9 out of 10 organizations market with content?  This statistic, as well as the others listed in Kapost’s article, demonstrate just how important an effective content marketing strategy can be.

Is Blogging Necessary? Absolutely Yes, If You Ask Me

At the start of his article, Ron C. shares the statistic that more than four million blog posts are written each day.  The rest of the post will tell you why it’s important that you join these ranks, as well as what you can do to make yourself stand out.

Your Business Blog Sweet Spot: How to Find It and Keep It

Just as every company is unique, its approach to blogging must suit its public persona and business aims.  Don’t just adopt a standard set of best practices and crank out a series of generic blog posts.  Check out Dr. Patsi Krakoff’s post on finding the blogging style that’s best for you.

How to Curate Content

Content curation is a powerful tool in the content marketer’s arsenal, but it’s one that must be wielded carefully.  The Content Marketing Institute’s post on the subject will give you the where, when, why and how on this important technique.

33 Essential Tools for Content Creators

Much of effective content marketing is the manual creation of awesome content, but there are still plenty of tools that can help simplify your efforts.  Cornerstone Content offers 33 great suggestions to get you started.

5 Awesome Content Writing Tips And Tricks To Boost Your Blog Authority Today

Authority isn’t created – it’s earned.  If you want to get visitors on your site and have leave with a good opinion of you, you’d be wise to check out these five tips from the SEO Spruce blog.

Content Curation: The Art of a Curated Post [Infographic]

Curata’s post simplifies the process of curating content by giving you a step-by-step template to use to take advantage of this marketing technique.  Trust me – follow the steps laid out here and you’ll see the results immediately!

The Secret Formula to Better Content Ideas

Are you guilty of creating content for content’s sake?  If so, check out a guest post I wrote for the Small Biz Trends blog, which will give you plenty of ideas for generating stronger topics and more interesting content pieces.

7 Content Marketing Metrics You’re Probably Undervaluing

Do you measure your brand’s lift?  What about your visitor loyalty?  If the answer is no, check out this post by Contently for more information on these two important metrics, as well as five others you can’t afford to miss.

27 Content Marketing Tools to Help Kick Start Your Projects

I mentioned above that content marketing tools can make a big difference in your overall productivity.  Well get ready, because I’ve got another 27 programs and products for you to take a look at, courtesy of the Aptitude blog.

Don’t Blog Unless You Use These 11 Tools

Beyond the productivity tools described in the previous posts referenced in this list, I want to share with you Neil Patel’s collection of website tools that will help you get the most out of your content pieces.  From heat maps to SEO automation, every tool on his list is worth a look.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Blog Post: The Data on Headlines, Length, Images and More

Writing a blog post might seem like a creative pursuit, but the Buffer team has it down to a science.  Don’t miss the fascinating research they’ve compiled highlighting everything from the first words that should be used in your blog post titles to the specific times you should release your posts.

The Ultimate Content Marketing Checklist: 40 Questions to Ask Yourself before Publishing Your Next Blog Post

“Ultimate” sums up the quality of this post by Neil Patel, which includes everything you should check before hitting the “Publish” button to avoid wasting your time and energy.  Print out a copy, post it by your computer and refer back to it every time you’re ready to release a new post.

Have another great content marketing resource to share?  Leave me a comment below with your suggestion!