Great content gives your business the attention it deserves, but just publishing without a plan is hardly what we’d call a solid strategy.
What you need is a sustainable, data-driven process, that can help you grow your business and keep giving you positive results over the long term.
You need a content strategy, and that’s where we come in with our expert content strategy services.
4 Highly Recommended Content Strategy Services to Help You Create Winning Content
1. A custom editorial calendar
2. In-depth keyword research
3. Topic planning for your blog and website
4. Expert content strategy consultations
We didn’t select any of these services at random. These are many of the same processes that we used to grow Express Writers to the point where it is today (I’ll talk more about this in a second!). Now that we know what works and why, we’re ready to share these services with you to grow your own business.
[bctt tweet=”To have a working and winning content strategy, you need 4 components: a custom editorial calendar, keywords researched, topics planned, and expert guidance. Get these essentials with the help of @ExpWriters. ? ” username=”JuliaEMcCoy”]
Developing the Right Content Strategy Helped Us Grow — and It Should Help You Too
Here’s how I know just how effective a well-planned content strategy can be: it’s how we grew Express Writers to the point where it is today.
It took years to figure out and, more importantly, perfect the entire process, and I didn’t want to settle for anything less than perfection.
Within 2 years of implementing our content strategy, Express Writers boomed to 6 figures and then 7 in annual recurring revenue (ARR).
We weren’t doing all that bad before, but the growth was insane, and I can boil that down to two things:
1. Our content strategy. We’re not really into creating content for content’s sake. Instead, I developed a content strategy process that focuses on high-quality, authority-level content, guided by in-depth SEO research. Once I got clear on the six areas of content strategy we needed to clarify and implement, our real content success began to happen.
(My first foray into content strategy was when I built a simple team-only inner training on content strategy, as far back as 2015. Today, I’ve taken these cores and developed them into a $1,000 course with over 100 enrolled students, and a book that tops the charts on Amazon.)
2. The amazing team we have in place. FACTS: If you want to execute a winning strategy, you need expert, talented help in your corner. ?
At Express Writers, we’re content experts first, a team secondly — not the other way around. We love what we do, and that has always come first.
We didn’t scramble for our expert hats and then market ourselves. We earned a real status by building real skills, and THEN sold services to our clients in our agency.
I’ve talked extensively about the content strategy we implemented to grow Express Writers. However, if I had to sum it up in a few words, it would be these.
Stop wasting time with low-effort content. Instead, put real effort into high-quality pieces and SEO.
It sounds pretty simple when you put it like that. However, the amount of research, planning, and work that goes into executing a solid content strategy is mindboggling, particularly as your website starts to grow.
Remember how I mentioned it took us years to perfect the process? And that’s coming from people that do this for a living!
[bctt tweet=”We have succeeded mostly because of the content strategy we’ve implemented throughout the years. The lesson: Stop wasting time with low-effort content. Instead, put real effort into high-quality and your #strategy. ? ” username=”ExpWriters”]
4 Ways We Save You Some Serious Time and Trouble with Our Expert Content Strategy Services
You already understand the sheer power of content when it comes to growing an online business, so let’s talk about how we can help you.
1. We Put Together a Custom Editorial Calendar that Fits Your Goals (?It’s a Must-Have!)
You want your website to rank for as many keywords as possible, which means you need content.
A lot of websites focus on putting out as much content as possible at a breakneck pace, but that’s not a winning strategy. What you need is a plan and, as simple as it may sound, a calendar.
That means a week-by-week plan that outlines the content you’re going to publish. That way, you have a bird’s-eye view of what topics you’re going to target and when.
Here’s how it works: You tell us what your niche is, what your business is about, and what sets you apart. Our crack content strategists do their research, and here’s what you get:
A two-month editorial calendar, including perfect-fit keywords and topics your audience will love.
Tentative schedule dates designed to maximize the returns on your content.
An easy-to-understand report using an Excel template.
Those are the basics, but all our services also include plenty of extras. Our editorial calendars also include lists of influencers we recommend you engage within your niche, BuzzSumo content analysis reports, and an evergreen guide on the metrics we use.
Every single editorial calendar we send is put together by our team of content strategists. We use industry-leading software to help you make smart content decisions, but behind the curtain, it’s all humans.
Two months is the minimum we offer for our editorial calendar services because simply put, it’s the shortest period in which you can start seeing tangible growth. Content marketing is all about the long term, hence the calendar approach!
2. We Tackle Keyword Research for You (Using Industry Leading Software)
Do you want to know the secret behind websites that get dozens of thousands of visitors and shares on every article they publish?
Not a single page or blog goes live that doesn’t have a ton of research behind it.
If you want search engines to give your content the love and attention it deserves, you need to play by their rules. That means figuring out which keywords have the best potential ROI and using that information to drive your content decisions.
There are a lot of tools you can use when it comes to keyword research, and our team of content strategists uses the best software in the industry, including SEMrush and Mangools’ KWFinder. We spend the hours you don’t have to, to find amazing keywords that will help your content go to the next level.
Here’s what our keyword research services for blogs and websites get you:
Keyword research for blogs: You get a full SEMrush report that includes our top 15 keyword choices that can get you the best results for your blog. On top of that, we also include up to 200 additional keyword opportunities you should explore, as well as up to 3 headline suggestions for potential topics.
Keyword research for the web: Keyword research isn’t just for blogs, and our keyword research service for websites get you a report on 10 high-ROI keywords you should explore with your copy. You also get up to 200 high-potential keyword suggestions.
For both those content strategy services, you can let us know if you want your content strategists to focus on specific regions or audiences from around the world.
3. We Come Up with (and Plan) Topics for Your Blog and Website
If you like to keep things simple, we can start off by researching the best potential keyword for one (1) piece of content for your blog.
Our goal with this service is to find the keyword with the best potential ROI for your business. Then we come up with a killer content idea built around that keyword, including a headline designed to get attention.
One perfect topic at the right time can have a significant impact on your business. If you want to hire us to come up with multiple topics for your blog and website, we’ll put them together for you using one of our custom editorial calendars. That way, you can see how the whole content strategy comes together over the long term.
4. We Plan and Go Over Your Content Strategy (Via Live Calls)
A big part of a successful content strategy comes down to research and numbers.
We use the best possible tools and services to see where the data leads us, and we use our expertise to help you make the best decisions based on that data.
However, numbers alone often don’t paint a full picture. That’s why we’re also happy to hop on a call via Hangouts or Zoom to answer any questions you might have.
If you’re not sure where to begin, a call is a great place to start. You get to talk with one of our content strategists and ask any questions you might have regarding topic suggestions, concerns about your overall strategy, reviewing your content, and more.
I personally train every single member of our content strategy team, so when you hop on a call with one of them, I know you’re in good hands!
Let’s Implement a Winning Content Strategy Together
Creating and publishing industry-leading content is no small feat.
Now imagine how much work it takes to do it week after week, for years at a time.
It’s a lot of effort, but implementing a well-planned content strategy has the potential to elevate your business to the next level.
All you need is a great team in your corner.
[bctt tweet=”Creating and publishing industry-leading content is no small feat. It’s a lot of effort, but implementing a well-planned content strategy has the potential to elevate your business to the next level. ? Read more about how we help: ” username=”ExpWriters”]
If you’re ready to start planning a long-term content strategy, check out the individual content strategy services we offer, and let’s get the ball rolling!
Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week or could you use a refresher on all the great tips that were shared? You’re in luck because our recap of Tuesday’s chat on content curation is here! If you’re ready to dive in, grab some paper to take notes and keep on reading!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: The Benefits of Curation in a Content Marketing Strategy with Sasha Laferte from Curata
Our guest host this week was Sasha Laferte. Sasha is the Content Marketing Manager for Curata. She’s also a digital marketer and storyteller. For this week’s chat, she joined us via the Curata account to share her top tips on the benefits of curation in a content marketing strategy.
Q1: What are the benefits of content curation?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share their thoughts on why they felt content curation was beneficial. If you haven’t felt the need to incorporate content curation into your content marketing strategy, these tweets just might convince you! Here’s what some chat participants had to say:
As Sasha said, content curation can help improve SEO, increase lead generation, promote thought leadership, increase your content output, and more. She also shared a link to a helpful article on Curata’s website that’s worth checking out.
Jenn seemed to be on the same page with his answer. She said content curation provides a way to generate more content. It also helps to position you as a thought leader and adds value to your audience.
By curating great content, you’re able to share relevant articles and valuable knowledge with your audience without having to write it yourself. It’s also a great way to learn what others in your industry are saying.
As Angelica said, with content curation there’s less pressure to create all the things. You can have a balance of your unique content, plus content curated from other sources.
Q2: Is content curation plagiarism?
Many question whether or not content curation is considered plagiarism since you’re sharing content from another source. Here are some of the responses we received during the chat:
Sasha doesn’t think content curation is plagiarism. She said to make sure you add a new title, body paragraph, and credit the original article. This will ensure you’re in the clear!
Sarah has the right idea! If you’re sharing someone else’s content, you should always credit the original source. It’s always a good idea to add your own spin on the content to give it a fresh perspective for your audience.
Odds are, people will love when you share their content. It’s a great way to start building a relationship with someone as long as you curate the right way. They’ll appreciate that you thought highly enough of their work to share it.
A2: Great Q. If you present it as if it’s your content, it’s plagiarism. Respect the creators. Give explicit credit #contentwritingchat
If you publish a piece of content as your own when it’s not, that’s definitely plagiarism. Avoid any trouble by respecting the original creators, as Mike said, by giving them credit.
In case we haven’t made our point clear, make sure you give credit! Also, how appropriate is this GIF Jamie shared?
Q3: How much content should I curate?
Now that you’re sold on why it’s important to add content curation to your content marketing strategy, you need to know how much content you should be curating. Here’s some advice straight from Tuesday’s chat:
A3 According to our data 65% of content should be created internally, 25% should be curated and 10% should be syndicated #ContentWritingChat
Sasha shared some pretty interesting statistics with us. According to Curata’s data, 65% of your content should be created internally. 25% of your content should be curated and 10% should be syndicated. Do you agree with these results?
A3: Curate as much content as you think is valuable. Don’t curate just to churn out content. Be a gatekeeper for content#contentwritingchat
Mike is spot-on with his answer! He recommends only curating as much content as you think is valuable. Don’t curate just for the sake of publishing content. Everything you share with your audience should be relevant and add value.
Julia feels the amount of content curation you do will depend on how much unique content you’re producing. If you produce plenty of content, curate less. If you don’t, curate more.
A3. Difficult to be a thought leader in your industry if you’re only sharing other’s thoughts. I lean 80/20 #ContentWritingChat
Brittany said it’s difficult to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry if you’re only sharing thoughts from others. Balance your curation with original content. When you do curate, add your own take on it to provide your own unique thoughts and ideas.
In the end, it’s going to depend on your strategy. What works for one brand might not be what works well for you. One key thing to remember is to make sure you’re producing original content as well.
Sasha said curated content can actually improve SEO. She advises to avoid reposting full text or repeatedly doing so from a single source. Read the article from Curata she shared for more tips!
Sasha suggests turning to a variety of sources to find great content. Check out trade publications, blogs, news outlets, and more to discover valuable content.
A5: Trusted and respected sources whose content provides value to your audience. #ContentWritingChat
Right on, Lauren! A key thing to remember when curating content is to stick to sources that are both trusted and respected. You can count on them to provide accurate information that adds value to readers.
A5: Reliable sources with valuable content. If you aren’t 100% sure about the content, then you should not share it. #contentwritingchat
Lexie said to use reliable sources that share valuable content. She also recommends being 100% sure about the content before you share it with your audience. If you aren’t, pass on sharing it.
Turn to the thought leaders in your industry to see what they’re sharing. Curate content from them when you can. It’s a great way to start building a relationship with them.
Erika suggests turning to some uncommon sources that are still of interest to your audience. You never know what gems you might uncover! She uses Feedly as a way to discover new content.
A5) Find a handful of trusted sources (websites, blogs, news, social profiles) that you read/visit on a regular basis. #contentwritingchat
It’s a great idea to have a selection of sites that are trusted sources you can turn to any time. Read them on a regular basis to stay updated with what they’re sharing.
A5. Get a list of industry/thought leader sources that you trust. Don’t post content from the same source over & over. #ContentWritingChat
Sasha weighed the pros and cons of having a dedicated site for content curation. One one hand, she said it’s great for SEO, experience, and establishing you as a go-to resource. However, there’s also a big time commitment that comes along with that.
Ask yourself the questions Lex suggested. Would your audience use it? Do they need it? Considering you need your audience to be interested in it, you want to consider their needs before moving forward.
Q7: What are your thoughts on curated newsletters?
What do you think about curated newsletters? Do you enjoy them or do they automatically get deleted when they land in your inbox? Check out some of the responses we received during the chat below. Here’s a spoiler: If you enjoy creating a curated newsletter, give it a try and see how your audience responds. If they love it, keep going! If not, try something else.
A7 Pros: educate audience on a regular basis w/ out fail unlike widgets or microsite. Cons: Not indexed or real time. #ContentWritingChat
Over at Digital Natives, they feel a newsletter is better suited to provide an inside look at your own company. And it sounds like Robyn feels the same way! She thinks newsletters should tell a brand’s story to subscribers, instead of sharing content from others.
As Debi said, just make sure the curated content you add provides value to your reader.
Q8: How can I measure content curation success?
Now that you’re ready to dive into the world of content curation, you need to make sure your efforts are working for you. Here’s how to measure your success:
Make sure you set goals for your content first so you know exactly what you hope to achieve with everything you share.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
As Ross said, data-driven content curation ensures the work you’re doing is targeted and driving your business goals. That’s a must! When you utilize the data and analytics that are available to you, you can maximize your results with less time and money.
Data can help build your authority and credibility through the content you share. Ultimately, it can encourage others to view you as a thought leader in your industry.
A1 Data-driven content is based on something – analytics, metrics, ROI – and is not pulled out of thin air. #contentwritingchat
Ross is spot-on with his answer! Sharing random content just because you like it doesn’t necessarily make sense for your business. It won’t help you achieve your goals and can lead to attracting the wrong audience.
He also said it’s hard to drive consistent results with random efforts, so it’s important to be strategic about the content you’re sharing.
A2. Everything you share should be content you like AND be useful to your audience. #contentwritingchat
Kristen knows you should think about your audience with everything you share online. Your content should be useful to your audience and you should like it as well.
A2: There is little point in sharing just for sharings sake if you are hoping to gain benefits #ContentWritingChat
Cheryl believes the formula is all about identifying your audience, knowing what they’re looking for online, and finding a way to make yourself interesting.
Ross recommends using tools that do the work for you with algorithms, targeting, and filtering. It makes content curation much easier! You can also learn a lot from the influencers in your industry. See what they’re sharing and how people are responding to it.
A4: An easy way is to craft twitter users that share quality/relevant content into a list and pool from that list #contentwritingchat
Twitter lists can be a great way to find valuable and relevant content to share online. Create a list with your favorite sources and check it whenever you’re looking for amazing content.
A4: I highly recommend these approaches to finding curate-worthy content: Twitter lists, email subscriptions, @feedly. #contentwritingchat
Annaliese also recommends using Twitter lists, but she also suggested turning to email subscriptions and Feedly. Feedly is a great way to easily keep up with posts on your favorite websites.
Here at Express Writers, we’re also big fans of BuzzSumo. You can use this tool to see which posts are getting the most shares on content in your industry. It gives you a good idea of what your audience is interested in. Google Alerts is another great tool as well!
A4. Reading a lot of blogs, looking for the trends and don´t forget the influencers #ContentWritingChat
Ask yourself if you personally love a specific piece of content. Julia knows it’s important that what you share resonates with you as well. You can then align it to your audience and analyze the results you get.
Q5: How can I use data in the sharing aspect of content curation?
Are you unsure how to use data when sharing content online? Check out these tips:
Data can be assembled and used to find out the top times to post for the platform and for your audience. #contentwritingchat
Ross recommends using data to find the best times to post for the platforms you use and for your audience. This will help you maximize your results when sharing.
A5: Use data to inform you about what content your audience wants to see and what might not work. Also, timing is key. #contentwritingchat
You can also turn to data to see which types of content your audience is truly interested in. What are they responding to? What are they not enjoying so much? Use this information to craft posts accordingly.
A5a: Data can help you find what’s trending on individual social platforms. This presents a big opportunity. #contentwritingchat
Edanry suggested using data to figure out what is trending on specific social media platforms. You can use this to your advantage when creating content.
Q6: How do I use analytics for data-driven curation?
How can you use analytics to maximize your results? Find out:
Analytics give you a ton of information but you have to think about what each point means. #contentwritingchat
Ross knows that your analytics will give you a ton of valuable information. You just need to be able to undersand those metrics and know how to use them.
Sarah likes to measure conversions. How many people are actually converting from your content? What works and what doesn’t? It’s important to figure this out so you can create more of the content that’s working for you and your audience.
Keep in mind that conversions can mean different things. It isn’t always about making a sale. As Sarah said, you need to know the goals of your content so you can create and measure appropriately.
A6: Take the numbers out of the equation & question what’s in it for my audience, then you’ll get it right. #contentwritingchat
As Ross said, testing and adjustments are the difference between trying and succeeding. You need to tune into your audience first if you want to be successful. Once you’ve done this, Ross said you can move and grow with them.
A7: Testing is everything. If you aren’t constantly optimizing your work you aren’t maximizing your potential. #ContentWritingChat
When you test and analyze your results, you can adapt your plan based on what you find out. As Andy said, you should continue to test as well. You can always learn something and create a better strategy.
A7: Adjustments and testing allow you to create a new pool of data, refining and maximizing results. Explore your data! #contentwritingchat
It’s just important! Brittany said it will help you see which content is working for your audience. When you know what they like, you can deliver more of the same.
.@ExpWriters#ContentWritingChat A7. Consistent testing and experimentation makes sure your content and strategies keep improving.
If you’re growing at a fast rate, it’s a good sign you’re on the right track. You need to keep in mind that success on social media won’t happen all at once though. As Ross said, it comes in phases and gains momentum. You just have to remain consistent.
Having a smart, agile strategy will set you up for great results. You need to make sure you’re staying relevant and growing alongside a digital world that’s constantly changing.
A8: By the # of views, visitors, growth in reference points (google, facebook, etc.). Any growing analytics! #contentwritingchat
Christie likes to track engagement on her posts. Are people liking, retweeting, and sharing what you’re posting? If not, you might want to revisit your strategy and the types of content you’re sharing online.
A8 if you’re reaching or exceeding your goals, you know you’re heading in the right direction #ContentWritingChat
It all goes back to setting goals for your content. If you meet or exceed those goals, you’re heading in the right direction.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
We had so many new participants in this week’s Content Writing Chat – we couldn’t have been more thrilled with the turn out. Lots of new faces joined us. We were even a trending topic in the USA again, reaching our highest rank so far: #40!
If you missed it, there’s no need to worry because we have a recap of some of the best tweets of the chat. Keep reading to learn all about content curation!
#ContentWritingChat March 8 2016 Recap: Best Practices for Content Curation in 2016
Our guest host for this week’s chat was Guillaume Decugis. Guillaume is the Co-Founder and CEO of Scoop.it, and an all-around awesome entrepreneur and influencer in the content marketing space. Julia has interviewed him previously on G+ Hangouts and Blab. He joined us to share his thoughts on best practices for content curation in 2016.
It’s all about discovering and publishing content that is relevant to your audience. Grenae said you should add your own insights, examples, and experience when sharing content from others. As Kyle mentioned, it’s a good way to advance the conversation.
It seems everyone agrees: you can’t have creation without curation! Guillaume mentioned that we should all have a balance between creating content and curating content. Kyle said it’s important to create great content ourselves, but to also promote others who are creating great content as well.
Even our CEO, Julia, agrees. She said she can’t create without curation. Curating amazing content can be a huge source of inspiration!
A2 As a content creator, I CANNOT create without curation. Finding/curating great content/news/etc is huge inspiration #ContentWritingChat
Although Guillaume and Julia don’t have a specific ratio they follow, they both recognize that balance is KEY. Provide your audience with a mix of valuable content from you and from other sources.
Both Chris and Kyle are fans of a 60/40 ratio. Your goal should always be to give your audience useful content and to tune in to what others are saying.
A3)Whatever the balance, using curated content shows you care about what others are saying. Can’t just be our own voice. #ContentWritingChat
And as Jeremy said, curation shows that you care about what others are saying. You let others know that you’re listening when their content is part of your curation.
We received a ton of suggestions for great content curation tips from everyone in the chat on Tuesday! As Netvantage Marketing said, you should consider where your audience is getting their information. Check out the websites and sources they’re reading.
Guillaume mentioned using his tool, Scoop.it, but also said email newsletters are a great place to find content. Make sure you’re subscribed to some of the influential blogs within your industry to see what people are talking about!
Kristen is a fan of Feedly and Paper.li. Varun likes using Twitter Lists to find awesome content. If you create a List of influencers in your industry, you can easily scroll through updates and find a ton of new content. Tajah suggests checking out some of your favorite hashtags to see what others are posting.
When it comes to content curation, there are a few things you should always keep in mind. Guillaume stressed the importance of always giving proper credit to the original source. Never try to take credit for something you didn’t create!
Tara said you should always read content in its entirety before you share it with your audience. Never blindly retweet or share something without checking it out first.
Omni Sodo suggested using tools to save you time when curating content. Kyle recommended using Twitter Lists as a way to track people and brands who consistently publish great content.
Some content curation don’ts: Don’t be unethical. Don’t steal content and try to pass it off as your own. Don’t curate for search engines. (Curate for your audience instead!)
Here are just a few of the amazing tools you should use when curating content: Scoop.it, Storify, Feedly, Buffer, Quora, BuzzSumo, social media platforms, and Google Trends.
We had an open Q&A session at the end of the chat and invited everyone in the chat to ask Guillaume questions. Check out a couple of his answers below:
@irishtara I’ve found working in sessions and scheduling things in advance helped. Weekly or couple of times a week. #contentwritingchat
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM for great chats centered around content writing and marketing!
For any kind of marketer, Twitter is a hugely powerful tool. This social media platform has more than 304 million monthly active users: it’s a way for information to travel faster and broader than almost any other platform on the web.
That said, within those 304 million users, who are the ones worth following as content marketing leaders? That have similar interests to us as marketers, and are leaders within the content marketing space? Let’s take a look!
60 Top Content Marketers You Should Follow (Today) On Twitter
My list of these top 60 content marketers is made up of the crème de la crème of the industry. These content marketers specialize in everything from Content Marketing 101, SEO and how content fits into that, all the way to advanced branding techniques. I follow these guys and have engaged with them regularly.
Good stuff will follow if you start following them today – you’ll probably learn a few things as you consistently see and read their content.
Here you go (all their names are linked to their Twitter handles), in no particular order:
1. Rand Fishkin. Rand Fishkin is an author, blogger and founder of SEO Giant Moz. People who follow his tweets can look forward to ample marketing, SEO, technology and startup information.
2. Jay Baer. Author of the New York Times bestselling book Youtility, Jay Baer is a global keynote speaker, and digital media entrepreneur as well as being president the strategy consulting firm @Convince.
3. Brian Clark.CEO of Rainmaker Digital, Brain Clark is also the curator of several successful content marketing websites.
4. David Burn.David Burn is a content strategist, writer and brand specialist who assists content marketers in learning to distribute content effectively and write pieces that will draw readers in.
5. Michael Brenner.Michael Brenner is a renowned speaker, author and blogger with @MKTGInsiders as well as being Head of Strategy @Newscred. Brenner is also the former VP of Content Marketing with @SAP.
6. Mitch Joel. President of Mirum, Mitch Joel is a marketer, speaker, author and self-proclaimed “media hacker.” Additionally, Joel is a blogger at Six Pixels of Separation. People that can’t get enough of Joel via Twitter can check out his new book Ctrl Alt Delete.
7. Brian Fanzo.I enjoy catching Brian on Periscope as well as watching all of his keynote speeches. He’s an energetic social media advocate, going by the title “Change Evangelist”, has a huge following, and is behind the iSocialFanz site. Follow him for great insights on how to run your social media.
8. Sue B. Zimmerman.She’s the “Instagram Expert”, a successful entrepreneur, speaker, and Instagram coach. This lady is the go-to expert when it comes to Instagram, and she’s hot on Periscope too.
9. Neil Patel.Neil Patel is a renowned entrepreneur and blogger who has started two analytics companies: @CrazyEgg and KISSmetrics. He’s a top followed content marketer (I read and enjoy all his stuff).
10. Pamela I Wilson. Pamela I. Wilson is the owner of Big Brand System. She also manages the CopyBlogger blog and produces educational products for the company.
11. Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt. Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt is an attorney-turned-content marketer who was named one of the Top 50 Rich Media Influencers to follow.
12. Paul Roetzer. Paul Roetzer is the Founder of The Marketing Performance Blueprint & The Marketing Agency Blueprint as well as being the Creator of Marketing Score (@MKTScore).
13. Aaron Orendorff. Aaron Orendorff’s mission is to “save the world from bad content.” He is also a contributor for publications like @EntMagazine, @FastCompany, @BusinessInsider, @SuccessMagazine, @CopyBlogger and @Unbounce.
14. Lee Odden. Lee Odden is the CEO of @TopRank, where he specializes in online marketing. He is also a B2B Content Marketing consultant and a social media and PR specialist.
15. Bob Geller. Bob Geller is a PR and content specialist as well as being the president of Fusion PR.
16. Joanna Wiebe. She is the genius copywriter and Internet marketer we all aspire to be. CEO of Copyhackers and top-notch wordsmith, Joanna has been featured in numerous places and sites.
17. Jeff Deutsch. Jeff Deutsch is the VP of Marketing for @ptengine. He also contributes content to @HubSpot.
18. Ryan Hanley.Ryan is the host of the popular Content Warfare podcast and author of the book by the same name.
19. Amanda Subler. Amanda Subler is a former journalist turned public relations, content marketing and video production specialist. She is also a PR and Media Manager for @CMIContent.
20. Tim Ash. Tim Ash is the CEO of Site Tuners and author of the bestselling book Landing Page Optimization.
21. Meryl K. Evans. Meryl K. Evans is a writer, editor, social media specialist and content marketer. Her tweets are aimed at helping content marketers adapt to web standards and boost site traffic.
22. Doug Kessler. Doug Kessler is a content marketing, B2B copywriting, social media and tech marketing specialist who focuses on helping content marketers learn to promote their brand and write better content.
23. Matt Heinz. Matt Heinz focuses on helping B2B companies produce more revenue via focused marketing strategies. He also helps companies produce more demand from customers and hone their sales process.
24. Bernie Borges. Bernie Borges is the host of The Social Business Engine Digital TV Show & Podcast as well as being the CEO of popular B2B digital marketing firm Find and Convert.
25. Neal Schaffer. Neal Schaffer is an author at @MaxYourSocial as well as being the founder of @msocialbusiness and @socialtoolssmmt.
26. Bryan Eisenberg. Bryan Eisenberg is the founder and CMO of Ideal Spot. He is also a keynote speaker and author.
27. Rebekah Radice. She’s an award-winning social media author, speaker and strategist. She works at the uber-cool PostPlanner and is behind #InfluencerChat, as well as a co-host for #ViralChat from Post Planner on Thursdays.
28. Jay Acunzo. Jay Acunzo works on content at @NextViewVC, and is the host and producer of the Traction podcast, where he discusses and features super cool entrepreneurial stories.
29. Lisa Petrilli. Named one of the Top 20 CMO’s by Forbes, Lisa Petrilli is dedicated to empowering women in positions of business & leadership in the world of digital communication.
30. Andrew Davis. The founder of Monumental Shift, Andrew Davis teaches marketers how to find and target a niche in order to grow business and produce great work.
31. Heidi Cohen, Heidi Cohen is a speaker, professor and journalist. He shares tweets on social media, content marketing and how to create successful small businesses.
32. Henneke Duistermaat. She calls herself someone who’s on a mission to stamp out “gobbledygook,” and for that alone we love her. CEO of Enchanting Marketing, she is uniquely known for her “doodles” on her blogs and books and has been featured in podcasts and more.
33. Kim Garst.She’s been called the First Lady of Periscope, and rightly so; she’s just a joy to watch. Kim is a Forbes Top 10 SM Influencer and author of the acclaimed Will the Real You Please Stand Up.
34. Ann Handley. Ann Handley is the Head of Content at Marketing Profs. She is also the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller, Everybody Writes.
35. Joe Pulizzi. Joe Pulizzi is a content expert at @CMIContent. He is also the author of Epic Content Marketing.
36. Kathryn Hawkins. Kathryn Hawkins works with @EucalyptMedia, a booming content marketing agency that focuses on teaching startups, universities, and B2B companies how to manage their clients and produce high-quality content.
37. Erika Heald. Erika Heald is a content marketer, social media coach, writer, editor and blogger. She is also the Head of Content with @HighwirePR.
38. John Jantsch. John Jantsch is a small business marketing consultant at Duct Tape Marketing.
39. Joe Lazauskas. Joe Lazuskas is Editor-in-Chief for @Contently. He was also named one of the Top 10 Content Marketing Influencers to follow.
40. Kari Lloyd. Kari Lloyd is a writer who specializes in content and SEO. She currently uses her content marketing skills to help @VonageBiz boom. She was also named one of the Top 50 Content Marketers to Follow on Twitter.
41. Seth Godin. Seth Godin is an author and blogger who is gaining notoriety for his unique approach to content creation.
42. Guillaume Decugis.He’s a highly successful entreprenuer, content marketing expert, and the founder of curation platform Scoop.it (over 2 million users). Bonus: He’s very approachable! I interviewed him here.
43. Ann Smarty. Ann Smarty is a brand manager with @NinjasMarketing, creator of MyBlogU, and an all-around smart content marketer.
44. Daniel Newman. Daniel Newman is the CEO of @Broadsuite. He often speaks on the topics of social, mobile, big data and cloud computing. Additionally, Newman is the host of #CloudTalk.
Twitter Chat Content Marketers
In addition to offering a wide variety of content marketing specialists, Twitter also provides a platform for Twitter Chats, interactive, web-based communities that offer a space for interviews, collaboration, communication and networking. These chats provide a great way for content marketers to interact with new contacts and build authority in their niche. Additionally, participating in a Twitter chat can be a great marketing tool, in and of itself.
For the best content marketing-focused Twitter chats available on the web today, check out this list:
45. Cathy McPhillips (Twitter Chat: #CMWorld) Cathy McPhillips is the Marketing Director for @cmicontent. Her Twitter chat, #CMWorld |is focused on discussing all things content marketing related.
46. Kelly Hungerford(Twitter Chat: #BizHeroes) Kelly Hungeroford is a Digital Marketer. Her Twitter chat #BizHeroes is focused on helping companies build better customer experiences and promote solid marketing communities.
47. Buffer(Twitter Chat: #BufferChat) We love Buffer… and we love their chat! Buffer is a social media app that lets you schedule posts out to all your platforms. Happening every Wednesday at 11 CST/12 EST, they talk about all things social/content/bookworm related – a wide variety.
48. Sheila Scarborough(Twitter Chat: #AWCConnect) Sheila Scarborough is a writer and speaker with @TourismCurrents and @PerceptiveTrav. Her Twitter chat, #AWCConnect is designed to enlighten and educate women in the professional communications field and takes place on the 1st Thursday of each month.
49. Mack Collier(Twitter Chat: #BlogChat) Mack Collier is dedicated to helping companies build their brand and create winning content. His Twitter chat, #Blogchat, discusses blogging topics for the professional, business and personal fields.
50. Brian Katz(Twitter Chat: #Mobilebiz) Brian Katz is a mobile marketing expert whose Twitter chat is dedicated to all things mobile. Great for content marketers who want to learn about how customers interact with their content on a mobile basis, #Mobilebiz discusses the ins and outs of a mobile world on a weekly basis.
51. Maria Elena Duron(Twitter Chat: #Brandchat) Maria Elena Duron is a Marketing Coach and Personal Branding Specialist. #Brandchat is ideal for content marketers who want to learn more about how to market their unique brand.
52. The Social CMO(Twitter Chat: #MMchat) The Social CMO CMO runs #MMchat, which stands for “marketer Monday” and offers conversations with executives from a whole host of different marketing and social media content firms.
53. Brian Honigman(Twitter Chat: #InsiderChat) Brian Honigman is a Content Marketing Consultant and CEO of @HonigmanMedia. #InsiderChat, which offers interviews with expert influencers to help people “win at marketing and business.”
54. Jenise Fryatt(Twitter Chat: #ContentChat) Jenise Fryatt is a Content Marketing Strategist for Smarter Shift as well as being the Moderator #ContentChat. #ContentChat offers a place for content marketers to discuss the latest developments and trends in the content marketing world. Additionally, the chat offers interviews with thought leaders and plenty of opportunities to network.
55. SEMRush (Twitter Chat: #SEMrushchat) SEMRush offers ways for content marketers to take their business to the next level. Twitter users who follow #SEMrushchat will get high-quality industry updates and tips as well as the chance to connect with top influencers.
56. CoScheduleApp(Twitter Chat: #CoChat) CoSchedule is a drag-and-drop marketing calendar designed to help content marketers create content distribution schedules. The company’s Twitter chat, #CoChat, helps people learn more about editorial strategies, content creation and distribution.
57. Pam Moore(Twitter Chat: #GetRealChat) Pam Moore was named a Forbes Top 10 Social Media Influencer. Her Twitter chat #GetRealChat focuses on how to boost business, maximize existing content and develop new content that readers will love.
58. Kelly Lieberman(Twitter Chat: #PinChat) Kelly Lieberman is a Pinterest expert and, considering the fact that a recent study proves that Pinterest drives more people to websites than LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+ combined, it’s possible that you might want to follow in her footsteps. Content marketers can tune in to #PinChat for tips on how to use Pinterest to drive engagement and distribute great content.
59. Marketing Cloud(Twitter Chat: #ETcafe) Marketing Cloud’s Twitter chat covers digital marketing and the latest trends and topics in the industry. Previous topics include how best to use social media and how to personalize content.
60. Express Writers & Julia McCoy(We’ll be launching a Twitter Chat soon!) Excuse the self-promotion, but it’s just; I’ve been most-read on many of the guest blogs I post at. And we post fun stuff at Express Writers! I specialize in content marketing, distribution and content creation, and share what I know, or stuff I read all over the web that I love. My team shares on similar topics. Follow us, and I hope you enjoy reading what we share!
The Case for Twitter: A Content Marketer’s Paradise
Twitter is a veritable paradise for the content marketer who wants to learn. In addition to offering a platform to access some of the world’s most talented content marketers, Twitter also provides near-instant communication with many industry specialists and chats areas, both of which can help content marketers step up their game and become truly competitive.
One of the most important purposes Twitter serves is to act as an ignition point between interested content marketers and industry experts. Because the social media platform provides the basis for rich and informative connections to take place, content marketers are truly unhindered in the depth to which they can take their Twitter-based connections.
Twitter also offers a formidable way for marketers to stay in the loop. Because Twitter is one of the main social media platforms where news goes to break, interested content marketers can ensure that they will always be on the cutting edge of the content marketing field. This, in turn, ensures access to the best and most up-to-date information as well as an effective and important way to disseminate information of your own.
Lastly, Twitter is a great place for young marketers to build authority and gain notoriety by re-tweeting powerful content and curating a Twitter persona to attract engagement and encourage interaction from other inhabitants of the Twitter-sphere.
The Power of a Twitter Chat
Have you heard how hot Twitter chats are? Many of the experts I’ve quoted above are in Twitter chats.SEMrush hosts #semrushchat, a busy Wednesday morning chat that has had thousands of tweets in it’s lifetime and guests like Hubspot. Sprout Social, hosts #SproutChat on Wednesdays. Ann Smarty hosts #MyBlogGuest, every Thursday at 11 am EST. (I’ve linked to more Twitter chats above.)
Well, I recently found out just how powerful a Twitter chat can be. The first week of September, I started really ramping up our Twitter chats, and one day we joined about 8, including #semrushchat, #bufferchat, #SMchat, #SproutChat, #SmallBizChat and more. That one day when we joined that many chats, we had a huge surge in website traffic. And I’m talking about 2,000 visitors. Incredible, right?
Right now, Express Writers is joining up to 5 Twitter chats each week. This is due to the fact that Twitter chats have the power to seriously enhance any business. Twitter chats are so effective, in fact, that 34% of marketers successfully generate leads using Twitter chats. This iSocial list does a great job of compiling the best Twitter chats for marketers to join and interested content aficionados can find plenty of good stuff in any one of these Twitter chats.
If you’re going to engage in Twitter chats, though, be sure that you’re being a polite Twitter citizen. Our Tweet Chat Etiquette Guide will help you learn the in’s and out’s of Tweet chats so that you can better promote your company and connect with knowledgeable people in your niche.
Yeah! Join a Twitter chat, and follow your industry leaders. It’ll be huge for you. I promise.
Finally.. Did I Miss A Content Marketer?
Let’s make this more than 60! I’d LOVE to know what marketer I missed – even if you want to add yourself to the list, feel free to comment below. I’ll edit this post if you’re (or your suggestion is) worthy!
