unicorn content

The state of successful content today is dire. A recent study done by expert Guillaume Decugis, using his new content intelligence tool Hawkeye, reveals that 84% of all articles get LESS than 10 shares. Only 16% of all articles published on the web get more than 10 shares. In our industry, this gets even WORSE. A search in Hawkeye’s Analyze section on the topic “content marketing” reveals only ONE article that’s achieved more than 20,000 shares. One. That’s pretty dire, people… Considering that we’re talking about an industry with over 42 million results in Google for the topic.   Fact: The ONLY content that earns links and shares today is standout content—content that people in that topic industry/area are attracted to. It takes a ton of work to create that kind of content. But with 84% of content falling flat, it is ZERO ROI to create just another “average piece” of content. That’s why standout content is so important – and so special. The blogs and articles that leap into that magical realm of shares and links – and, let’s be honest, rainbows – are the unicorns of the bunch. To identify the unicorn content of 2017, I used Hawkeye myself, a new content intelligence tool from Scoop.it. I looked for some of the best, top-shared, top-performing blogs and articles for the year across various key industry sites. From Content Marketing Institute to Copyblogger, only a few pieces made it to the very top, most-shared and most-read. We even took a look at our own site. This will be the LAST piece published on our blog for the year – see you in the New Year! ? ? Drumroll, please… Here they are: the content unicorns of 2017. The Unicorn Content List: 14 Content Marketing Pieces in 2017 That Brought Magical Levels of Engagement 1. Content Marketing Institute Most-Shared: “Content Marketing Trends to Watch for 2018” Current Share Count: 2,456 CMI’s most-shared article was penned by its founder, Joe Pulizzi (of course). In it, he shares the most exciting and interesting trends he sees on tap for 2018. A few he mentions include: Original content is gaining popularity – big brands like Apple, Google, and Facebook have made moves to start producing original stuff. Companies worldwide are increasing their content marketing budgets, but plenty of them are still treating it like advertising. Some innovative marketing departments could eventually start creating their own revenue streams from monetizing content. Overall, Joe says this is the most exciting time to be in marketing. His personal insights and know-how in the industry make this piece a must-read. Second Most-Shared: “4 Content Marketing Things That Turn Off Your Audience” Current Share Count: 2,372 This CMI piece by Neil Patel flips the coin and tells you what you may be doing to turn your audience off without knowing it. A few of the biggest sins include focusing on you, you, you and not your audience; overdoing it with SEO (yes, it’s possible); and churning out as much content as you can, no matter the quality. The takeaway: If you annoy, overwhelm, or discount your audience, you won’t get anywhere with content marketing. Runner-Up: “A Content Marketing Love Letter” This heartfelt piece, another from Joe, is one of my favorites. It truly is a love letter to the industry as he reflects on how CMI was founded and the people who helped grow it to its current standing. Joe wrote this piece as a sort of “see you later” as he steps away from his role at CMI, but his assurance that we’ll see him at Content Marketing World 2018 feels a little bittersweet. We’ll miss you, Joe! 2. Search Engine Journal Interested in Hawkeye.ai for your own content intelligence research? I’ve partnered with the creator, Scoop.it’s founder Guillaume Decugis! You can get free access to it here – for a limited time. Put “Julia McCoy” in the referred by section for a quick approval on your request. Most-Shared: “4 Important Ranking Factors, According to SEO Industry Studies” Current Share Count: 4,352 There are over 200 ranking factors Google takes into consideration when it looks at your site. This article pinpoints the top 4 you can hone in on to optimize your content. Best of all, it’s based on a bunch of data-backed studies – for now, these points are totally up to date and useful. For the curious, the most important ranking factors are content, backlinks, mobile user-friendly design, and a smattering of technical factors like headings and encryption. Second-Most Shared: “50 Incredible Women in Marketing to Follow” Current Share Count: 4,048 In honor of National Women’s Day, I wrote this piece for Search Engine Journal about notable lady marketers making their mark. Among the exhaustive list of 50 inspiring women, you’ll find social media marketers, brand managers, marketing agency founders, content directors, and leaders of all stripes in the industry. A few names include Ann Handley, Stephanie Diamond, Pam Kozelka, and Joanna Wiebe. 3. Smartblogger Most-Shared: “How to Write a Paragraph in 2017 (Yes, the Rules Have Changed)” Current Share Count: 954 This SmartBlogger article already knocks it out of the park with the headline. (It makes writers everywhere question themselves about a fundamental part of their jobs!) As it turns out, the right way to write a paragraph online is totally different from writing for print media. Author Mike Blankenship artfully shows you how it’s done (hint: no walls of text!). “How to Write Faster: 10 Crafty Ways to Hit 1,000 Words Per Hour” Current Share Count: 589 1,000 words per hour?! Sign me up. This article divulges 10 ways to increase your writing speed without losing quality. It also may or may not talk about using your bladder (the power of pee) to write faster (no lie: I’ve done that, and still do – and I didn’t learn it from this article), plus tons more unique tips you’ve never heard before. 4. Copyblogger Most-Shared: “20 Types of Evergreen Content that Produce Lasting Results for Your Business” Current … Read more