One of the most intimidating moments a marketer can experience is starting from “zero.” The idea of launching a new program—particularly an initiative as intense as a blog—can feel daunting, exciting, and stressful all at once.
Anytime marketers launch a new program, they’re under tremendous scrutiny and pressure. Even though something like a blog takes months to take off, executives will often ask for status updates and “results” right away.
What you need are resources that help you bypass the exploratory phase by helping you learn from the experiences of others. Here are some favorites to get you started:
1. How to Generate 27 Blog Post Ideas in 27 Seconds [Template]
Great ideas can be difficult to develop. With so much content floating around the web, it’s almost impossible to come up with a new topic, angle, or direction. Marketers will often spend hours trying to find creative inspiration, with limited success. What this post introduces is an alternate workflow that’s left-brain-oriented. Generate ideas faster with this template.
2. The Anatomy of an Excellent Blog Post
As you’re well aware, blog posts can take many different shapes, forms, and lengths. Rather than throwing darts in the dark (or bombarding readers with big chunks of text), take a look at this infographic. Learn how principles of information design can help you make the strongest possible impact.
3. 3 Psychological Principles Behind Viral Blog Posts
Great writing is only part of the blogging equation. In addition to producing great content, you need to ensure that every content marketing asset has a built-in distribution strategy. Give your content a much-needed push with these timeless principles of psychology.
4. 10 Stats on Why Blog Content Can Be as (or More) Valuable than Ads
Having trouble convincing stakeholders that content marketing will be “worth it?” If you’re struggling to get a budget or “prove” the anticipated ROI of your investment, send your leadership team to this blog post.
5. 7 Sites for Free & Beautiful Public Domain Photos [Infographic]
High-quality visuals are critical to a successful content strategy, but the investment can also wreak havoc on your content marketing budget. If you’re looking for free alternatives to pricey (and potentially cheesy) stock photos, check out this roundup of free, battle-tested, and trusted resources.
6. Make Your Site a Conversion Engine [Free Call to Action Template]
At the end of the day, your content marketing program needs to generate results. This template will help you generate more effective calls to action (CTAs) to help guide audiences through your company’s sales conversion funnel.
7. Turn Your Blog into a Conversion Machine [Free Templates]
CTAs can be challenging to implement, as marketers are often walking a line between education, storytelling, and sales. This template will help you map effective CTAs for every type of blog post.
What resources are helping you get your blog strategy off the ground? You pick #8—share your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback in the comments section below.