When it comes to content marketing blogs, an overwhelming variety is available. We spend a fair bit of time separating the high-yields from the rest for our own brand storytelling blog here at ECHO. And now we’re passing on the savings to you, with this list of what we read for great ideas, strategic insights and straight-up good advice. Six content marketing blogs to bookmark:
Best for Understanding the New Economy: Stratechery
Ben Thompson seems to understand better than anyone else on the Web how business works today. His insightful takes on how traditional journalism intersects with Facebook and how TV and advertising have become symbiotic break apart — in a calm, easy-to-understand format — many of the assumptions about how and why we consume content. Stratechery (if it’s helpful, remember Stra {tech} ery) might not provide comforting answers — but it doesn’t let you delude yourself either. If you’re trying to move your brand forward in a digital-first world, give it a read.
Best for Making Big Data Your Best Friend: Priceonomics
This is like Freakonomics for content marketing nerds. The fun, insightful posts break down various aspects of consumer behaviour, content trends and more sheer numbers wonkery. We’re loving this post on charts in publishing.
Best (and Most Obvious): Digiday
You’re reading Digiday, right? Good. Just checking.
Best to Keep You From Drinking the Kool-Aid: {grow}
Mark Schaefer is a master of the discipline. He’s also skeptical about the claims made on many content marketing blogs. If you’re even thinking about this subject, you should read his post on why many businesses should give content a miss. Yes, you read that correctly. Content marketing is great! But it’s not a magic bullet.
Best for Making Peace With Google: Moz
Moz makes a well-regarded suite of tools to help you get attention from search engines and those who use them, but its blog is useful, too: a well-edited powerhouse of actionable SEO information, explained plainly and well. With Moz doubling down on search, they’ll be syndicating less content through YouMoz, but co-founder Rand Fishkin and other well-regarded search experts are still blogging away.
Best Mix of Data, Customer Psychology and Common Sense: BrandSavant
Written by Tom Webster, VP of Research at Edison Research, BrandSavant combines world-class data with a sharp comprehension of what drives people to buy things. Combined with a resolute drive toward publishing only quality work, the blog makes a great case for “smartest guy in the room.” Webster writes good stuff on Medium, too.
Content marketing blogs come in all shapes and sizes — but very few are providing standout thought leadership. Got your faves? Tweet us at @echostories. We’d love to hear from you.
