We read a lot, and we’re on a lot of email lists. We like it that way, but we know you might not have the time to read every piece on marketing and content that comes your way. In the spirit of sharing, we will occasionally share links to our favorite tips, tricks and insights from around the web on content, marketing and business in general. In this content round-up, we share some of our favorites.

Our 5 Favorite Content Marketing Reads (This Month)

1. “Oops! 17 SEO Misfires to Avoid with Website Content Marketing” from Content Marketing Institute
This article is jam-packed with examples on the right and wrong way to conduct search engine optimization. Bolstered by real-world examples from Heinz, Nationwide, Citi and more, Mike Murray teaches us how to find the SEO “sweet spot” and reminds us of the key elements that can make or break an SEO campaign.

Read the article on Content Marketing Institute.

2. “How to Rank at the Top of Google Search Results (Even If You’re Not No. 1)” from MarketingProfs
Featured snippets have been on our radar for a while. In early 2017, we wrote an overview on the topic in A Surprising Way to Top Google Search-Engine Results Pages. But rarely do we see as comprehensive a guide as the one published this month on MarketingProfs. Ann Smarty’s guide covers everything from why featured snippets are such powerful marketing tools to how to identify the queries that are most likely to get you featured.

Read the article on MarketingProfs.

3. “Content Marketing Isn’t a Marathon—It’s a Relay Race” from The Content Strategist
This insightful piece examines the pressure on marketers to deliver fast results and how it can lead them to choose methods that deliver predictable, short-term, mediocre results instead of investing in long-term campaigns that can provide compounding results over time. Joe Lazauskas offers tips to help marketers better walk the line between short-term investments and long-term goals.

Read the article on The Content Strategist.

4. “Who are the best gift-givers? Not who you’d think, says marketing research” from Science Daily
According to new research, self-confident individuals are more likely than less-confident individuals to project their own desires onto others. This study focused on these groups relative ability to pick out appropriate gifts for others, but we couldn’t help but wonder what the implications might be for marketers. Are self-confident marketers more likely to avoid talking to their customers and end up highlighting product benefits their prospects don’t really care about?

Read the article on Science Daily.

5. “Sustainable Link Building: Increasing Your Chances of Getting Links” from Moz
There’s a difference between content that works great for SEO and content that results in inbound links, writes Paddy Moogan in this installment of Moz’s Whiteboard Friday. Because creating link-worthy content typically involves a big investment of time and budget, marketers must approach the task with great care. Read the article for tips on fool-proofing link-building campaigns.

Read the article on Moz.

For a quick monthly briefing on the web’s top marketing content, sign up for our email newsletter. Have a great piece you want to share? Email it to info@3aspensmedia.com.