There are an astronomical number of content marketing websites on the world wide web, and surfing through to find the good ones can be, well, a challenge.
I define “good” as being a website that is 100% unique and ahead of the game. A site that shares information first hand, from experience, and offers evidence to its claims. In a world where so much material is simply recycled and repurposed, it’s these sites that will stand the test of time.
So without further ado, here are some of the top content marketing websites worth following:
It’s pretty obvious from the domain name alone that these guys emphasize boosting traffic to your blog, but they offer so much more than that— they offer the raw, cold hard truth too.
In their post on December 2, 2015, they were brutally honest about what it actually takes to make a blog successful, and they didn’t hold back on any of the gory details. Don’t believe me? Check it out.
The founder, Jon Morrow, is also a fantastic and sassy writer, which totally strikes a chord for me!
For the more artistic crew, this site is a godsend. Derek Murphy is an artist and writer working on his Literature PhD. Along the way he has published several books, launched his own book publishing service, creates book covers for his editing clients, painting, and more.
CreativINDIE is his personal blog, not his professional one, where he shares his experience, expertise…for free. If you’re looking for tips or insight on writing, editing, or publishing, check him out.
Seth Godin is like the Godfather of blogging. He was one of the first on the scene and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Godin has written several best-selling novels, Linchpin being one of the most well known. He is a storyteller and teacher alike, sharing information in a precise and methodical way that we just don’t see in blogs these days. Further, his vocabulary trumps most others, and I dig that.
If you’re looking for a blog all about branding, then this is the site for you. The Story of Telling breaks down everything from brand strategy and story to the importance of brand naming.
They update their blog frequently with great content and share some valuable freebies on how to tap into the essence of your story and breathe new life into your brand.
If the domain name alone doesn’t make you want to read their blog, then the fact that they share helpful nuggets about how to manage your virtual work will.
Working for yourself presents its own unique challenges, and most bloggers tend to gloss over those challenges, focusing instead on why it’s so awesome to work for yourself. These folks do not. Instead, they share insight, strategies, and tips on how to make the most of your virtual career and offer a glimpse into the reality of working online. They also regularly share their fave playlists, which is bad ass in my opinion.
Do you know what’s super helpful, but hard to find? Practical tips — especially for newbies. What’s so great about CMI is the plethora of practical information pieces. From basics like “what is content marketing” to full blown content strategy, there’s a little bit of everything.
If you have a question about content marketing, you will likely find the answer here.
Looking to boost traffic, increase conversions, and make more sales? Of course you are – who isn’t?
With a mish mash of posts covering topics like how to diversify your content marketing and how to find the best review sites for your business, this blog has plenty of great advice on how boost your bottom line.
CoSchedule is actually an app that helps teams coordinate tasks so their content marketing strategy runs smoothly. It helps you visualize your content so you know when your next blog post is going live, and helps you refine your social media strategy as well.
Not too surprisingly, their blog covers a lot of social media topics and hacks to help you organize your content marketing. It’s great for those who aren’t so good at being organized and planning ahead.
Looking to re-engage lukewarm leads or track your progress? Beachhead blog shares some really great posts on these subjects in a way that is easy to digest and implement.
Rather than the fluffy puff pieces we often stumble across on the internet, they actually offer actionable steps so you can put into practice the tips and strategies they are sharing.
Another great site for all things branding related. This technology company regularly shares awesome posts on how to improve your brand and content strategy, and guess what – they’re 100% unique ideas. A rare find these days!
If you’ve got several hours to kill, then this one’s for you. There are literally thousands of resources available on Marketing Profs, covering a range of topics.
If you’ve ever had a question about brand management, advertising, customer behavior, email marketing, metrics or more, they’ve written about it. Are you ready to fall down the rabbit hole?
Surely you’ve heard of the Buffer app before. It helps forgetful social sharers organize their posting schedule since 2010.
The Buffer blog is heavily focused on the social side of content marketing and hacks for developing a strategy that will work for your business.
Buffer was also one of the first businesses to embrace the transparent business movement model, so you will find metrics and profit reports in there if that’s something you like.
In business, identifying ROI and tracking metrics is pretty darn important. Unfortunately, many of us do not excel in this area.
Digital Marketer provides heaps of content around these topics and can help you find new and creative ways to boost traffic to your site.
Do you pride yourself on being a writer? Then this one’s for you. Author unlimited dives into everything from the importance of storytelling to how to price your book.
If you’ve ever wanted to publish, this blog can help answer some of your biggest questions and point you in the right direction.
This may be one of my absolute faves. Gary curses like a sailor, drops truth bombs like it’s WWIII and isn’t afraid to be blunt.
Pulled from personal experiences, his content is pretty opinionated, so if you’re looking for fluffy, you won’t find that here.
Though currently on a digital sabbatical, Brad Feld is the founder of Foundry and uses his blog to share his thoughts on a wide variety of topics. You can find everything from relationships and techstars, to venture capital, book reviews, writing, and plenty of other things he enjoys.
Like Seth Godin, Brad has been kicking around since the beginning and has plenty of wisdom to share.
Sick of surfing the web just to read the same blah blah blah? Moz blog is ripe with expert advice from people who actually know what they are talking about.
Featuring how-to’s, research pieces and more, you will find everything you ever wanted to know about SEO and online marketing.
Content marketing covers an array of topics including social media, content creation, optimization and more. If you’re looking for helpful tips, tools of the trade, and content marketing support, then this is a great place to start.
I’d like to think I’m fairly organized, but that doesn’t always translate into productivity. I’ve spent many hours hunting down helpful productivity hacks, and this is a great blog to get them.
Whether you’re looking for a way to better manage your email, make plans that work or simply become more productive, you will find podcasts and blog posts to suit your needs.
Let’s be honest, it’s hard to come across blogs (and businesses for that matter) that focus on only that which they are truly great at.
The Voice Bureau prides itself on only focusing on what they are best at — brand voice development. Full of insight on how to give your brand a voice with value, Abby Kerr and Katie Mehas have a lot to say.
Freelancers love this blog and there’s one damn big reason why – it was designed for freelancers. If you want to learn how to become more organized, find the right clients or take a leap of faith into the world of freelancing, then check out what they have to say.
These guys have just about everything on how to use social media, marketing, and content to grow your business.
Actually, people love their blog so much, it even won an award from Social Media Examiner for Top 10 Social Media Blogs in 2015.
They’ve also been blogging for over 6 years, so there’s plenty of experience and expertise to boost their credibility.
James is great because he dives into topics that are a little unconventional and outside the box. A lot of his pieces will make you question yourself, your beliefs, and actively improve your personal development.
My fave part is how he uses storytelling to teach you lessons. You will be sucked into each one of his posts and come out the end better for it.
Final Thoughts…
There are so many great blogs in this list, and depending on your preferences, not all of them will be for you. As your business develops, so will your content marketing needs. I highly suggest bookmarking this list, keeping it safe in your interweb archives for that inevitable day when you are looking for something new to inspire your marketing strategy.
Do you have a favourite content marketing website that didn’t make the cut? Share in the comments section below, and tell us a little bit about why you love it.
Sabrina Taylor is a sassy writer and online manager with an inappropriate love for Buzzfeed, pizza and CrossFit. She has over 5 years experience working with businesses helping them build effective communications and marketing strategies. She is currently living in the hot and humid mountains of Northern Thailand, dreaming of hoodies, snow and Canadian bacon (first world problems, amiright?!).
[…] the launch back a day or two, a week even. Just ensure that your content is the highest possible quality, because that’s the first thing your potential customer is going to […]
Thanks for the list and valuable information. I will be making some pitches to these publication real soon. You may also add https://highlightstory.com
