31 Top Marketers Agree: It’s Time to Rethink Your Content Marketing – Free 214 Page eBook from Linkdex

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Starting as a public relations firm with SEO skills in 2001, we’ve always had to create content for clients whether it was press releases, newsletters, case studies or graphics and diagrams for newsrooms and events.

In 2008 we made a major shift to what I call “SEO Plus” and focused a lot more on content. In fact, we were named the #1 content marketing blog that year by Junta42 (now Content Marketing Institute).

Fast forward to 2013 and the momentum of converged search, social media, public relations and content is unmistakable. SEO vendors and agencies are realizing marketing is the business we’re in, not just SEO.

One of those companies,�Linkdex,�is a marketing SaaS platform that brings content, search, social and PR components together in one service to help companies perform better marketing. This applies to service models that want to evolve from SEO to SEO plus, from PR or content marketing agency to integrated marketing agency. The same goes for departments within a company that want a platform to help integrated components of search, social media, content and PR.

To bring marketers and agencies the insights they need for this evolution towards more coordinated search, social, PR and content marketing, Matt Roberts and the Linkdex team reached out to 31 industry experts and created a 214 page eBook: ReThink Your Content Marketing.

Sometimes eBooks like this include the same list of names and insights, but I think you’ll find this one pretty refreshing. You’ll see why when you check out the list of international search and content marketing experts as well as the titles of their contributions covering strategy to tactics to measurement:

Joe Pulizzi (@joepulizzi) : ForewordLee Odden (@leeodden) : The Speed of ChangeBas van den Beld�(@basvandenbeld) : The Role of Content in Modern Day MarketingRick Ramos (@ricktramos) : 7 Reasons Why Content Marketing is the New BlackMatt Roberts (@Linkdex_Matt) : Use Content to Supercharge Your Organic MarketingRob Garner (@robgarner) : If You Have a Website, Then You Are Already a Real-Time PublisherAndrew Smith (@andismit) : What Can Content Marketing Learn from PR? And Vice VersaDanny Denhard (@dannydenhard) : Creating the Perfect Cocktail: Do PR, Social, SEO and Content Mix Well TogetherNick Garner (@nickgarner) : Organic Marketing Driving Social InfluencePhil Mackechnie (@akcamiwik) : Breaking Down Internal SilosRobert Rose (@Robert_Rose) : Be Remarkable or FailKevin Gibbons (@kevgibbo) : Creating a Multichannel Content Marketing StrategyPaul Roetzer (@paulroetzer) : The Art and Science of Content Marketing CollideMichael Brito (@britopian) : Transforming Your Brand to the Next Media CompanyAnn Handley (@marketingprofs) : Does Your Content Convey Honest EmpathyDarren Fell (@TeamCrunch) : With Content, You Reap What You SowHannah Smith (@Hannah_Bo_Banna) : Why You Need Great ContentStuart Tofts (@StuartTofts) : How to Use Content to Diversify and Strengthen Your Online MarketingMelissa Rach (@MelissaRach) : What Makes Content GreatSonja Jefferson and Sharon Tanton (@sonjajefferson – @sjtanton) : The Year That Content Grew UpSusan Genelius (@susangunelius) : Great Content is Shareworthy ContentSuzanne Fanning (@SuzanneWOMMA) : Content is No Longer KingHenneke Duistermaat (@HennekeD) : How to Write Great Content and Become an Influential WriterAvinash Kaushik (@avinash) : The See-Think-Do FrameworkSimon Penson (@simonpenson) : Content Strategy (Make Your Ideas Your Friends)Andreas Ramos (@Andreas_Ramos) : The Hub-and-Spoke Model of ContentChelsea Adams (ChelseAdams) : 5 Fresh Ways to Use Content Marketing as Lead GenerationJonathan Alderson (@jonoalderson) : Measuring the ROI of Content MarketingStephen Lock (@stevejlock) : Frameworks to Audit, Measure & Maximise Content Marketing ROIGerry McGovern (@gerrymcgovern) : Quality Content Means Measuring Outcomes, Not InputsKristjan Hauksson (@optimizeyourweb) : Content Impacts on a Global Scale

I’d be surprised if you’ve seen a free eBook this substantial on the topic of content marketing from so many thought leaders and practitioners. This is a necessary read for a lot of online marketers, from SEOs who still think content marketing is a link building tactic and that “more is better” to public relations practitioners that really need to get on the digital marketing track fast and in a meaningful way.

When you check out the ebook you can get a demo of Linkdex too if you like – totally up to you. Just make sure you dig in to the strategic to practical insights from all the search, social media, public relations and content marketing pros that contributed to the eBook. Then make sure you share it with your marketing and PR networks.

Once you read this eBook, here are some of the next steps and key questions to ask that I recommend in Chapter 1, “The Speed of Change”

What business goals could you solve with more useful and meaningful content?Who are the target audiences your business needs to connect with? What do they care about? What are their goals?Develop an editorial calendar that takes into account how each target customer segment discovers, consumes and acts on information during their buying cycleBuild search, social media and media optimization best practices into your content planning and promotion efforts so your brand can “be the best answer” where ever customers are lookingContinuously analyze key performance indicators and business outcomes to optimize the performance of your content marketing investment

Once you make the shift from content as a tactic to content as useful and meaningful information designed for specific customer groups and objectives, you’ll be on your way to more efficient and effective online marketing programs.

If you were going to contribute a short tip to a content marketing eBook like this, what would it be? �What’s one piece of advice you think is most important?