Original research presents unique benefits for your content marketing strategy. But not just anyone or any AI tool can do it well. Before you get started, read through — and answer — these eight questions.

Wearing two hats at the same time is an odd and uncomfortable look. Yet, content marketers do it all the time when they edit and proofread at the same time. Here’s how to make each a distinct – and more valuable – experience.

Chances are you’ve been using the same editorial calendar format for years. Here’s some advice on how to make improvements that will help in creation, process, reporting, and more. (And if you don’t have a calendar, start here.)  

To be a great marketer, you must know the people you’re trying to sell it to. Clear, robust marketing personas are an effective and time-tested approach to reach that goal.

You’ve got content marketing skills. Use them to deliver what your audience wants. In this case, your audience is made up of the editors at third-party outlets you want to pitch. Try these tips from entrepreneur (and longtime CMI friend) John Hall.

Are you the writing sin committed by too many content marketers? If your leads are boring, generic, or cumbersome, you’ll get some help with these seven questions (and answers.)

Overwhelmed by content requests from throughout your organization? Get in better shape by creating a content request form. Here's how to do that.

A documented content marketing strategy is a big differentiator between the most and least successful. Imagine what a documented workflow could do for your content marketing operations. Here’s how to do it in four stages.

If your content is to be unique, it must be differentiated from your competitors’ content. Here’s how to assess what they’re doing so you can find gaps to fill, do it better, or avoid it altogether.

Team builders. Innovators. Humble. Results-oriented. Excellence. Those are some of the characteristics of Content Marketer of the Year finalists. Before we roll out the 2018 list, let’s talk to the 2017 winner, REI’s Paolo Mottola.

Not all ideas worthy of becoming content find us. Most of the time we must find them. Here are five sources that can inspire ideas during any given year.

The problem with most writing is that it isn’t memorable. If you want to win loyal readers and create strong readership relationships, you must create memorable content. Let’s look at three memorable writers.