Here is our countdown of the top-trending pieces and posts generating buzz and airplay in content marketing. These intriguing conversations and case studies not only drove eyeballs and downloads but stirred some interesting comments and dialogue along the way.

1. Movin’ On Up

Why Content Marketing Is Set to Be an Industry Worth $412.88 Billion by 2021

soaring content marketing budgets
Many things will contribute to the $217.3 billion projected climb in global industry value between 2016 and 2021. For starters, it costs less than traditional advertising, is effective at building brand awareness, and more content marketers are building trust by focusing more on customers and less on the brands themselves. But there are more drivers behind the content boom. First of all, as an industry, we know a lot more about what we’re doing. So it follows that businesses are beginning to invest more now that they’ve seen the proof of content’s effectiveness. And all this effective content is aligned perfectly with modern buyer preferences. The industry continues to change before our eyes, but that’s only more proof that it’s just getting started.

2. The Digital Mindset

#B2BMX Keynote: Brian Fanzo Shares How to Get Inside the Mind of the Digitally Plugged Generation

Brian Fanzo digitally plugged
Brian Fanzo, Millennial keynote speaker and founder of iSocialFanz, plugged into his B2BMX  audience last month with his perspectives on Millennials and how to market, sell and build relationships with them. And by the way, he recommends focusing less on the generational distinctions and more on whether an audience is digitally plugged or digitally unplugged. “Content is not king,” he said. “Great content is king. We as marketers believe that everything we create is great. Our audience determines what great content is. Shrink the gap by doing something innovative and way out there.” Not sure where to start? Read Klaudia Tirico’s full piece on Demand Gen Report for a list of Brian’s tips.

3. The Importance of CX

Moment of Truth: Why You Can’t Ignore Customer Experience Initiatives Anymore

Customer Experience
Marketing and sales teams can’t get away with kicking the customer experience can down the road anymore. Here, five martech company leaders share insights on how marketers can successfully navigate the latest transformation. Delivering content that customers want is still the key to relationship-building and persuading them to willingly share data – which you simply must protect and be completely transparent about. Traditional attribution methods won’t help you keep up with increasingly fierce competition. Precise measurement is the only way to survive the continuous pressure to meet business objectives. Even channels as longstanding as television advertising require a CX perspective today to understand response patterns and ensure the relevance of content.

4. Infographics Going Strong

Digital Marketing Hacks: A Complete Guide to Using Infographics for Lead Generation

lead generation infographics
Custom visual content can boost conversion rates seven times higher. Are you using infographics to their best advantage? Done right, they’re bold and graphic, and deliver readers a quick fix of valuable information they can use. The best infographics tell a story with data that leads readers from an introduction to a thesis and a satisfying conclusion with a call to action. Take some bite-sized pieces of your infographic out to use as teasers in social media, enticing leads to click for more. Check out the infographic (of course) for all the details on a well-crafted infographic – everything from the data to include, the design to present it and key lead-generating components.

5. Going Vertical

How Vertical Video Is Changing Content Marketing

vertical video
Remember when we all scoffed at vertical videos? (Yesterday?) One day you’re in, the next day you’re out. Embracing the switch could lead to increases in engagement and brand awareness now that it’s falling in line with current consumer behavior. We do hold our phones vertically 94 percent of the time, after all. It only makes sense that it’s faster and easier to watch videos that way. It offers the best viewer experience since it fills the whole screen and leaves users with one hand free. It may not suit every purpose, but vertical video may be the better option for videos likely to be consumed on mobile devices.

We hope we’ve helped inspire you on your path to improving B2B marketing content. If you’re eager to read more, check out our Resources Page.

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