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Our 15 Top-Performing Blog Posts from 2016

Our 15 Top-Performing Blog Posts from 2016

TopPeformingBlogPosts2016.jpg2016 is officially over. Add it to Tom Haverford's dunzo list, and start embracing this year and all the opportunities that come with it.

Before we jump in, though, we'd like to take a look back at some of the best articles we published on our blog in 2016. From industry updates and trend pieces to tactical advice and step-by-step guides, we covered a lot of ideas last year, and reflecting on it all is a great way to remind us that 2017 is sure to be even better.

In no particular order, here are 15 of the top-performing articles that were published on The Knowledge Bank last year:

1. 'Work Smarter, Not Harder: 5 Steps to Effortless Lead Generation'

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The success of any business relies on effective sales efforts. So it's no surprise that this article โ€” which focuses on streamlining your processes and increasing leads generated โ€” performed well in 2016. If your goal this year is to generate more leads for your sales team, this blog post is for you.

2. '4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Content Strategy Next Quarter'

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Each new year, new quarter, or new month (take your pick!) brings new challenges to stay motivated, innovative, and successful. Your content strategy is no different. Read this article for some great advice to help you take your content strategy up a notch and beat any slump that's standing in your way.

3. 'How Site Design Brings Inbound Marketing to Life'

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Remaining focused on your content and your audience can leave you feeling siloed or unaware of the other side of the coin: website design. Site design plays an important role in the buyer's journey, and content isn't much without an optimized site to show it off. This article dives deep into the nitty-gritty of it all to help you excel in both areas.

4. 'A Brave New (Automated) Marketing World'

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It's not unusual for people to feel scared for the future of their jobs when they hear the word "automation" โ€” but it didn't scare people away from reading this article. This post goes in depth on what marketing automation looks like, how it can save you time, and what you need to know in order to select a tool that works for you.

5. 'Stay Out of the Bunker: 3 Social Media Updates You Need to Know About'

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Sometimes, it seems like social media platforms release updates every other day. As many opportunities as they offer content marketers, they also present challenges, and it can be hard to keep up and figure them all out. This article highlights three of my favorite social media updates from 2016 and what they mean for brands.

6. 'Craving Authority? Try These 4 Straightforward LinkedIn Strategies'

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When the universe (or Reid Hoffman) creates a social platform solely for professional networking, you've got to find ways to capitalize on it. This article breaks down the oh-so-simple ways you can manage your LinkedIn presence, take advantage of the platform, and establish authority among those in your professional network.

7. 'How to Design a Drip Campaign That Results in a Flood of Business'

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Maybe I'm biased, but I love this blog post. And according to the numbers, I'm not the only one who loved it. This article takes something that sounds intimidating โ€” drip campaigns and lead nurturing โ€” and makes it easy to understand and even easier to do yourself.

8. 'What Makes a Piece of Digital Content Successful? [Infographic]'

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The digital content landscape is constantly changing, and your audience has access to more content now than ever before. So how do you stand out? In 2016, we created an interactive infographic (with the help of our friends at Ceros) to break down exactly what successful, engaging digital content looks like โ€” and how you can create it.

9. '7 Simple Ways to Increase Social Media Engagement'

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I'm not sure whether you noticed, but social media isn't just for tweens anymore. Creating (and actually using) a social media strategy is a must for any content marketer looking to stay present online, amplify her content, and engage with her audience. This post offers seven simple ways to do exactly that.

10. '21 Distribution Tools to Save You Time and Skyrocket Your Content's Performance'

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Speaking of distribution, you don't have to take on that responsibility alone. This article offers 21 tools and resources you can use today to help you actively distribute your content to the right audiences and generate real results. (I bet there are at least two or three tools you haven't thought to use before.)

11. 'Build Influence in Your Industry With These 4 Strategies'

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If you're creating content, at least one of your goals is to build influence within your particular industry. Content is definitely a valuable way to do that, and this article takes it a step further by showing you four proven ways to take it to the next level.

12. '5 Everyday Activities That Make You a Better Writer'

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This is one of my favorite blog posts from 2016. It's written so well (by one of our very own Influence & Co. editors) and shares actionable advice for those of us who want to create content but don't consider ourselves writers. Anyone can easily follow these tips and notice an improvement in their own writing.

13. 'How Virtual Reality Is Changing Content Marketing'

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Virtual reality has been talked about for a while now, and we're still figuring out how it will disrupt and reshape industries. This article offers some insight into how VR affects content marketing and shares ideas for marketers and business leaders to consider before investing in VR.

14. '7 Books That Will Inspire Your Content Marketing'

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I know quite a few people who've made it their New Year's resolution to read more this year. If you're in the same boat, this article is perfect for you. Our CEO, Kelsey Meyer, lists some of the best reads to help you feel motivated and to inspire your content creation efforts.

15. 'Marketers: 4 Reasons Why Sales Isn't Using Your Content'

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Did you know your content can make a huge difference in your company's sales process? Of course you did. But just because content can enable sales doesn't mean it works that way automatically. Your sales team needs to be in on it, too. If you've noticed your content sitting unused or your sales team struggling to quickly find content or answer questions, read this article.

Want to start tracking your blog performance? Download our custom analytics and ROI template below! New Call-to-action

Picture of Natalie Slyman

About Natalie Slyman

Natalie Slyman is a content marketing and social media professional. She enjoys reading her favorite blogs, perusing Instagram, and talking about her cats (even when no one is listening).

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