What Editors Want from Guest Contributors in 2021 Few industries escaped 2020 unchanged, and digital media was no different. At Influence & Co., our proprietary content marketing software and our process of working with hundreds of contributors, editors, and journalists offered us courtside seats to watch the industry evolve — and we compiled our most relevant digital media research for marketers and content creators into our latest "State of Digital Media" report. Wondering how to make guest posts stand out? Our third digital media survey combines the opinions of experts with our own exhaustive content analysis, and the result is a tool that can be used to hone your content in order to gain more success in 2021. One of the biggest findings? Guest-contributed content isn't going anywhere. In fact, 93% of editors see themselves publishing the same number of guest posts or even more this year. An increase in guest-contributed content is good news for prospective contributors. But just because more guest post slots are becoming available doesn't mean guest contributors can afford to send lackluster pitches. Publication editors haven't lowered their standards and aren't likely to, so read on to find out what publications want so you can give your pitches the best shot at hitting the mark and achieving acceptance. (Note: All of the following statistics are taken from our 2021 State of Digital Media report.) How to Make Guest Posts Stand Out The publication editors we surveyed receive pitches day in and day out. Although they might sometimes...

Discover Your Writing Genius: 8 Tips for Doing Your Best Work in 2020 As marketers, it can be difficult to continue to produce high-quality content when we don't feel creative or inspired. And it can be especially challenging when we're on a tight deadline.  Henneke Duistermaat, writer and founder of Enchanting Marketing, knows the feeling well — as she describes it in her latest infographic, we often believe writing simply means creating "great stuff", when in reality, it entails research, multiple revisions, messy first drafts ... and even time for procrastination.  Fortunately, there are strategies you can implement to relieve the pressures of writing, get outside your comfort zone, and befriend your inner critic. If you're in a writing slump or looking for some inspiraiton, take a look at Henneke's hand-drawn infographic to learn 8 tips for creating your best...

5 Benefits of Educating Prospects With Free Content In the marketing world, the infamous free content debate seems to be everlasting.  "If we give away free content and information about the challenges our paid products and services resolve, then who will pay for what we're selling?" It's easy to understand why you might think about free content this way — after all, the goal of any business is to make a profit, so giving away free goodies would be crazy, right? Wrong. In fact, offering free content to your target audience and prospective customers can actually do the opposite. Providing education on the topics related to and about the products and services you offer can help you boost leads and sales. Benefits of Educating Prospects with Free Content When it comes to inbound marketing, the old adage, "Why buy the cow if the milk is free?" doesn't seem to ring true. Here are five benefits related to offering free educational content to show you why that's the case. 1. Free content builds trust. Using free content, whether in the form of blog articles, ebooks, webinars, or videos, can do wonders to boost brand trust and credibility. Quality content shows prospective customers that your business is a thought-leader and authority in the industry, which translates into initial trust in your paid products and services. After all, if the content you're creating is educational and helps your prospects learn...