The Content Czar

There's no shortage of paid tools available for content marketers to use in their day-to-day work. The problem is, not everyone's budget can justify spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars to maintain them. Thankfully, there are a number of free tools out there as well. Sure, their scope and quality may not be as great as the paid ones, but they have gotten the job done for me. Here are five great, free tools to use for your content: Lumen5 Video is the future of marketing. If you don't have video editing training or an expensive piece of software, don't fret. Lumen5 lets you make short, simple videos with your own captions, images, and background music. You can either upload your own images, music and video or pick from their library of thousands of files. Then, you simply stitch the images and captions together in a basic editor tool. You can even add zooming effects and timing. The end result is something great you can share on social media. Di...

I've been using social media for a while now, both personally and professionally, and have formed opinions on the various channels when it comes to marketing. Some have worked great for me, while others have lagged behind. So below, I wanted to share what has worked and what hasn't when it comes to social media and content marketing. Facebook Despite its many controversies lately regarding privacy and data collection, Facebook has served me well over the years. It has a variety of advertising formats and goal options depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Whether you desire link clicks or impressions, Facebook has a solution for you. They're also always innovating. Recently they added a simple way to turn your image-based ads into videos. Facebook Live, now around for several years, is a great way to connect with your fans and prospects. Finally, despite the recent bad PR, Facebook is still the largest, most widely-used platform out there. Basically, y...

A content marketer's learning never ends. The tools in our industry are constantly evolving, and we need to keep up. And we don't just need to know content. In digital marketing, content is closely intertwined with search engine optimization, search engine marketing, social media, and analytics. A great way to keep up with your professional education is to become certified in these areas. Fortunately, many certification exams are free and offered through Google. Here are a few I have taken and can speak for, Google Analytics IQ Exam This exam tests your knowledge of Google Analytics, a robust platform that digs into your website's audience, user behavior, conversions, and other metrics. You definitely need to prepare for this exam as it can test anything covered in the Google Analytics preparatory courses . The exam is free and consists of 70 questions with a 90-minute time limit, but you can finish it in half the time if you're prepared. Yo...

It's not enough to create a piece of content and just let it sit on your website. Sure, if your website's domain authority is super high and you're on top of your SEO and SEM games, you have more of a cushion. For most of us, unless we put our content out there, no one will read or link to it. In fact, building backlinks can be just as important as building an audience. More quality backlinks equal a higher domain authority. So how do you get the word out? Traditional public relations can play a big role if done correctly. The following are tips for getting your piece of content exposure in both print and online publications. Find Pitching Opportunities The first step is to find opportunities for your content. You can buy a paid tool like Cision , or you can do some free searching on Google. There are magazines and websites in nearly every industry. Don't believe me? Check out this publication on emu farming. Once you find a publication, check if they h...