It’s hard to believe the last quarter of 2019 is already upon us. Soon, the Christmas decorations will fill your house and office and you’ll start thinking about ways to improve your home and work life for the upcoming fresh, clean slate that is 2020.

In the content marketing industry, there’s also room to grow. Technology is constantly changing the way you go about your job, opening up new avenues to improve online engagement and boost brand awareness for clients. That said, now’s a great time to dive into your current strategy and consider the amount of room you have for improvement in Q1.

In this edition of Content Marketing Weekly, we’ll discuss the successful marketing tools used in 2019 and strategies options to consider:

Best Content Marketing Tools of 2019: Publish Your Way to Success

Marketing simply isn’t what it used to be. Billboards and radio ads may still work today, but there are plenty more options where that came from.

Now, businesses take advantage of the digital world to engage with their audiences and improve their reach: From social media posts and podcasts to blogs, interactive message boards and more, it’s easier than ever for brands to communicate directly with customers.

To feel the success of these outlets, however, it’s wise for brands to utilize a content marketing strategy that takes advantage of the tips, tricks and tools that can get them there with ease. According to Tech Radar, the five greatest tools include:

  1. Hubspot Marketing Hub.
  2. Uberflip.
  3. Inboundli.
  4. Populr.
  5. Ion Interactive.

These platforms are designed to cut through the noise that makes it difficult to deliver a marketing scheme as planned, making it seamless for strategists and stress-free for clients.

Read the article in its entirety here.

Council Post: Cut Through the Clutter with Five Killer Content Marketing Strategies

Research by Social Media Today found that adults in the U.S. spend about 2.5 hours browsing social media daily. With some scrolling even longer, there’s an opportune chance for content marketers to carefully craft content that these browsers will see on a regular basis.

If you want to make the most of that window and ensure your content is seen by the right people, Forbes Agency Council Member Mike Gelfound suggested the following:

  1. Follow this theme: Create, publish and repurpose. When creating content, recognize its versatility and ability to be recycled down the line. Always design content in a way that can be used in more than one way. For example, information from a long-form blog can be converted to an infographic.
  1. Create content that’s on brand. Create content that educates and informs your audience about topics that coincide with the beliefs of the brand. This not only creates brand awareness but also makes you a reliable, credible source.
  1. Always address the needs of your audience. Give your audience reasons to continue engaging with your brand, and find ways to build trust and loyalty throughout your relationship.
  1. Pick one, but recognize the others: Entertain, inform or engage. Create and post a variety of content that informs and entertains your audience but also encourages them to come back for more in the future.

Learn more about these content marketing strategies in this Forbes post.

International Content Marketing: How to Create a Global Strategy

Content marketing isn’t only beneficial from a national perspective – it’s also useful from a global standpoint.

The internet makes it so simple to reach an audience from thousands of miles away, so it’s important for content marketers to take advantage of it. It’s critical to remember, however, that marketing tactics and strategies might need a tweak or two.

To achieve this, Search Engine Journal recommended understanding your audience based on their locality. Differences in holidays and spelling may seem minuscule from the start, but they can mean a lot to an audience that feels you’re not paying attention to their preferences.

Cultural differences and restrictions are far more critical; the last thing you want to do is offend your audience and disconnect with consumers.

Take a deep dive into the rest of the article here.

What better time to think about refueling your content marketing strategy than the end of the year? Reflect on your current practices and your 2019 success to determine which next steps are critical.

Thanks for checking out this edition of CM Weekly! Check back next time for more industry news and highlights.

Chelsey Church is a senior writer and editor at Brafton. When she's not turning her thoughts into copy, she's enjoying a craft beer, playing with her dogs or listening to her favorite metal tunes. A Cleveland native, she'll never let you forget that the Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 lead.