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Want to hear some pretty staggering stats? 

• Posting content with images can result in 650 percent more engagement than posts that only have text. Think about that: – 650 percent!
  
  
• Posts that include videos typically attract three times more links than the wordy-text-only versions. 
  
  
• Consumers are 85 percent more likely to purchase something after watching a product video. 

So if you're the type who believes visual content doesn't matter, or that it's not worth the money you'll invest in creating it, I urge you to read on, because if you're not taking advantage of all that visual content has to offer you (and your brand), you're missing out on a huge opportunity. In fact, according to HubSpot, infographics are shared three times more often than any other form of content. 

On that note, let's check out the top five infographics we saw in June. 

Infographics are an engaging, easy way to spread your wealth of knowledge and cement your place as a thought leader in your industry. They're bright, visual, eye-catching...everything you've been looking for when it comes to a fresh way to share content. Frankly, we love them. Check out our faves from the month of May 2018. 

1. Six Important Points About the State of B2B Content Marketing [Infographic] (MarketingProfs)
   Most B2B companies are finally on board in terms of knowing they need to use content marketing as a strategic, warranted part of their marketing efforts, but many still aren’t quite sure what works best in the world of content. This infographic breaks it down plain and simple – everything from the roles different content formats play, to the impact on lead generation, to planning for success - if you’re a B2B with questions, this infographic’s got you covered.
   
   

2. How to Enhance Your Content by Building Infographics with These 12 Tools (QuickSprout)
   Love the idea of infographics, but aren’t sure where to start? Feel like the cat’s got your design tongue? With any one of these 12 tools, you'll run out of excuses on why you aren’t creating infographics faster than you can say…well…infographic. A dozen cool (and even some free) easy-to-use tools that will let you say “adios, designer” and start making award-worthy graphics any time the inspiration strikes. 

Viral content is different than any other form of marketing content. It's in a category of its own. I see it as the sardonic hipster teenager of the family who doesn’t study but somehow aces all of his tests, and is constantly pontificating about some profound realization that just occurred to him.

So why is this kid so popular? Why is he so successful? Flair Interactive provided some helpful thoughts on what makes content go viral back in October 2009. Now six years later, here are some additional thoughts on what makes viral tick and stick. Viral content tends to:

• Give readers a sense of identity
• Fuel readers' egos
• Create connections
• Promote causes
• Entertain or amuse readers

Everyone is creating some kind of content, so much so that that the online marketplace is saturated and has become a very crowded place. It's also an environment where old-school methods of marketing cease to be effective, so it's time to put marketing activities like cold calling behind you and tap into the power of content marketing.

Obviously, you have to create valuable content before you can promote it. But how do you create remarkable content to get their attention? Check out this awesome video from Hubspot, which gives you step-by-step instructions to make content the key to your success online.

The word is out: Instagram is one of the most important marketing tools out there. With more than 500 million users, this social network is best geared towards small businesses who want to build their brand and engage new and existing customers.

It's important to have an arsenal of tools at your side so you can begin to unlock the unique marketing opportunities that social media platforms like Instagram can provide. You'll have to incorporate it into your existing workflow, but it's definitely worth the effort.

It's an exciting way to give your audience a visual idea about who you are. Using Instagram, you can share photos and videos with hashtags, allowing you to connect directly with your customers. The more you use it, the more you will learn how to create compelling content that will engage viewers and spark conversation online. Word of mouth is still the top way for people to learn about your brand, and this is one way to start a conversation by sharing your content across all platforms.

Hyperfine Media reports that video ads increase purchase intent by 97% and increase brand association by 139%. With those numbers, it’s no wonder they also report video ad spending reaching $5.4 Billion by the end of 2016.

But, if you’re a marketer, you don’t need these stats to know that you need to incorporate video into your overall marketing strategy. You’re already doing it on some level. Whether you’re seeing the results you want may be a different story.

Flair Interactive’s Julie Lyons offered up a helpful checklist on making the most of your marketing videos in her April 2014 #TBT Blog, How to Enjoy Successful Video Marketing. Since video is truly in constant motion, I’ve assembled a few more pointers that can take your camera work to new levels.

As digital marketing evolves, new and revisited modern marketing techniques continue to surface. Content marketing now sits at the peak of these rising marketing trends and is projected to play a lead character in more and more organizations’ strategies moving forward.

As you develop your 2017 plan, how are you staying competitive and poised for growth? What contemporary approaches have you built into your 2017 budget? Take a look at these top trends in content marketing and determine what techniques might be a good fit for your organization.

What better way to come out of the holidays than to focus even more on food?

Food and beverage manufacturers, distributors and service providers are always clamoring for new ways to better differentiate their products in a consumer-driven, health conscious, and safety- and sustainability-focused market.

Since 2016 brought some tasty and creative food and beverage marketing campaigns to the table, we thought we’d share some choice take-aways with you. Here are the top 5 campaigns of 2016.

Whether B2B, B2C, SaaS, cloud-based software or consulting services, the tech sector is leading the pack in terms of progressive and innovative marketing campaigns and approaches. They're trendy, provocative and mold-breaking tones and tactics command attention and pave the way for other business sectors. As such, we've pulled together a handful of our top 5 tech-based marketing videos from 2016.

Keep in mind, we recognize that the majority of technology-based companies don't have interminal budgets like these forerunners. These are still brilliant representations of companies that see their products and services the way their customers see them, and not the reverse. Even the smallest tech company can learn from these examples. What can you do to mimic their success on a smaller scale or with your current resources?

Here's a GREAT article on viral content, and why it matters beyond social media circles: