On the twelfth Day of Christmas, Spin Sucks gave to me…12 most-read guest blog posts, 11 software and tools, 10 books for communicators, nine PR pros to follow, eight podcasts to subscribe to, seven blogs to read, six online courses, five effective storytelling rules, four productivity tools, three books on writing, two marketing trends, and a professional goal for 2019.
Here we are, my friends.
The last in our 12 Days of Christmas series…and my last blog post of the year (not including tomorrow’s Gin and Topics—that’s not really a blog post)!
To end our series, we would like to celebrate the authors, writers, speakers, gurus, ninjas, experts, and nerds who not just spend their time with us, but help us keep you informed.
To do that, we have compiled a list of the 12 most-read guest blog posts in 2018.
That is, the best of the best, according to you.
The timeframe we chose was December 1, 2017-November 30, 2018.
You’ll see that four of the 12 (or one-third) were not written in that timeframe.
This tells us two things:
- Long-tail SEO rules; and
- There is lots and lots of value in updating older content (which we’ll get right on for those four in 2019).
Without further ado, here is the guest written content you liked best this year.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Legal and Ethical Issues
Coming in at the most-read of 2018—and also of 2017 and 2016 and 2015—is What Are the Legal and Ethical Issues in Marketing?
Monique Goodyer knocked this one out of the park when she wrote it for us in May 2015.
She outlines the three things to consider as you embark upon new campaigns—and the information is even more relevant today (thanks, Facebook) than it was nearly four years ago.
If you have questions around the legalities and ethical lines of what you’re about to launch, read this first.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Teaser Campaigns
In 7 Tips to Launch Your Product Using a Teaser Campaign, Thomas Emmerson gives you, well, seven ideas to use in a teaser campaign.
They are:
- Think in layers
- Be ready to rebuff
- Think about the future
- Message your channels
- Who to please
- Don’t forget the advocates
- Teamwork makes the dream work
He details what he means by each—and it was well received by all of you.
If you missed it and you need help thinking through a product launch, this one is for you.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Traditional TV in a Digital World
It’s crazy easy to focus solely on digital marketing—and all things online–today.
But Stacy makes the argument that, if you work some traditional television into your campaigns, ALL of your marketing will be successful.
She says:
Digital marketing and TV are not opposing forces; they’re two sides of the same coin. While digital marketing is ideal for targeting a particular audience who know what they’re looking for, it’s difficult to reach a broader group who are not actively searching for your brand.
TV educates and creates awareness and desire, making the customer want what you are selling. Successful TV advertising supplements digital marketing by reaching a massive audience and encouraging those people to seek information online.
With TV, all digital efforts become easier.
If you’re considering adding TV to your marketing mix, this one is for you.
Do TV Well and All of Your Digital Marketing Boats Will Rise
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Pitching Done Well
Todd Walker spent 12 years in broadcast journalism, so he knows a thing or two about how reporters are pitched.
In Why I Ignored Your Media Pitch (and What to Do About it), he tells a phenomenal story about how, let’s say needy, most PR pros come across.
From there, he provides context and ideas on how to get your latest pitch responded to—and maybe even featured.
He says:
For most of my career (save for two years on a morning show) I covered the hard-hitting news. I was the lead story locally or nationally almost every day.
A media pitch asking me to cover your cat fashion show or waterskiing squirrel (both Anchorman references and both real pitches I’ve received) is wasting both of our time.
We all have need to brush up on our earned media skills.
This one is valuable AND funny.
(He also throws in some free dating advice, so if you’re on the hunt, check it out!)
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Effective Crisis Management
From major product recalls, to a tsunami-triggered nuclear meltdown, to Penn State’s damaged reputation nightmare, we’ve reached a crisis management tipping point that is driven by digital and social media.
The old crisis playbook is now obsolete.
In Five Key Principles for Effective Crisis Management, Jeff Hunt lays out the principles for effective crisis management in the age of digital.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Kylie Jenner
I’ll admit I didn’t want this to publish on Spin Sucks when I first read it.
After all, MORE publicity for the Kardashian clan?
But Jessica Fahner handled What You Can Learn About PR Strategy from Kylie Jenner with lots of grace and interesting tidbits.
So here you go…you might learn something, too.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Fake Influencers
Oh, fake influencers.
That was definitely the hot topic for 2018.
The sky felt like it was falling, but Michael Quoc helps you figure out how to if they’re fake or not.
In 10 Telltale Signs Your Social Media Influencers are Fake, he describes the kinds of things to watch out for.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: More Success
In today’s ultra-competitive public relations world, you need to find ways to stand out from the competition.
- What can you do to land that dream job or first job?
- How can you grow and develop in your PR career?
- What must you do to stay fresh and up-to-date, so you don’t become a “dinosaur”?
Matthew Royse provides 10 things you should do to become a more successful PR pro.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Got Fired?
We love us some Lindsay Bell-Wheeler around here!
And this blog post about getting fired is no exception.
She says:
Losing a job inspired me to make a massive career change. And that massive career change inspired me to see the world differently.
Hopefully you never see yourself in the same position, but if you do, read this.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Apps and Tools
We love apps and tools and software around here.
So much so, we dedicated day 11 to the very topic in this series.
That’s why we were happy to see Robert Morris cover this very fun (and strategic) topic in his guest blog post.
Though it was written nearly four years ago, the apps and tools are still very relevant.
Ten Apps and Tools to Make Your Strategic Planning More Productive
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Media Announcements
Look, when Greg Galant writes something, it always behooves you to read it.
Always.
In The Smarty Way to Make an Announcement, he provides a guide for smart media relations.
He says:
There are so many things communicators need to do nowadays. And the order in which you do them can make the difference between a successful launch or a failure.
We’ve all encountered the classic media relations dilemma: do you pitch a journalist first or share the news on your own and pitch the story later, in hopes of garnering media coverage? While PR tactics are subjective, drawing from the research my team at Muck Rack has done, I believe there is a correct order if you want your story to have a lasting impact.
Most-Read Guest Blog Posts: Personal SEO
And last, but certainly not least, our favorite Andy Crestodina shares some tips to enhance your personal SEO.
In fact, in a recent webinar he and I co-hosted for SEMRush, I made him share his screen and do a Google search of his own name.
Turns out, he practices what he preaches!
If you, too, want to be like Andy, this is an incredibly valuable blog post to read, study, and implement.
Now It’s Your Turn!
Did you have some favorites (maybe it was your own) that didn’t make this list?
Let’s hear it!
