When you’re running a small business, it can be hard to keep track of all the latest developments in online marketing.

After all, you’ve got so much on your plate it can be hard to take time out to read the blog articles, ebooks and white papers you need to read to stay at the top of the marketing game.

With that in mind, we’ve put together 10 of the best small business marketing blog posts from the last year to help you get up to date on what you’ve missed, so you can start planning your strategies and tactics for the year ahead.

PPC Hero, then, is simply one of the best blogs out there. The writers at PPC Hero love their job, and help readers navigate the realities of online marketing in an engaging manner. As PPC Hero puts it, they didn’t set out to “add another vanilla blog to the SEM blogosphere.”.

• With that in mind, we’ve put together 10 of the best small business marketing blog posts from the last year to help you get up to date on what you’ve missed, so you can start planning your strategies and tactics for the year ahead. Post 1 – Local SEO and beyond: Ranking your local business in 2017 – From the Moz blog.
• Reading small business blogs can give you insights on various aspects of running a business. Whether it is tips on procuring financing, marketing your business or managing employees, there is a lot of valuable knowledge that you can learn from blogs for small business owners.
• Writing a blog for your business isn’t rocket science. Although it may seem daunting, you’ll find that writing your first blog post is easier than you think. Whether you’re just starting to blog for your business, or you’ve been at it for a while, here are 7 best practices to keep in mind while writing.
• 10 Top Small Business Blogs. 10:26 am ET Updated Mar 10, 2017 Do you like to read good content online? One of the key secrets to being.

Post 1 – Local SEO and beyond: Ranking your local business in 2017 – From the Moz blog

This post may be a few months old now, but the advice in it will remain useful into 2018. Whether you’re just getting started with local search engine optimisation (SEO), or have been working on it for a while, Casey Meraz’s post will help you look at the subject in a new light. It might even inspire some dramatic changes to your local SEO strategy.

And don’t to get to keep tabs on the Moz blog for further local SEO updates in 2018.

Post 2 – 5 tips to creating an unbeatable Facebook ad campaign – From the Kissmetrics blog

Have you tried Facebook advertising but never managed to quite make it work for your business? These five tips from Kissmetrics could be the advice you need to crack the mystery of social media ads.

It tackles everything from what really gets people interested in a Facebook ad, to what kinds of goals you should be setting for your Facebook ads.

Hopefully it should act as inspiration for your social media advertising campaigns in the year ahead.

Post 3 – The ultimate YouTube marketing guide – From Social Media Examiner

Whether it’s preroll ads, or in depth “how to” videos, YouTube offers a range of ways for small business owners to connect with existing and potential customers.

This post by Lisa D Jenkins gathers a huge selection of resources and will be useful for YouTube marketing experts and absolute beginners alike.

So why not dive in, and discover what YouTube can add to your marketing mix?

Post 4 – How to write engaging blog posts your audience will crave – From State of Digital

Blogging is a fantastic way to communicate with existing and potential customers. But if you’re just starting out with business blogging, it can feel hard to strike the right tone in your posts.

Best Small Business Blogs For 2017 2020

After all, why should anyone be interested in what you have to say?

Marijana Kostelac’s guide to creating engaging blog posts will help you overcome these worries. It explains how you can create content that’s of interest to people, but still relevant to your business.

Post 5 – How to attract your ideal clients in just 3 questions – From Jim’s Marketing Blog

Jim Connolly’s posts are usually short, but he still manages to pack some incredibly useful advice into every one of them.

In this case, he’s tackling the thorny issue of how to make sure you attract the clients you want.

Jim’s post cleverly encourages you to put yourself in the shoes of a potential client visiting your website, so you can understand whether you’re addressing their needs fully.

It’s an invaluable resource for anyone looking to take on more business.

Post 6 – Use these 4 copywriting pillars to craft kickass presentations – From Copy Blogger

If you ever find yourself pitching for new business, or investment then these tips from Sonia Simone could prove invaluable.

Creating persuasive presentations isn’t easy, but it’s a lot easier if you understand the principles behind making a convincing argument.

So dig into this post, you never know when you’ll be called on to give that make or break presentation.

Post 7 – How to make sure your ecommerce customer service doesn’t suck – From the GoDaddy UK blog

People love good customer service. And bad customer service can be enough to send a previously loyal customer running into the arms of a competitor.

In this article, Judith Kallos explains what you need to do ensure people feel well treated by your ecommerce business.

So use this guide as a template and see how your current customer service efforts match up, and identify any areas where you need to improve.

Post 8 – 5 email marketing tweaks to double your business revenue – From Entrepreneur

With so many other options around, email marketing is often overlooked, despite the fact it can add real value to your business.

This post by John Stevens offers five great tips to help you make the most out of this powerful marketing technique.

And if you haven’t tried email marketing before, you can get started with Email Marketing from GoDaddy.

Post 9 – 7 easy steps to grow ecommerce sales from Instagram – From the Compass blog

Instagram might not seem like the obvious social media platform to choose if you want to boost ecommerce sales, but this guide by Ramon Bez makes for compelling reading.

It provides a good overall strategy outline for using Instagram ads to boost sales. You’ll need a understanding of Instagram to make the most from the guide, but even if you haven’t used the platform before, the post gives you a good idea of what’s possible on the social network.

Post 10 – 11 web design trends to watch in 2018 – From the DMI blog

We end with a look to the future. This guide from the Digital Marketing Institute provides a good overview of what’s coming in the next 12 months when it comes to web design.

There’s something in there for everyone – to mobile-friendly design (which is already a must-have, real) to talk of bold fonts and colours.

If you are thinking about an upgraded website in 2018, check out the ways GoDaddy can help you build the perfect website.

Image by: Photo by Alejandro Escamilla on Unsplash

There’s a wealth of information online, but when it comes to marketing your small business, you want to separate the fluff from the actionable advice you can really use to grow your business. We’ve compiled your short list. Check out these 20 small business marketing blogs. Follow them on Twitter. Add them to your RSS feed. Bookmark them in your browser. Or just keep this list handy so you know just where to go to stay up to date on marketing trends, tactics and strategies.

1. StoryNeedle

Those who find themselves alienated by dry marketing lingo may wish to check out StoryNeedle and its narrative-focused approach to marketing. This blog from Michael Andrews, an independent content strategist currently based in Rome, Italy provides content strategy for a “post-device era.”

2. MarketingProfs

Run by a network of marketing professionals (it lives up to its name), MarketingProfs is the go-to source for comprehensive information on most any marketing topic. Headed up by Ann Handley, it’s a must-read blog for marketing professionals and newbies alike.

3. Copyblogger

This is a great place to start if you’re new to content marketing. Get superior content marketing education so you can build a remarkable online presence in the format you prefer – Copyblogger shares content in article, audio and video format so you can easily download and digest.

4. Coschedule

Coschedule is another awesome content marketing resource. And, you can check out their free headline analyzer tool to make sure your content is getting every ounce of attention it deserves on social media.

5. Buffer

Not only are they social media gurus, but Buffer is also known for their transparent take on business. You can follow their social media blog as well as Buffer Open, Buffer’s journey to great productivity, more transparency and a happier work culture.

6. Social Media Today

Every small business knows they need to be on social media – but creating a presence, measuring engagement and converting social media leads into customers can be tricky. Social Media Today offers up best practices, tips and tricks to help you make the most of the resources you dedicate toward your social media channels.

7. Fast Company

Fast Company puts the spotlight on innovation and creativity in the world of work – taking a look at technology, leadership, and the most innovative companies. Follow their blog to get inspired by thought leaders who are actively inventing the future of business.

8. Hootsuite Life

Hootsuite Life is “an owl’s-eye view” of Hootsuite’s people, products, and community. Hootsuite has long been the social media champion of small businesses, and is a great place to go for social media advice.

9. Duct Tape Marketing

As a small business owner, sales and marketing isn’t always your specialty. Headed up by John Jantsch, the Duct Tape Marketing blog offers up sound advice for small business owners who are literally “duct-taping” their sales and marketing together on a dime, but need big results to grow.

10. Moz

On the Moz blog, the SEO industry’s top wizards, doctors, and other experts offer their best advice, research, how-tos, and insights—all in the name of helping you level-up your SEO and online marketing skills.

11. Small Business Trends

Headed up by Anita Campbell, Small Business Trends is an award-winning online publication for small business owners, entrepreneurs and the people who interact with them. It is one of the most popular independent small business publications on the web. Check out their marketing section for marketing help.

12. Violeta Nedkova

Violeta Nedkova‘s blog is perfect for all the rebels out there who’ve decided to embark on the journey that is owning your own business. Check out her site for tips on branding and setting yourself and your business apart from the pack.

13. DIY Marketers

Ivana Taylor and her team provide easy and affordable tips for small businesses who need big results, but have limited resources and limited budget. Get DIY marketing ideas, tips, tools and strategies to help you reach more customers in less time – for less money.

14. IMPACT

The IMPACT blog is the perfect resource for owners who are new to the arena of inbound marketing. Get the latest in inbound marketing, sales, design, & conversion rate optimization.

15. OkDork

OkDork is the personal blog of AppSumo‘s Cheif Sumo, Noah Kagan. It is focused on startups, marketing, self-exploration, and tacos. He shares secrets about the best ways to write a cold email, business books he’s read, memorable experiences, how to deal with depression, growing email lists to 20,000+, and how to make it easy for others to say yes.

16. Marketing Land

Marketing Land is a daily publication that covers all aspects of the digital marketing industry. Daily news coverage includes breaking stories, industry trends, feature announcements and product changes at popular platforms used by digital marketers to reach consumers online.

17. Seth Godin

Best-selling author and marketing expert Seth Godin offers up business & life advice on his blog. His posts are digestible chunks that get to the point, yet really make you think. When you need to look at your business from a different perspective, Seth’s blog is the perfect place to go for game-changing insight.

18. Oktopost

Want real marketing hacks that actually work? Head over to the Oktopost blog for data-driven social media strategy, advice and tips that get you what you really want…leads, conversions and customers.

19. Jeff Bullas

Jeff Bullas is an entrepreneur, blogger, author, marketer and speaker who works with personal brands and businesses to optimize their online personal and company brands with emerging technologies, content, social media technologies and digital marketing. His blog covers entrepreneurship, social media, content marketing and digital.

20. Hatchbuck

Best Small Business Blogs For 2017 2019

Our small business sales and marketing experts share content daily. Geared toward small business owners and marketing agencies that serve small business content, we deliver actionable advice that you can use now to start attracting more leads and customers. Sign up for our monthly blog digest so you can stay in the know when it comes to digital marketing, social media, and running a small business.