Best B2B Content: Analysis and Insights from Over 50,000 Articles
B2B content marketing produced some shining examples and strong results during 2018, and BuzzSumo has parsed through more than 50,000 posts to find examples of the best, along with an examination of some of the factors that helped the strongest B2B content rise. BuzzSumo

YouTube is testing new, blue recommendation bubbles that appear under videos
YouTube has begun testing a new type of video recommendation and filtering system, with under-video suggestion bubbles for both mobile and desktop users, a move aimed at improving the video giant’s often-maligned automated recommendations. The Verge

Study: Two-Thirds Of B2B Brands Are Pushing Digital Transformation
Nearly two-thirds of B2B brands are making efforts to implement the type of digital transformation that improves the customer experience, according to recent survey data, one of several insights of interest to digital marketers. MediaPost

2019 Email Marketing Statistics: We Analyzed 1,000 Emails from Today’s Top Experts
Email marketers have long questioned what works best, from the optimal length of subject lines and body content to capitalization differences and the use of emoticons, and a recent study takes a look at several success stories. AWeber

Snapchat’s CFO Is Resigning After Less Than a Yea
Snapchat announced this week that its chief financial officer Tim Stone — formerly a 20-year veteran of Amazon — has resigned, after spending less than a year with the firm, the latest of several departures. AdWeek

How Epic is empowering smaller studios to harness influencer marketing
Gamemaker Epic Games has increasing turned to its own form of influencer marketing to boost campaign performance, in addition to utilizing solely more traditional YouTube and Twitch stars, and Venture Beat takes a look. Venture Beat

Premium non-skippable video can offer brands stronger messaging opportunities, new study finds
Tailoring messaging specifically to the increasingly-used unskippable video ad format can boost brand awareness, according to recently-released study data, one of several findings relevant to digital marketers. The Drum

Why brands need to make 2019 their most human year ever
Bringing a more human connection to brand marketing in the face of artificial intelligence, chatbots, and virtual and augmented reality can be path to increasing success. Fast Company takes a look at several recent examples. Fast Company

How to Approach Search Marketing Using PPC Advertising and SEO Services
Paid search advertisements that offer the most relevant information and answers see the highest success, while the importance of tailoring messaging for specific search engines also boosts paid results, according to recently-released survey data. Clutch

Your Guide to Video Marketing: Crack the Video Code [Infographic]
Video’s prominence in today’s marketing campaigns shows few signs of diminishing, and as more marketers embrace video the importance of targeting hits front and center, as a recent infographic examines. MarketingProfs

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

A lighthearted look at customer experience by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist

Christmas Really Over, Man Realizes As iPhone Game Switches Out Holiday Icon — The Onion

TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lee Odden — Taking Your Marketing Agency From the Basement to the Boardroom — GradeUs
• Lee Odden — 7 Can’t-Miss Sessions at B2BMX 2019 — Content4Demand
• Lee Odden — How PR & Marketing Work Better Together — Business 2 Community
• Lee Odden — The Top Podcasts for 2018 on Minter Dialogue — Minter Dial
• Lee Odden — What Do CMOs Predict for 2019? [Infographic] — MarketingProfs

Do you have your own favorite new influencer marketing or content marketing news stories for the week?

Thank you for taking the time to join us, and we hope you’ll return back next week for a new selection of the most relevant digital marketing industry news, and in the meantime you can follow us at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news. Also, don’t miss the full video summary on our TopRank Marketing TV YouTube Channel.

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