I just entered an Instagram contest.

I feel very mixed about it.

Not because I don’t think contests are great, but because I work very hard at keeping my Instagram account lookin’ good. I do so by being extremely diligent with the content I post.

I use select filters (almost always Walden, because I am a hipster, and a girl), only post my own pics, and try to stick to sharing images of attractive subjects, like farmer’s markets, my friend Monika, and shots of espresso with exceptional crema (told you I was a hipster!).

I refrain from posting shots of me watching MMA, baseball, or the food I eat that is not attractive (i.e. nothing starring ground beef).

This is because I believe that cohesive, well thought out content makes for a better social media presence.

So, disrupting my usual content flow to re-post another user’s neon-text-splattered image made me wince. But the prize is lots, and lots of fancy treats. And fancy treats trump my personal branding resolve any day! I did, however, use a filter to make their text less neon and a slight blur… Hopefully that doesn't rule me out.

For those of you who, like me, value content in the same way that most people value diamonds, here are some links you are really going to love:

Our first link is to an article by Beth Hayden at Coppy Blogger. Her post explores the importance of keyword research. I love how she makes the point that trying to smoosh every single keyword you can think of into your posts is both a waste of time, and disrupts the cohesiveness of your content. She then gives some great advice and links to a free e-book about how to find and utilize keywords for SEO optimization and better content.

The next link has to do with a different kind of content altogether. The kind of content found on your phone. More specifically, it has to do with your voicemail recording or lack thereof. The HR Capitalist; Kris Dunn presents a witty little rant about the less than optimal ways in which people handle their distaste for voice messages in the age of email. If you want to learn by example how to write pithy, sarcastic, and hilarious commentary, I highly recommend doing so by studying Kris’s blog.

Getting back on our usual employer-themed track, let’s talk employee performance goals. Andrea Devers over at Blogging4Jobs presents a smart article about the trouble with using SMART Goals. This article will have you questioning what you thought was true about setting goals for your staff. It also provides some fantastic tips for improving both your goal setting, and the way you communicate the goals you set to your staff.

This (almost) last link explores two types of content: the content of a recent Gallup poll and the content of your future hires' resumes. According to the poll, employees who have college degrees are less engaged than those who don’t. China Gorman explains why this information may be completely invalid, and yet still worth considering the next time you’re contemplating what kind of education requirements to include in your job posts.

For the grand finale, I present to you; This Season’s Biggest Fashion Trend at Work according to the one and only Cynical Girl, Laurie Ruettimann.

Happy Wednesday!

If you have any cool links to share, let us know in the comments.