As a marketer in 2017, it's crucial to connect to your customers on their terms. That means constantly testing and trying new things, whether it's different social media channels, podcasts, or even getting your hands dirty with brand-new technology such as virtual reality.

The days of email as the primary marketing engine are long gone, and it can be a lot to keep up with — but we're here to help.

We've compiled ten of the top marketing-related blog posts published on the Salesforce Blog so far this year — a CliffNotes for all you busy marketers out there.

20 Stats About the 2017 Podcast Consumer
Podcasts are the most of-the-moment medium. Shows like S-Town and Finding Richard Simmons are ubiquitous water-cooler conversation topics, and more people are listening than ever. Brands are now getting in on the action, with podcasts representing a conversational (and low-cost) format to educate and entertain your audience.

VR Storytelling: A Guide for Marketers
We spoke to one of the prime experts in VR storytelling: Sarah Hill, CEO and chief storyteller at StoryUp. Hill shares her top tips for marketers adapting VR to their brand storytelling.

Spring-Clean Your Email Marketing Strategy with These 5 Tips
Using email effectively in your marketing strategy can increase conversions, keep your brand top of mind, and even surprise and delight your customers (instead of annoying them).

12 Things to Avoid in Your Company's Social Media Strategy
Did you know that 1/3 of all time spent online is spent on social media? Here are a few behaviors you can prune from your social strategy for a more successful presence on every channel.

4 Lessons Content Marketers Can Learn from Snapchat
With 150 million users and a projected revenue of nearly $1 Billion for 2017, Snapchat proves that while its videos may disappear within seconds — the company is here to stay.

8 Email Marketing Tips to Combat the 8-Second Attention Span
Shortened attention spans can be a challenge, or they can represent an opportunity. Remember, people don't crave content. They crave great content.

Why Employee Experience and Company Culture Matter to Your Marketing
Think employee experience is limited to the HR department? Think again.

10 Rules of Engagement: How to Respond to Social Media Complaints
While most companies want to include social as an integral part of the customer experience, many feel that they don't have a good plan or strategy in place to address complaints or comments on social.

Here's How an Expert Sees the Future of Snapchat for Marketers
Now that Snap (formerly known as Snapchat) has gone public, how can social media marketers and customer journey leaders prepare for the future?

How to Start a Podcast: Your First Steps and Strategy
Over a year and a half ago, we launched the Marketing Cloudcast, the marketing podcast from Salesforce. What did a first-time podcast producer and co-host learn along the way, and what is her advice for other potential podcasters?