Remember the old riddle, “If a tree falls in the forest with no ears to hear, does it make a sound?” Well, here at Post Launch, we say, not really, ‘cause no one was there to hear it, duh. The same goes for your content creation.
If you’re publishing content without a solid strategy for distributing it, you might as well be writing your content for an audience of none.
Why You Need to Make a Content Distribution Plan
Content distribution is the act of sharing your content with an audience online through various channels. It’s becoming more and more crucial to the success of your content. Your website may have all the traffic in the world coming from organic search rankings, but if no one knows about the new blog you posted, they won’t see it.
Your audience is less likely to read your blog if you don’t have social signals telling them it exists.
You can distribute your content to many channels:
- Owned media: Web properties that belong to you (your website, social media profiles, email newsletter, etc.)
- Earned media: Third parties that will distribute your content (press releases, guest articles, or shares on social media)
- Paid media: Paying for content distribution
You can (and should) distribute your blogs, infographics, video, white papers, eBooks, how-to guides, case studies—anything you want your audience to see. (Which would be anything you create, or else you wouldn’t have created it, right?)
Here are some reasons developing a content distribution strategy is important and will benefit your brand:
- It grows your reach and can put your content in front of new eyes.
- It can grow your brand awareness.
- Your site can get more traffic.
- When more people visit your site, you can get more conversions!
5 Ways to Distribute Your Content Online
The possibilities are endless when it comes to distributing your content online. Here are some of the best ways you can get started without having to spend any money:
Social media posts
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: “Social media is a brand’s best friend.” And to be successful on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the rest, your page or profile must be active and engaging. Kill two birds with one stone by distributing your fresh content to your social media profiles.
Publish posts to your social media throughout the week that lead your audience to the content you want them to read. People will love to consume your content like a relevant and useful blog post, helpful how to guide, or a video introducing your newest team member.
Email newsletters
Another great owned media to distribute your content is through your email marketing! Use a tool like MailChimp or other CRMs to send out newsletters regularly (we like to send ours monthly). These email blasts are great places to insert a link and a call to action to check out your latest content.
Content sharing sites
Content sharing sites exist so content creators like you can publish their stuff for the world to see. These sites allow you to reshare your content on their platform (which is great if you’ve already published your content on your site).
- Medium is a great place to start. There are a bunch of users that will be ready to read what you’ve got.
- LinkedIn Pulse is another content sharing site similar to Medium, but it’s hosted on LinkedIn. That’s a great option if you have more of a B2B audience.
- PR Newswire is another great third party site where you can get your press releases in front of the media.
Social share buttons
Your biggest fans are a great resource. Leverage the audience you already have by inviting them to share your content. By adding social share buttons on your website, people can easily click to Tweet or share your content on their favorite social media platform.
Try content syndication
Content syndication is another form of content distribution. In this instance, third party sites will republish your content that previously appeared elsewhere, like on your company’s blog. They can repost the full article or take out snippets.
Republishing on a third party site can get you in front of new potential customers more quickly. You’ll be credited as the author, and often, you’ll get the bonus of a link back to your site. This is a great idea to get your stuff discovered for the sake of growing your brand awareness.
The Content Experts at Post Launch Have Your Back
Here at Post Launch, we know the ins and outs of creating great content and getting it in front of the eyes of your potential customers. Talk to us today about building your content marketing strategy.
