We have heard this often – CONTENT IS KING!
So what do you do?
Create tons of content we think our readers will read and place it on the World Wide Web.
But how come, your content hasn’t received the love they’re supposed to get from the audience you want to target?
Let’s have a content checklist:
- Well-researched – ✔
- Findable – ✔
- Readable – ✔
- Understandable – ✔
- Actionable – ✔
- Shareable – ✔
- Optimized – ✔
But why does the content you put out there hasn’t gained the traction you want it to have?
Here’s another question: How’s your content distribution strategy?
Well, we spend a lot of time promoting ….. hold it right there. Did you say promote? That’s where the problem lies.
As you read that short conversation, you might be scratching already and asking what’s wrong with promoting your content. But you heard it right because the solution you’ve been looking for is not found in content promotion but content distribution.
Content Promotion vs Content Distribution
There is a thin line with regards to the definition of content promotion and content distribution. In fact, most marketers use them interchangeably. Both terms mean making your content available to the public, but that’s where the similarity ends.
Content promotion means you only throw the content you created in public and wait for people to find it. Content distribution, on the other hand, has more specific goals. Instead of just throwing it out for anyone, you deliver it to a specific group of people – people you want to read your content.
Since you have a specific group in mind, the content you create is also more specific and personal to the needs and desires of your target audience. When they find your content, it ‘speaks’ to them; thus, there’s a higher percentage of engagement.
Now, that eye-opener might leave you more questions than answers. What kind of strategy should I use for my content distribution? What type of content should I write?
Asking those questions shows that you are on the right track. Here are more content distribution tips that will surely increase your engagement and eventually, your leads.
Related: The Secret to Content Marketing Lies in Distribution
Content Distribution Tips to Increase Your Leads
The success of your content distribution lies in 3 basic things – your strategy, your goal, and your audience.
#1 Your Strategy
The maxim, “fail to plan and you plan to fail,” has never been apt than in content distribution. And when it comes to planning, nothing beats creating a content cluster for all your topics.
Content clusters are simply a set of pages that revolves around one topic. For example, a marketing blog will have a page that talks about lead generation. Each subtopic can be variations of that topic.
Lead Nurturing to Boost Conversion
Most Effective Lead Generation Strategies
All of these things are an improvisation of the central keyword but delves deeper into that specialist part. There should be at least 15 cluster pages to give more juice to the topic pillar page.
While you’re doing this, don’t forget your on-page optimization and internal linking structure. The cluster gives your content strategy power while the internal linking tells Google how these clusters are important.
#2 Your Goal
While you are creating your strategy, you also have to define what your goals are in creating your content.
- Do you want to engage your users more?
- Do you want to drive more leads?
- Is it to increase brand awareness?
- Do you want them to sign up for your newsletter so they get notified of upcoming events or product discounts?
- Do you want them to visit your online store and check out what you have?
Before any activity can commence, your goals must be clear first because they will guide your content distribution strategies – how you’re going to promote them, where you’re going to distribute them, and when are you going to promote them?
Aside from giving you a clear direction, these goals will eliminate any distractions that will steer you away from activities that are irrelevant to achieving those goals.
#3 Your Audience
To get the exposure and engagement you want by targeting your most engaged users – people who are most likely to buy from you. In fact, these people can become your brand advocates as well, saving you money and time in your marketing efforts.
Use your best effort to keep your engaged audience and regularly send them valuable content. Utilize different media formats, such as podcasts, videos, and infographics, to reach your target audience.
Related: How to Reach Influencers and Grow Your Content Audience [VIDEO]
And now, to our tips…
Utilize Content Republishing Hubs
Republishing your content might sound absurd but consider the reach of such republishing sites like Medium and LinkedIn, which already has access to millions of users all over the world. Just don’t forget to source your original blog at the bottom so your readers will have a clear call to action to funnel readers to your site.
Improve Your Social Scheduling
Promoting your content on social media networks is not a one-time deal. Don’t expect all your readers and followers to pounce on your content when you tweet about it once. In fact, the chance is high that it might get buried under the hundreds of new tweets that are posted every hour on your readers’ news feed. Thus, scheduling your content is an effective strategy to make sure your content is more visible to your audience.
Related: 12 Tools to Hack Your Content Creation Workflow [Plus Free Content Calendar]
Be Visual
Readers have become more visual. Therefore, a blog with an infographic or video that summarizes that content gets more attention than those that come in plain text. Not only are these types of content more interesting but they are also new avenues of content distribution.
Related: 3 Best Practices to Fine-Tune Your Next Content for Visual Learners
What Does Your Content Distribution Strategy Look Like?
It’s time to assess your strategy – what avenues do you have for your content distribution? What does your content look like? What are your goals?
Use the guidelines and tips in this article to help you with your assessment and good luck with your content distribution success.