If you are an expert content marketer, you might be already doing a lot of things right like creating good quality content. However, most business owners put too much attention on the creation part and too little on the marketing and this imbalance might be taking the sheen off your entire campaign. Here is a piece of advice for putting out your amazing content in front of everyone who matters, an area that most content marketers ignore.
What makes a content marketing plan a runaway success? Original and useful content? Or a well-laid out content plan? Or an innovative distribution strategy? Most marketers would nod their head at the first two but will not be as enthusiastic while answering the third and that’s where the big problem lies. Without a plan that focuses on good distribution and promotion of your content you won’t ever be able to do justice with your content marketing initiatives.
Contently’s 2014 State of Content Marketing report concludes that companies will finally understand the significance of a good distribution strategy. During the age of newspapers, distribution channels and means used to be the most important element. Delivery trucks, delivery boys all had a special importance back then and the future content marketers need to figure out their own distribution strategy for the best health of the entire content marketing plan. So, here is a short analysis of distribution channels:
Distribution through Your Owned Media: Your own media is the one which you have created and built from the grounds up: your target audience, a loyal community of followers. This refers to website and blog, social media platforms, RSS subscribers, and email list. These are the most important distribution channels in terms of the time and financial resources devoted to them. E-mail is particularly useful as you have complete control over it. In order to work distribution through owned media here are some strategies that you should be looking at:
Make it search friendly: When you write a piece of content, you want it to be discovered by as many people as possible. However, without proper search engine optimization that actually doesn’t work out as beautifully as you would have like it to. Therefore, apply the principles of good SEO to every article you create. With smartphones becoming the central mode of information consumption, it will be wise to adopt a mobile first strategy.
Distribution through sales and account management teams: One of the distribution channels that is frequently ignored. Your client managers act as a vital link between the company and the outside word. They build reliable relationships and maintain them by answering inbound questions. Content will be of great assistance here as it will prove a good conversation starter. Content marketers can collaborate with the company masterminds to pinpoint content ideas.
Distribution through Syndication: If your blog audience isn’t that broad and you are dealing with challenges of building a loyal community of your blog readers from the ground-up then syndication might help you. You can use syndication in order to amplify the reach of your content. For the same first you will have to build relationships with relevant blogs, publishers and brands. You will have to pitch content with regular frequency. Also, your goodwill increases once you return the favor and syndicate the content of others on your blog.
Distribution through LinkedIn Influencers: An unusual method of distribution but nevertheless very effective. For the uninitiated, it’s been nearly a year now since LinkedIn launched its influencers program for the public. LinkedIn members are now using the platform to self-publish, syndicate and publish content.
Distribution through Networks: Even if your blog doesn’t have that much of a social media following then also you can distribute content through physical networks such as alumni groups, business association, networking events and other distribution hubs. This is the time to reach out to your physical connections and ask them for help to distribute your content. These connections will use their own social network to promote your stories. However make sure that these connections themselves understand the value of your content.
Content can make or break your brand and when it’s marketed well with expert content marketers at the helm growth is imminent. It is therefore important to hire candidates which are well qualified and also certified. For candidates who aspire to become content marketers should keep on looking job alerts related to content marketing and apply to the most relevant jobs. You can also go for career guidance and job interview questions related to content marketing and that will also help you in getting a good job in this field.
Tina is a blogger with interests in various new media technologies. He made a radical shift from his core engineering degree to this world of internet. A self-confessed gadget freak and social media enthusiast, he keenly follows the latest trends in the tech world and aspires to be a complete Internet expert and a technology maven in the long run. ** **