Content marketing has proven to be one of the most effective ways to reach and engage target audiences online. As digital marketing continues to grow, this approach has become widely adopted by businesses of all sizes and industries.
But creating great content is only half the battle. Without an effective content distribution strategy, even the best content can go unnoticed.
In this article, we will explore the importance of having a proven content distribution strategy and the various methods, channels, and platforms available to help you build an effective content marketing distribution strategy.
Disclaimer: Any links you click on may be affiliate or ad links.
Content Marketing Distribution: A Brief Overview
Before we dive into the intricacies of content distribution strategy, let's first establish what content marketing distribution is.
So, what is a content distribution strategy? It is the plan that will ensure your content reaches your target audience through various channels. It is the process of taking your content from the creation stage to the publication stage and, ultimately, to the audience.
It encompasses everything from social media to paid distribution channels like Google Ads and PR Newswire. The goal is to maximize the reach, engagement, and conversion of your content by placing it in front of the right people, at the right time, and on the right channel.
It is widely recognized as one of the most critical components of the content creation process - and marketing in general.
After all, what is the point of creating content if nobody ever sees it?
Pro Tip: A lot of people are always trying to figure out ways to "go viral." However, "going viral" is a short-lived phenomenon, and then it's on to the next big thing.
And while going viral can be incredibly rewarding, there's nothing wrong with going viral slowly, over time, consistently spreading your content around the internet, increasing traffic to your site, converting customers, and generating revenue.
Going viral slowly is like the S&P 500.
It pays dividends.
What is a Content Distribution Channel?
A content distribution channel is a platform, network, or medium through which content is distributed to the target audience. In other words, it is the means - the vehicle - through which your content reaches your audience.
There are various content distribution channels available, including owned media, earned media, and paid media.
Owned media is the content that you own and have complete control over. Examples include your website, blog, and social media pages.
Earned media is the media coverage your content receives from external sources, such as third-party blogs, social media shares, and reviews.
Paid media is the media coverage that you pay for, such as Google Ads or sponsored content.
A wise content marketer knows how to utilize all three channels in their distribution strategy.
Content Distribution Strategies
Effective content distribution strategy involves a well-planned content marketing strategy, including a clear understanding of the target audience, objectives, and channels to use.
Here are some of the top strategies to consider when crafting your content distribution strategy:
1. Identify Your Target Audience
The first step in developing an effective content distribution strategy is to identify your target audience.
Knowing your audience will help you determine which channels to use and the type of content to create. Conduct research to understand your target audience's demographics, interests, and pain points.
2. Create Quality Content
The second step in developing an effective content distribution strategy is creating quality content that appeals to your target audience. Your content should be valuable, informative, and engaging.
The content type may vary from blog posts to infographics, videos, white papers, and e-books.
3. Build a Content Calendar
The third step in developing an effective content distribution strategy is establishing a content calendar.
A content calendar helps you plan and organize your content production schedule and ensures consistency in your content distribution efforts.
4. Choose the Best Content Distribution Channels
The fourth step in developing an effective content distribution strategy is selecting the best channels to distribute your content. Depending on your audience, budget, and goals, various owned, earned, or paid channels may be effective.
These include social media platforms, email campaigns, content syndication, and sponsored content.
5. Implement Marketing Automation
The fifth step in developing an effective content distribution strategy is incorporating marketing automation. With marketing automation, you can automate repetitive tasks, like scheduling social media posts or email campaigns, allowing you to focus on the more critical tasks.
6. Track and Analyze Your Results
The final step in developing an effective content distribution strategy is tracking and analyzing your results.
It is essential to monitor the analytics of your content marketing distribution to determine which channels and content types are the most effective. This information will help you optimize your content distribution strategy better.
The Tool I Use for Steps 3-6
I personally use Missinglettr to accomplish the above-mentioned action items:
Build a content calendar
Distribute content through third-party influencers (for free)
Implement marketing automation
Track and analyze results
Missinglettr is a social media platform tool that allows me to do all of those things seamlessly and efficiently. I hardly spend any time managing it, since Missinglettr automates the vast majority of it for me.
In fact, I can create 12 months of scheduled social media content in literally a few minutes, schedule it to my calendar, and pretty much forget about it and let it do its thing.
Click the image below to learn more about Missinglettr:
Content Distribution Platforms
Various content distribution platforms provide a way to distribute your content effectively. Here are some of the most popular platforms:
1. Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms are a popular content distribution channel offering a cost-effective way to distribute content quickly, effectively, and to a broad audience. Social media platforms allow you to share your content with your followers, tag relevant users, and utilize hashtags for better visibility.
Again, this is where I use Missinglettr.
2. Email Campaigns
Email campaigns are one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, and they are still highly effective. Email campaigns are a great way to deliver your content directly to your target audience.
If you're just getting started with email marketing, it can get pretty sophisticated and expensive. Neither of those is necessary when you're just starting to build your email list.
I recommend starting out with something simple, easy, and affordable to use, like SendFox.
If you've never created email marketing campaigns before, then I'd also recommend using a tool like EmailWritr to streamline the process and help you create emails that convert readers to customers and generate revenue.
3. Content Syndication
Content syndication is the practice of publishing your content on third-party websites, like Medium or HubPages. It helps you reach a new audience and gain credibility.
4. Sponsored Content
Sponsored content is content that you pay for to be published, promoted, or distributed to a target audience through an established media channel, website, or blog. It guarantees more visibility and exposure.
If you're going to be paying influencers to create content, share your products or services, etc., then you'll also want to vet the influencer before you hire them.
I personally use Influencify to do that, and it works great. Influencify features 30+ million influencers in their database, and they give you the data you need to understand better each influencer's followers, engagement rates, and much more.
Content Distribution Tools
Content distribution tools are instrumental in streamlining and automating the content marketing distribution process. Here are some of the most popular tools:
1. Missinglettr
Missinglettr is a social media management tool that helps you manage and schedule your social media content. It provides analytics to optimize your social media activities and track your results.
2. SendFox
SendFox is an email marketing tool that helps you create and send targeted email campaigns easily. It offers segmentation and automation features to improve your campaigns' effectiveness.
3. ManyChat
ManyChat is a chatbot tool for Facebook Messenger that lets you create automated chatbots to respond to your audience's inquiries and redirect them to your content.
Or you can just use the built-in Meta chat tools, which help automate a lot of the Facebook Messenger functionality for businesses. It's a quick and easy way to start automating your Facebook Business page interactions.
4. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has been growing in popularity and is now a popular content distribution strategy. Influencer marketing involves partnering with an influencer or popular social media personality to promote your content to their audience.
However, it is crucial to note that choosing the right influencer is crucial. The influencer must have a similar audience to your business and be a credible thought leader in the industry. Their endorsement of your content will drive more visibility to your content and generate more engagement.
As mentioned above, I use Influencify to manage my influencer marketing campaigns.
Paid Distribution Channels
Paid distribution channels are a great way to reach a broader audience and generate more conversions. Some of the most popular paid distribution channels are:
1. Google Ads
Google Ads is a pay-per-click platform that shows your content to users who are actively searching for related keywords. Google Ads allows you to create and control your campaigns, set your own budget, and track your results.
It also features a great keyword research tool called "Keyword Planner". It's helpful for researching keywords and phrases for creating SEO content on your website, as well as for paid ads. The Google Keyword Planner is free to use inside of the Google Ads platform.
2. Press Releases
Paid newswire services help you distribute your content to various media outlets, journalists, and publications. It is a great way to reach a broader audience and gain credibility in your industry.
Here are a few different newswire services you can use to do that:
PR Newswire
AccessWire
GlobeNewswire
Business Wire
PR Underground
Prowly
Press page
The most well-known one listed above is PR Newswire, but that also means they're generally the most expensive. However, when used properly, an official Press Release can be an incredibly powerful content distribution tool to add to your marketing arsenal.
3. Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
Another great way to distribute your content is through the HARO network. Reporters for various news networks and publications are constantly looking for "news" as well as for great resources when they are already working on a story.
If your content can help a reporter out, then you should consider joining the HARO website and keep an eye out for opportunities to do so.
It's not free - but it can absolutely be worth every penny if used properly.
Final Thoughts
Content marketing only works if you have an effective content distribution strategy. Without one, your valuable content can go unnoticed.
Creating quality content is only half the battle.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can build an effective content distribution strategy that utilizes owned, earned, and paid media channels to maximize the reach, engagement, and conversion of your content.
Investing in content distribution tools and utilizing various marketing channels can be overwhelming at first, but it is well worth the investment.
Once you establish an effective content distribution strategy, you will be on your way to achieving your business objectives and seeing the full potential of your content marketing efforts.