Filling your site with carefully planned content will obviously help attract more of the right audience to your business.
But just because you’ve published a great blog, sales page, or gallery of images on your site doesn’t mean your content creation work is done.
You now need to amplify its reach.
Your mission is to share it as much as possible so it reaches more people than just your website audience.
Spreading it around is called content distribution, and it’s a vital marketing strategy for growing your client base and getting more eyeballs on your fabulous content.
What is content distribution?
Content distribution is simply sharing your content on platforms beyond your website.
The aim is to push your content’s message further and increase brand awareness to attract new prospective clients.
You might distribute your content:
- on social media channels
- in an email campaign
- on Pinterest.
You might also:
- guest post on relevant media/news outlets
- use paid content distribution that includes ads or paid appearances in third-party content.
This list makes content distribution sound simple.
But there’s more to it.
Especially when it comes to where to share your content.
The age of content distribution overwhelm
There are dozens of channels you can post on – Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, business and community groups, directories, and Reddit.
You can also post your content in a variety of mediums – videos, blog posts, podcasts, slideshows, lists, infographics, and single graphic images.
So reaching your audience using a format that appeals to them has never been easier.
It’s tempting to maximize your potential reach by trying every option.
There are even lists suggesting essential places you must share and distribute your content.
But there’s no obligation (or point) in trying to do it all.
Trying to reshare your content everywhere would be exhausting, I don’t recommend it, and it may harm your prospects for sharing successfully.
Trying to reshare your content everywhere would be exhausting, I don’t recommend it, and it may harm your prospects for sharing successfully.
From my experience, the key is choosing your content distribution channels carefully and wisely.
Showing up on the channels where your ideal audience is already hanging out will lead to more quality engagement.
And where there’s quality engagement, there’s a better opportunity to get good leads.
Chances are your audience isn’t consuming everything everywhere anyway.
We’re all time poor, and so showing loyalty to only a few outlets is the norm.
You just need to find out which channels your audience already enjoys and focus on distributing quality content only in those places.
Finding the right channels
As with any marketing strategy, your ideal client should be at the heart of your content distribution plan.
You might already know where your ideal clients hang out online.
It may have been part of the work you did on audience personas.
But if you don’t, or it’s been a while since you completed your personas, dig into this.
Consider the following.
- What social media platforms are they using and, more importantly, engaging with by leaving likes and comments?
- Are there particular news or entertainment channels they like? Check what type of articles they link to or share, and note the names of the outlets.
- What format of media are they most engaged with – video, text, photos, audio?
Collate this information and use it to steer you towards the right channels to share on.
After doing this work, you should have a small, manageable list of places to distribute content.
Now all you need to do is decide what sort of content and message to share on each channel.
Owned, earned, and paid distribution
SEMrush’s guide to content distribution identifies three distribution methods: owned, earned, and paid.
Owned – These are the channels you own and control, such as your website, blog, email marketing, and social media channels.
Earned – This is when your content is shared by others on channels and platforms you don’t control. Influencer marketing, guest posts, backlinks in articles, and brand mentions in forums, communities, and media are all examples of earned distribution.
Paid – Distributing content on paid channels such as PPC, social media ads, targeted ads, and sponsored content are known for getting fast results. But you need to carefully manage your budget and examine your ROI.
The type of content and your budget will help you determine whether to share your content through owned, earned, or paid marketing.
I always suggest maximizing your owned opportunities by pushing for as much free, organic growth as possible.
Then try earned and/or paid distribution.
Your distribution method will be led by the type of content you want to share.
For example, if you’re a photographer and have a new photo session to share you should put it on your owned channels first, then use social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest.
But once you’ve exhausted these options, look for earned opportunities for your photos.
For example, could a journalist use them in an article?
Finding ways to repurpose your content this way and distribute it as widely as possible will not only get more eyeballs on it but also help minimize the time you need to spend on creating new content.
How to show up
Now you know where to show up and the different distribution methods, you just need to build your content distribution plans into your central content strategy.
Here are a few key points I get clients to remember when starting down the path of content sharing.
1. Mix your content up
Don’t post the same-looking content on one channel all of the time, especially on social media.
These platforms like you to use as many of their features as possible.
So avoid only posting single photos. Add sound or music if those options are available.
Post a group or carousel of photos.
And then turn them into a short video once in a while.
Be honest about how often you can post or afford to outsource. Make a commitment, and then stick to it. Showing up regularly will serve you better than a sporadic approach.
2. Be realistically regular
As a solo-owner business you probably have limits on how much time or money you can afford to spend on distributing content.
Be honest about how often you can post or afford to outsource.
Make a commitment, and then stick to it.
Showing up regularly will serve you better than a sporadic approach.
3. One and grow
We know trying to post everywhere in every format is impossible and exhausting.
So choose one platform, and get into the habit of distributing your content there and doing it well.
Then look to add a second or third platform.
4. Support your client’s journey
A client seeing your brand and business for the first time will need different information and content compared to one who has booked you before and is now considering booking you again.
When you distribute content, make sure you include enough content to support your customers no matter what stage of the buying journey they’re at.
5. Look beyond your content
If your business is up and coming, or you don’t yet have a bank of original content to share, don’t wait for that to happen.
You can still embrace this form of digital marketing.
Spend your time sharing useful articles and content that talks about your industry and whose viewpoint you share.
Get sharing. Create your content calendar
Amplifying your content so it reaches as many of your ideal customers as possible is a no-brainer.
After all, you spent all that time, energy, and money making it. So don’t let it go to waste.
To make sure you’re sharing your content in the most effective way possible, create a content calendar.
This lets you organize your ideas, and gives you an overview of all of your upcoming content. That way you can be sure you’re:
- catering to your audience
- showing up in the right places
- sharing a diverse range of content
- supporting your client through their whole buying experience.
