So your team has amazing content, huh? Awesome! Creating compelling content that your audience finds valuable can be really challenging, which you probably know from firsthand experience. But after your team spends hours creating and designing that great content, you’re only halfway there. Getting your content out and onto the computer screens or into the hands of your audience is the hardest part. After all, great content doesn’t matter unless it finds its way to your audience – right?
Distributing Your Content
We live in the digital age where there are literally thousands of channel options across paid, owned, earned and shared media that can be utilized to distribute content. But we’re guessing that doesn’t make you feel better. The sheer number of channels and ways to get content out there can be daunting. So what are the best content distributions channels to use?
In a recent post by Contently, author Joe Lazauskas addresses this question head on. We liked his article so much that we’re outlining some of his suggestions (with one of our own, too):
Tip #1: Put Email Newsletters to Use
Joe explains that the email newsletter will serve as the foundation for your entire content marketing program, and if you don’t get it right, you’re screwed. “Unlike social or SEO, it’s a direct line to your audience that you control. And it’s the easiest way to build a devoted readership that comes back every day.”
According to Joe, “The beauty of the email newsletter is that it doesn’t just drive reader engagement and traffic in a vacuum. Instead, it sets off a waterfall of traffic that spreads across social networks.”
Tip #2: Examine Where Your Audience Shares Content
Next, examine where folks share your content, Joe explains. “Those are the social networks where your company should be most active. There are a million different strategies for social, but for now, let’s just focus on sharing links to your stories. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are requisites for most companies.”
In addition, you also probably want to invest in paid content distribution. “If you’re going to spend $400 on an article, spending an extra $50 to ensure that twice as many people see that article just makes sense, assuming that traffic is high quality. And the best way to buy high-quality readers is through Facebook.”
Joe goes on to explain that, “The beautiful thing about paid content distribution is that you buy a lot more than just clicks. If your content is good, a lot of those new readers will become loyal email subscribers and organically share your content with their networks.”
Tip #3: Get Beyond the Blog
Joe concludes his content distribution tips by urging marketers to go beyond the blog. “Once you get these owned content fundamentals in order, it’s time to start thinking about going beyond the blog and getting into distributed content—the modern media term for creating content that’s made specifically for social platforms,” said Joe. “Think Facebook Instant Articles and auto-play videos, Instagram video, Snapchat, YouTube, Medium, LinkedIn Pulse, and other platforms that let you reach tons of people.”
(Bonus) Tip #4: Use Employee Email to Your Advantage
Your employees send thousands of emails each day. Use email signature marketing to ensure that your content marketing efforts don’t go to waste, but are instead highlighted in the email signature area of every employee email sent. Email signature marketing also ensures that company branding is consistent across each employee – no matter what.
Without an email signature template in place, your employees will create their own email signatures, attach ad hoc PDFs of marketing materials, or include off-brand calls-to-action to download your newest piece of content. Use email signature marketing to empower your employees to share exciting content marketing updates without the hassle?
Make the Most of Your Content
Ready to see how employee email can used as an owned marketing channel? Schedule a quick demo or check out our latest helpful email signature marketing resource below.
