3 Methods for Successful Content Distribution

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Hi All! This week’s topic is Content Marketing. A key element of your content marketing effort should be the distribution strategy. In Today’s newsletter, I tackle 3 Methods for Successful Content Distribution.

What are your thoughts on distributing your content successfully? Share your ideas on The Buzz Community.

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3 Methods for Successful Content Distribution

There are many methods and formats to produce content and distribute it. But from a strategic perspective, many go-to-market plans fail to take into account that the distribution of content is equally as important as the content itself. As such, content marketing programs get lackluster results and fail to move the revenue, pipeline, or customer satisfaction needles.

The key is to take distribution from a tactic to a strategy by making it part of your content marketing planning process. It’s not simply lining up calendars across your go-to-market activities, but thinking strategically on the best method to distribute your story in context to a specific audience.

Method #1 - Strategic Distribution Planning

As part of content marketing planning, I encourage clients to identify the best distribution method for that target audience. Not all audiences are the same for every piece of your content. In essence, each piece of content you develop should have its distribution plan covering multiple formats and distribution approaches. Keep in mind, that the goal isn’t solely quantity of eyeballs, but engagement in the content (e.g., video watch rates, comments on social, etc.).

As part of your content planning process, you should map this out in its entirety and you will begin to see patterns emerge. These patterns will then beget a set of best practices for content distribution across various categories of content you are creating by audience segment. This becomes your framework for your distribution cadence for your content distribution.

Method #2 - Supplement Your Distribution

What is the point of developing content, if too few are reading it? All too often, I see companies spend tens of thousands of dollars to build the content, white paper, etc., and then spend nothing to get it in front of the desired audience. They post it on social, have a press release, build a landing page, and call it a day. That’s lazy distribution. Regardless of your B2B brand’s size you still need to reach people beyond your owned distribution channels.

There are many ways to supplement your distribution including syndication, industry events, speaking engagements for leadership, paid content inclusion with a publisher, and of course, developing your first-party audience. All these have their place and specific return on investment to supplement your distribution strategy. In fact, with modest investments, you can create material improvements to your content marketing program to deliver material results. For example, a $300 / month syndication program in the right publications, can add thousands of readers to your content. My advice, test and learn what’s best for your content, audience segments, and formats. Use a blend of tools to reach your ideal audiences beyond who know you.

Method #3 - Tentpoles

When I work with clients on go-to-market planning, one of the key elements I use to convey the plan is Tentpoles. Tentpoles are key industry-level activities that aggregate your core business constituencies to a particular place and time. Think, of an auto show in the auto sector; or CES for consumer electronics. These proven industry tentpoles must be a place in not only your GTM calendar but also in your content / editorial planning calendar. You must build towards them.

At Microsoft, we did this regularly, using research that would be presented by a subject matter executive “on-stage” and provide follow-up research as “leave-behinds”. This is a great practice since it provides two things: awareness by your intended audience that the content exists; and a mechanism to drive MQL lead generation for nurture. It’s a simple tactic but requires significant collaboration between the research, content, and events teams to ensure the launch is a key part of both event messaging and the content in a distributable format is ready for consumption by that particular audience. Simply put, well-orchestrated content can drive awareness and purchase intent. These big tentpole activities can bring the audience together and deliver great business results for your content marketing programs.

What are your thoughts on distributing your content successfully? Share your feedback on The Buzz Community.

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