Road Map to Success: Content Distribution Essentials That Win Eyeballs

And remember, with so many media channels and platforms to choose from and so many messages competing for your audience’s attention, you also need to promote what you publish (through social media or other paid and unpaid techniques) to fulfill its marketing promise. Explore your media platform options Content distribution opportunities typically fall into one of three platform categories: Owned media: Your brand owns and controls these content and distribution channels, such as your websites, email, newsletters, and (to a degree) social media accounts. Shared media: Social media channels have opened up a host of opportunities for marketers to post original content – both on a schedule or in response to relevant consumer conversations happening in the community. Some channels are more appropriate for your content than others, so you want a clear understanding of the unique value proposition of each, and how strongly those benefits align with your audience, brand voice, and goals. Here are some factors to consider: Audience characteristics: What audience are you most likely to reach on this channel? Don’t have a documented content marketing strategy or editorial plan in place? Put all the pieces in place Looking for additional tools and templates for building your distribution plan? Paid social media promotion: You should be distributing your content on your audience’s favorite social channels, and organically promoting it by encouraging your fans and followers to share it among their networks. By amplifying content pieces already resonating and driving strong results, you reinforce your brand’s value in the mind of your audience, while increasing the odds that your best work will get discovered by audiences that may have missed it the first time around. Those assets can be combined with other relevant information on the topic to form a new piece that might be more attractive to different audiences.

Author: Jodi Harris / Source: Content Marketing Institute

No matter how much time and care you put into building your strategy, outlining your editorial plans and processes, or crafting persuasive, engaging, high-quality copy, your brand’s potential for success often lives or dies by your distribution and promotion choices.

Though a lot of work must happen before you reach this point, the distribution phase is ground zero for your content marketing program – the point where your goals, audience insights, tactical choices, and creative executions get put to the test. And remember, with so many media channels and platforms to choose from and so many messages competing for your audience’s attention, you also need to promote what you publish (through social media or other paid and unpaid techniques) to fulfill its marketing promise.

Ready to set the stage for optimal content discovery, engagement, and performance? Read on for a handy tutorial on the essentials, along with resources to help you hit the ground running.

Before you proceed: If you aren’t confident you have the right foundation to support your distribution and promotion – or just need a quick refresher on a topic – review our previous Road Map to Success guides:

Practical view of content distribution

There are three main components in the process for enabling your brand to build (and grow) communities of loyal, engaged consumers around your content:

Evaluate your distribution options.
Develop and document your channel plan.
Promote your content and amplify its impact.

1. Evaluate your distribution options

Many brands mistakenly assume they need to post their content anywhere and everywhere to increase their chances of achieving the desired results. But the problem with the spray-and-pray approach to content distribution is that it holds little regard for whether the right people are being reached, whether those communities are receptive to your messages, or whether the audience relationships built there make a meaningful impact on your business.

Because your team’s ability to produce, track, and measure content gets exponentially more complicated with each outpost you add to your marketing matrix, it’s important to gauge the relative value of each publishing platform and channel before you share your content there.

Explore your media platform options

Content distribution opportunities typically fall into one of three platform categories:

Owned media: Your brand owns and controls these content and distribution channels, such as your websites, email, newsletters, and (to a degree) social media accounts. However, it can be challenging to condition audiences to go out of their way to visit these outposts regularly.

Shared media: Social media channels have opened up a host of opportunities for marketers to post original content – both on a schedule or in response to relevant consumer conversations happening in the community. However, your activities on these platforms are ultimately controlled by the business decisions of a third party, which can change its policies and procedures – or cease operations altogether – at a moment’s notice.

Paid media: I dig into this category more when I discuss promotion (in Part 3 below), but from a general standpoint, these opportunities enable your business to share any messages it wants and control the environment in which they appear at a cost.

Establish your primary distribution media model

Most brands eventually need to distribute content effectively across a mix of platforms to stay competitive and grow their influence. However, when starting your program (or launching a new initiative under an existing program), it may be helpful to start with a single channel on one owned-media platform – like a company blog or a podcast on your business website.

Not only is it easier to control the flow of information on a channel that you own, it also can serve as a home base for the flow of traffic your content generates. Once you build a strong audience of engaged followers, you can expand to other channels to drive more traffic your way and extend and enhance the audience’s experience with your brand.

Make smart channel choices

Whether you are a content marketing novice looking to start small, an experienced practitioner looking to refresh a flagging initiative, or a seasoned expert wanting to make the biggest splash possible with a massive, multi-platform content launch, you need to decide which channels make the most sense for distribution. Some channels are more appropriate for your content than others, so you want a clear understanding of the unique value proposition of each, and how strongly those benefits align with your audience, brand voice, and goals.

Here are some factors to consider:

Audience characteristics: What audience are you most likely to reach on this channel? Does it align with any of your content personas? Will this audience find value in what you have to offer?
Rules of engagement: How often would this audience be open to hearing from you? Are certain topics off limits? Would it be acceptable to share lengthy, text-based content here or would photos or videos be a better fit?
Communication style: Will your brand’s content tone, voice, and style be a good fit for this community? Are there conversations of a sensitive nature that might put your brand at risk?
Brand resources and capabilities: Do you have the right resources to consistently engage here? Are you prepared to listen to, respond to, and participate in existing discussions in addition to starting conversations of your own?

Deepen your understanding

Need more help selecting the best distribution media, formats, and channels for your business? Start your journey of discovery with these key resources:

Analyze essential distribution platforms:
- Video (both pre-produced and livestreaming platforms)
- In-person events (e.g., conferences, live experiences)