Getting Started With Content Distribution

Content creation is an important part of your marketing strategy, but content distribution is just as important. If you have amazing content that isn’t getting seen by your target audience, it isn’t worth much to you. Content creation and distribution are at an all-time high, so creating a plan and building an audience is more important than ever. If you are not sure where to start with content distribution, here is a guide to get you started.

What Is Content Distribution?

Content distribution is the process of publishing, sharing, and promoting content across social media channels. This content can be created specifically for a social platform or re-purposed and shared. Content distribution happens after content creation, but it is important to keep in mind the intended use for each piece of content you make.

Why Content Distribution Is Important:

Planning out how and when you distribute content can make or break your overall online presence. Creating and distributing well-thought-out content helps define you to your audience- it sets the tone you want to use and gives them a glimpse of your personality. Many customers turn to the internet when they are searching for something, whether that is a review, a new product to try, a service they need, or simply to see if there is a better alternative to something they are currently using. Thoughtful content distribution also helps you build a community, which in turn helps you build your brand loyalty. Many customers are happy to share their ideas for new products or what they love about your brand without much prompting, and listening to them can help you deliver what they need. A great example of this is Glossier– they worked hard to build a community, and when the community was unhappy with the reformulation of a popular product, they reverted to the original formula. Without their careful content distribution on the appropriate channels, they would not have known that their customers were unhappy.

Content Distribution Channels:

There are several different types of content distribution channels, and all of them are helpful in building your brand! Owned channels are what probably comes to mind when you think of “content distribution”. These are channels that you fully control- your social media accounts, website, blog, etc. Owned channels allow you to track the success of your content, and offer the most creative freedom. The biggest drawback to owned channels is that it can take a while to build an audience, but once you do, they are an excellent tool.

Paid channels are another content distribution channel. This covers anywhere you pay to have your content distributed- sponsored posts, pay-per-click ads, influencer marketing, and anywhere else you pay to promote your content. Paid channels allow you to reach a broader audience, and those that might not be familiar with your brand. The biggest downside to paid content distribution is that it can be viewed as less credible since you are paying to get your content on their feed.

Earned media channels are the last main group of content distribution channels. Earned media includes user-generated content, reviews, social media shares, and reviews- any content that you did not create or pay for. Earned media is very effective, and tends to be trusted by audiences. They require little to no effort on your part (although you should keep up with what your customers are saying about you and interact with them as you are able) and can do wonders to help increase your brand awareness.

Now that we’ve gone over the basics of content distribution, it’s time to learn how to use content distribution for your own brand! Come back next week to learn how to create your content distribution strategy.