Guide for Online Businesses

Content Distribution Channels & Strategy

We are living in the digital era, and there’s no doubt that content marketing is one of the most effective forms of marketing. Regardless of the business type, including B2B or B2C, the potential of a well-planned content marketing strategy cannot be ignored.

In fact, a report published by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) stated that 57% of marketers surveyed would invest more content marketing funds in 2019 as compared to 2018.

That being said, to create an effective content marketing strategy, you need to build a strong content distribution plan first. After all, what’s the purpose of producing high-quality content if it misses reaching your target audience?

With the appropriate distribution channel, your content will approach your target audience in cyberspace where fresh content keeps flowing in each day.

According to new research, based on a review of 224 marketers throughout the world, email (82%), social media (54%), and websites or blogs (51%) are the three most compelling content distribution channels.

In this blog, we will discuss the concept of content distribution channels and strategy in-depth and how you can use this strategy to advance your business.

What is Content Distribution?

Content distribution is a name that’s often tossed around in marketing groups without specifics given. So, let’s start with the basics and first understand what content distribution is exactly.

Content Distribution is the act of promoting content to online audiences in multiple media formats through various channels. These channels can be categorized into three groups: Owned, Earned, and Paid.

Essentially, the term content distribution is used to describe the act of promoting content to audiences in various media formats through a host of different online channels. Ideally, these channels are categorized as owned, earned and paid. We will discuss these channels in depths later in the blog, however, first, it’s important to understand the different types of content that is distributed.

Content Distribution Categories

Now that we have covered the different types of content that should be part of your content distribution strategy, let’s understand the various categories involved. These channels are classified into three groups:

These channels are classified into three groups:

Owned Content Distribution

This involves distributing content to web assets that belong to you, such as your blog, email newsletter, social media, or microsite.

Earned Content Distribution

This is when third-parties share your content or content regarding you via press coverage, guest article contributions, retweets or shares, or product evaluations.

Paid Content Distribution

This occurs when you pay for content distribution. Payment can take various modes but usually achieves on a cost-per-click (CPC) pattern where the proprietor of the content spends a settled amount every moment someone clicks through to see the content.

Types of Content Format

Although many of us immediately think of blog posts and articles as the principal types of content, there are various kinds of creative outlets that can draw in new viewers.

Let’s talk regarding the different types of content your brand can (and should) explore:

Blog Posts & Articles

As one of the most authoritative forms of content on the web, blog posts and articles have an excellent deal to provide your audience.

Comprehensive written long-form content can push lots of organic traffic to your site, while further notifying customers about your brand, products, and skills in the area.

White Papers, eBooks, and Reports

White Paper and eBooks have become extremely valuable for businesses as they are able to provide customers with informative and high-quality content that not only engages them but builds credibility as well.

Eventually, this kind of content aims to encourage an in-depth level of expertise and business understanding.

Podcasts

Podcasts were not a big deal ten years ago; however, there were over 800,000 active podcasts with over 54 million podcast episodes available worldwide in 2019. Since then, the number has only grown.

This kind of audio has increased swiftly over the past several years, and it’s a good idea for businesses to leap on the bandwagon now – if they have not previously.

Email Newsletter & Nurturing Campaigns

If your company perpetually has new products, updates, or data to share with readers, a weekly email newsletter is a “bread and butter” type of digital content delivery.

Only make sure that you give your emails significant headlines, so they don’t end up in the trash or spam folder!

Videos

Did you know that it is estimated that the average person will spend 100 minutes every day watching online videos in 2021?

The comfort of usability and convenience of video across the past few years has made it a must-use kind of content for enterprises of all types and sizes.

Thought Leadership or POVs

People prefer learning from experts. It provides them with a source of knowledge they can trust, no matter what topic or industry they’re studying.

These communications can be done in the way of a blog, podcast interview, video, or also a webinar, then distributed through a variety of content distribution sites.

Infographics

Infographics are excellent because they’re quickly shareable and straightforward to consume.

Gather the data you want to add, organize it in an artful yet appealing manner, then strike it on your blog and social media profiles!

Readers enjoy infographics because they’re simple to understand and follow – and are stuffed with relevant information.

How-To Guides

As quickly as you type the expression “how-to” in Google’s search box, the engine provides you with many suggestions.

Whether people are trying to learn how to cook eggs for the first time or download a YouTube video, a complete guide can be remarkably helpful.

Consider what people want to learn in your area and what type of informational directions you can offer.

Social Media Posts

Making use of your social media programs as content distribution networks is not sufficient; you need to additionally be producing content that’s particular to your multiple social media channels.

For example, on Instagram, you can make stories or participate in live chats with your spectators.

Case Studies and Client Profiles

Case investigations and customer profiles are harder to find on many business websites. These take plenty of time and strength to create – you want to have established success to write about.

These types of content include a large amount of weight with readers – they’re success stories that determine the strength of your company and its services.

The Most Effective Content Distribution Strategies

Let us take a look at these top three content distribution channels:

Turn Your Website or Blog into Marketing Channel

The third most effective content distribution channel is your website or blog. While social media has a vital role in content distribution, you are creating your marketing castle on leased land.

If social media marketing is modified due to a change in rules or regulations like GDPR, you might have to decrease your content distribution ventures.

Your blog or website, though, is entirely under your power. You don’t need to take your content down or restrict your content distribution venture as no one can set the rules except you.

Your content will additionally endure on your blog or website permanently. It further enables you to drive web traffic to your website immediately.

Since optimizing your website for the appropriate keywords and additional SEO components is effective, you should further set up a blog (if you have not already) to increase your site’s rank.

Moreover, blogging further empowers you to showcase your expertise in the niche.

So, make sure to write exclusive high-quality content on your blog. Don’t produce content solely for the sake of it. Utilize tools such as Google Analytics or SEMrush to understand what kind of blog posts are working well.

You can concentrate on writing similar posts to keep drawing more web traffic. You can combine your blog posts to different high-authority sites and create backlinks that will further enhance your website’s rank.

Alternatively, you can additionally request guest bloggers to write content on your blog. Publishing user-made content on your website is also a great idea.

Benefit From the Power of Email

Email is maybe the most reliable way to influence your target audience. According to Campaign Monitor, the standard open rate for email marketing information is generally in the range of 20% to 30%.

In other words, your information is 5 times more prone to be seen via email than on Facebook and 6X more inclined to receive a click-through from an email campaign than you are from a tweet.

You can utilize email for distributing various types of content, varying from newsletters to the disclosure of your newest products. You can post daily, weekly, and monthly updates to your viewers as well. Plus, it is additionally simpler to automate email campaigns.

Trying to keep your email as brief as possible is better. People don’t have the time to go through long emails. Get to the point swiftly and apply the appropriate CTA.

Begin by writing an engaging subject line that explicitly describes what you are distributing in the email. Furthermore, make it as personalized as possible.

Personalization builds a more significant consumer experience, boosting the possibilities of conversions. Use appealing graphics, text, and additional visuals, if needed.

Leverage Your Social Media Profiles

The total number of users on social media is increasing quickly. As of April 2019, out of the 7.697 billion people alive globally, 3.499 billion of them were social media users.

However, most importantly, an expanding number of people are actively exploring their favourite brands on social media. That is why social media can make your content viral.

It further enables brands and companies to engage and connect with their target audience immediately. For example, the average engagement rate for Facebook video posts is a whopping 6.01%.

But, you will require to post appropriate and engaging content that resonates with your target audience. So, first, you will need to recognize the social media channels where your viewers hang out.

Take a glimpse at your analytics to locate out where and when your audience is most productive. Use various kinds of content (videos, images, and text posts) to communicate with your audience.

Whether you are selling branded content, new content, or also user-generated content, make sure the story adjusts with your target audience’s customer journey.

It’s important to note that the primary purpose of social media sharing is establishing trust and actively getting involved with your consumers. Try to handle both negative and positive engagement with grace.

Conclusion

These are the best content distribution channels you can utilize to communicate with your target audience. Rather than concentrating on a particular distribution channel, you should attempt to consolidate as many as feasible to maximize your reach.

Only make sure to follow your target audience’s mindset and keep your business purposes in mind when utilizing those channels.

If you are looking for assistance in creating an effective content distribution strategy, we at TechCognate have employed a team of experts who can help! Contact us today to start planning your content distribution strategy!

About the Author

Jaykishan Panchal

Collaborator & Editor

Jaykishan Panchal is the Founder of TechCognate, a Digital Agency that specializes in Web Design, Development, SEO & Content Marketing. With this knowledge, skill set, and over 10 years of experience in the digital marketing industry, he aims to help online businesses accelerate their brands to the next level.