Every marketer wants their content to reach as many eyeballs as possible. But with an almost unfathomable amount of content created every minute of every day, how can you make this happen? If your content marketing strategy consists of nothing more than creating the content, applying SEO best practices and hoping for the best, you’re not doing enough. To make your content go truly viral, you need to re-think how you’re promoting and distributing your content.
What’s that you say? You’re not actually promoting and distributing your content? You’ve come to the right place. Below, I’ve outlined an easy five-step plan to get you started.
Diversify Your Platforms
When most marketers think of content, things like blog posts and white papers typically come to mind. But not everyone in your target market wants to read blog posts and white papers. Some might prefer something fun and visual like infographics or videos. Others might only read content on their mobile devices when they’re waiting in line or sitting on the train, meaning they want content that’s easily downloadable and readable on a small screen.
If your content is too focused on one format, get to work slicing and dicing what you already have to add options for your readers. For example, recycling a recent webinar into a Slideshare presentation might be perfect for readers on the go.
Make It Shareable
Use the social media trinity—Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter—to share your content with the masses. But explore other outlets, like Tumblr or Instagram, too, to reach more niche communities. Include social sharing buttons on everything you create, and don’t be shy about sending links to colleagues, clients and friends who might be interested in what you’ve written.
Even better: Direct your post to an industry thought leader and give him/her a reason to want to share your content with his/her audience. The more direct and specialized your target, the more likely your content will be appreciated and circulated.
Guest Post & Syndicate
You probably already read a blog or two that’s related to your industry or target market. You may even read content from a website that uses curated, syndicated content. These blogs and websites are like hungry beasts that need to be fed a steady stream of outstanding content.
If your area of expertise means you can provide value for the blog or website’s readers, that webmaster wants to talk to you.
Guest posting and syndicating your content can help you access an established audience and give you more bang for your content creation buck.
Pay to Be Heard
It can be tempting to pay to promote your content on top social media sites, but know your objective before shelling out an investment.
For instance, if you’re trying to connect with a top influencer on LinkedIn, networking your way to the connection might be more effective than paying to promote your content. If you’re trying to build brand awareness, Facebook domain ads might be smart, whereas if you’re trying to grow your audience, Sponsored Stories might be more appropriate. Or, a service which promotes your content on publisher websites that are already engaging your target audience.
Test out different ad and paid promotion methods to see what works best for your content and your market.
Follow Up
Once your content promotion and distribution strategies are underway, it’s important to keep tabs on how your efforts have paid off so that you can continually tweak your approach for continually better results.
Also, think about paying it forward. Re-tweet influencers’ articles, invite writers to guest blog on your site, and participate in your industry’s community as a reader. Be conscious of how you find the content you’re looking for, and promote and distribute your own content accordingly.
After you’ve followed these steps, the only thing left to do will be to sit back, put your feet up and watch your page views soar.
How to Write a Blog Post: 68 Blog Post Ideas
Sometimes the hardest part about writing a blog post – or writing anything, for that matter – is getting started. If you’re nodding your head at that, then this article is for you!
Below are 68 blog post ideas and blog post templates, guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing and your fingers flying across the keyboard.
So please, take these ideas and run with them. After reading through these suggestions, you may end up discovering that the hard part of blogging isn’t knowing how to write a blog post after all … it’s choosing which idea to follow!
- The “Personal Story” Article
- Your Personal Story (how you got started, etc.)
- Your Own Goals (track your own results over time)
- X Things You Might Not Know About Me
- Why I Don’t Do X
- Things I’ve Learned
- Things I Wish I’d Done Differently
- Inspirational Triumph Story
- I’m Grateful for X
- What Motivates Me
- Words of Wisdom
- The “Covering the Basics” Article
- The Beginner’s Guide to X
- How to Start X
- How to Accomplish X
- The Making of X
- Principles of X
- X Overview
- The Best Routine for X
- X Tools You Need to Y
- X Things to Do Before You Y
- X Things to Do After You Y
- Top 10 List
- Checklist for X
- Top Ways to Get Ready for X
- 3 Stages of X
- Things to Avoid in X
- Pros and Cons of X
- How to Overcome Obstacles
- Industry Jargon Explained
- Frequently Asked Questions about X
- The “Case Study” Article
- Interesting Success Story
- Recipe for Success with X
- Interview an Expert
- (Famous Person’s) Guide to X
- The “Insider Secrets” Article
- The Secret to X
- X Lessons My Mentor Never Taught Me
- X Reasons Why You Should Y
- X Reasons Why You Should Never Y
- X Ways to Gain Y
- X Steps to Be Free of Y
- Top Shortcuts to X
- Tricks to Do X
- Beware of X
- X Myth: Busted!
- X Golden Rules of Y
- How to X in Y Time
- How to Save Time Doing X
- The X that No One Talks About
- The Perfect Cure for X
- Symptoms of X Problem to Watch for
- The “Current Events” Article
- Book Review
- State a Controversial Opinion
- What If?
- Industry News
- Industry Trends
- Industry Gossip
- How (Current Event) Relates to Y
- Product Review
- Product Showdowns (side-by-side comparisons)
- Survey Results (create your own survey and publish the results)
- Blog Post Roundup
- The “Reader Perspective” Article
- Quick Quiz
- Ask the Reader
- “Dear Abby”
- The “Seasonal” Article
- How X Holiday/Season Relates to Y
- New Year Resolutions
- Looking Back/A Year in Review
- Make a Prediction
- How X Has Changed over Time/Reflections on History
