No matter how good your content is, it won’t make a difference if it doesn’t reach your audience. To achieve your marketing goals, you need an effective distribution strategy to guarantee that every piece of content you create gets the attention it deserves. In this e-book, you’ll learn everything you need to know about content promotion, including: · How to craft a killer content strategy · What types of content help achieve brand goals · The best distribution channels for your content · How to optimize each channel for maximum results · How to get media placement · How to measure your ROI and other metrics No matter how good your content is, it won’t make a difference if it doesn’t reach your audience. To achieve your marketing goals, you need an effective distribution strategy to guarantee that every piece of content you create gets the attention it deserves. In this e-book, you’ll learn everything you need to know about content promotion, including: · How to craft a killer content strategy · What types of content help achieve brand goals · The best distribution channels for your content · How to optimize each channel for maximum results · How to get media placement · How to measure your ROI and other metrics Let us know what you think, and if you have any visual content we can help you with, reach out to us at info@columnfivemedia.com

1. THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO
CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

2. As technology and media evolve,
brands must reach consumers in new
ways. Content marketing is the best
way to connect with consumers and
nurture a relationship, but without
a distribution strategy, your content
won’t reach your audience. So, where
do you start? What platforms should
you use? And how can you make
sure your efforts are working? In
this guide, we’ll give you all the tips,
tricks and info you need to make sure
your content is successful.
INTRO TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. CREATING CONTENT
a. Content Strategy
b. Content Types
c. Content Formats
d. Content Optimization
II. DISTRIBUTING CONTENT
a. Owned
b. Earned
c. Paid
II. MEASURING RESULTS
a. Metrics
b. Refining
1

3. CREATING CONTENT
Content distribution starts with
the content itself. The goal of good
content is to attract and acquire
a target audience that eventually
converts to customers or brand
advocates. To make this happen, you
need to think strategically and create
a content strategy.
2

4. 3) CREATE A DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
Where does your audience spend time online?
Which publications or paid strategies can
amplify your reach? With your audience and
engagement objective in mind, determine the
best channels for content distribution.
4) PRODUCE CREATIVE
Once you understand how to engage and
reach your audience, develop captivating
content that addresses both your
audience’s needs and your own goals.
1) IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE
Who are you trying to reach? What type
of content do they consume? When you
understand who your audience is, you
can create content they’ll be interested in.
2) IDENTIFY YOUR ENGAGEMENT OBJECTIVE
What do you want your audience to do
once they’ve interacted with your content?
Whether it’s social shares, page views or
demo downloads, decide what action you
want your audience to take.
TIP: Use an editorial
calendar to help schedule
publication and guide
strategic distribution.
3

5. Of course, just because you make
something doesn’t mean your
audience will be interested in it.
Different types of content serve
different purposes. Your content
strategy will inform which
approach to take, based on your
audience and goals. Consider the
following when brainstorming for
your content.
CONTENT TYPES
EVERGREEN
The quantity of content that’s being produced online
has far outpaced our capacity to consume it.
Well-crafted evergreen content provides value long after
it is created. Neil Patel advocates for more long-form,
in-depth evergreen pieces (1,500–3,000 words) to give your
audience more meaty material. Also consider including
experts and data to increase credibility—something
both consumers and social influencers are more likely to
gravitate toward.
NEWSWORTHY
Consumers and publishers are always looking for
news-related content; if you can tie your content to a
trending topic, it’s more likely to get attention. Check
Google Trends and the digital publications that you know
your audience frequents to stay on top of current events
and inspire ideas.
4

6. BRAND-CENTRIC
Brand-centric content tends to be more sales-oriented
and less personal. While this isn’t necessarily captivating
to a general audience, it can be useful to hone in on target
consumers who are further down the sales funnel. This
can include content such as product demos, tutorials and
explainer videos.
EDITORIAL
An editorial approach lets you create content that is more
accessible, shareable and interesting to a general audience.
This can include content meant for thought leadership,
entertainment or general education.
TIP: Writing for
publications such as Forbes,
Entrepreneur and Inc. is a
great way to build
thought leadership and
gain industry-specific
recognition.
TIP: Make sure you
have a good mix of
content that engages
your audience in
different ways,
enabling you to satisfy
multiple objectives.
5

7. There are many ways to tell your
story; however, some formats are
better for delivering certain types
of information. The best approach
is to create a healthy mix of
content. From short popcorn
posts (Seth Godin) and essay-style
posts (KISSmetrics) to SlideShares
and visual content, providing
different content experiences
will help attract and keep more
fans engaged.
2000 12 seconds
8 seconds
CONTENT FORMATS
The average consumer attention span has
significantly decreased. Choosing the right
format to deliver your message is vital.
(Source: Marketplace.org)
6
2013

8. PHOTOS
MOTION
GRAPHICS
SLIDESHOWS
VIDEOS/
VIDEOCASTS
INFOGRAPHICS AUDIOCASTS WEBINARS NEWSLETTERS
E-BOOKS INTERACTIVES BLOGS
CONTENT FORMATS
7

9. No matter what type of content you
create, consider ways to break it apart
and repurpose into other formats.
This is an efficient and economical
way to produce a bulk of content with
minimal effort. A white paper could
become a series of blog posts and an
infographic. A single data visualization
from that infographic could be an
Instagram post.
DIVISIBLE CONTENT
CORE ASSET
DIVISIBLES
MICRO-
CONTENT
INFOGRAPHIC
BLOG POST
BLOG
CONTENT
SLIDESHOW
INFOGRAPHIC
BLOG POST
8

10. Every piece of content you create
should include certain elements to help
increase its appeal and effectiveness.
Whether it’s a blog post, e-book
or infographic, make sure you are
optimizing all content.
CONTENT OPTIMIZATION
of people will read a title and share a post before even
reading the body text.
(Source: Brian Clark, founder of Copyblogger Media)
80%
9

11. ENGAGING CALL TO ACTION
At the end of your post, direct your audience to
take the next action, whether that’s subscribing,
liking or sharing.
SHAREABLE HEADLINE
An eye-catching headline is the best
way to pique the interest of both
publishers and your audience. (Use verbs,
keep between 60–100 characters and
experiment with different headlines.)
INTEGRATED SOCIAL SHARING
Tools like ClickToTweet make it easy for
readers to share interesting information
within your content.
10

12. DISTRIBUTING CONTENT
The most successful distribution plan
integrates a healthy mix of owned, earned
and paid strategies, each of which serve
a specific purpose. As you prepare to
distribute your content, assess your goals
and budget to decide which channels
will have the most impact. Consider the
audience each reaches, as well as the
content formats each supports.
11

13. OWNED
Blog, website, social accounts,
newsletter, etc.
Free; guaranteed placement; messaging control
EARNED
Social influencers, media
pickup
Credibility with publication audiences;
expanded reach; targeted thought leadership
PAID
Sponsored content, social
ads, content discovery/traffic
builders
Highly targeted; elevated exposure; guaranteed
placement
MEDIA TYPE BENEFITS
12

14. CONTENT
DISTRIBUTION
OWNED
EARNED PAID
Sponsored content,
social ads, content
discovery/traffic
builders
Social influencers,
media pickup
Blog, social,
newsletter
PUBLISHING ORDER
Distribution should always
point back to one central
publishing platform (most
commonly a blog) in order
to capture traffic, leads and
conversions. Publish content
to this central platform first,
then direct paid and earned
efforts back to the original
post to drive traffic and
engagement.
13

15. OWNED MEDIA
Your content will likely be published on your blog, through your
newsletter or somewhere within your company site. Wherever
content is published, make sure to include the following:
SOCIAL BUTTONS
Place the social share buttons at the beginning and end
of each post, unless you use an active scroll. Only give
the option to share from a few social networks that are
most relevant to your audience. (TechCrunch does a
good job of this.)
CALLS TO ACTION
Whether it’s a link to the next article or an e-book
download, provide something to entice readers to
click through.
Owned media channels are in your
control because, well, you own
them. This means you can own the
messaging and user experience,
making it a more cost-efficient and
flexible channel to serve your needs.
To make your content successful on
owned channels, make sure each is
optimized.
BLOG/NEWSLETTER OPTIMIZATION
14

16. LIST OPTIMIZATION
Make sure your list is clean. High bounce
rates mean low deliverability. There is no
point in having a long list if most people
delete, bounce or leave most emails
unopened.
EMAIL SUBSCRIBE BUTTON
Encourage your audience to subscribe
by making your email/newsletter
button highly visible.
SUBJECT LINES
Keep them punchy but concise, and avoid symbols.
Send emails to your subscribers from an actual person
(renee@onboardly.com) instead of a generic company
email to keep it more personal.
AUDIENCE SEGMENTATION
Send targeted emails to subscribers based
on past actions. If you personalize their
experience, they’re more likely to convert
and share.
TIP: Try to find ways to
promote older materials
within newer posts. It’s great
SEO practice to link internally
to all of your materials.
15

17. EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS
Notify subscribers once by email, a day after the piece has gone live.
This gives some lead time to get the social share numbers up, which
increases the chances that others will share.
FACEBOOK & GOOGLE PLUS
Post to these channels once on the first day of distribution.
BLOG
According to the Science of Social Timing and our own data,
the optimal times to publish posts are Monday and Thursday
at 9:30 a.m. EST, with most blogs being read at around 11
a.m EST. If you’re able to produce high-quality content more
frequently, experiment with different posting times.
TWITTER
Tweet your core piece of content 3–4 times the first day. Try creating
divisible content pieces from a larger piece, and tweet it out over a
week’s time. Whether these are juicy stats from an article or mini
graphics from a larger infographic, this micro-content will act as a
teaser to keep your larger story front and center.
Month, day, hour, minute and device—all these factors come into play when publishing and promoting your work. Track
your audience to learn their most active time periods.
TIMING YOUR PUBLISHING
16

18. 1) MAKE FRIENDS BEFORE YOU NEED THEM
The day or week before you want media coverage is not the
time to accost journalists or influencers. That approach will
often backfire. Build your network before you need it, and
engage in a sincere way to show you care about the quality
content they are creating.
2) DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Not every story will resonate with every journalist. Before
pitching, read a dozen articles written by the journalist to
make sure your story is the right fit. This will save you—and
your contact—valuable time and energy.
Third-party content validation
can significantly increase your
content’s reach—and give you
more credibility. Whether it’s a
tweet from a popular influencer or
full editorial coverage on a major
publication such as Mashable,
this type of exposure is incredibly
valuable. But creating these
mutually beneficial relationships
takes some work.
EARNED MEDIA
5 RULES FOR MEDIA OUTREACH
TIP: Set yourself
active reminders to
engage with 10–20
influencers weekly,
and regularly read
journalists’ content.
17

19. 4) OFFER AN EXCLUSIVE
Publishers want content their competitors don’t have. Offering an
exclusive will give them the freshest angle and data, while increasing
the likelihood that they will want to use your content in a story.
5) CONSIDER CUSTOM CONTENT
Tailoring a specific piece of content for a specific audience greatly
increases your chance of placement. Reach out to publishers in
advance to pitch a unique topic or visual content idea. This shows
you care about what they want (because you should) and helps
nurture your relationship.
3) SELL A STORY, NOT YOUR BRAND
Journalists and influencers don’t care about your product or
service; they care about educating and engaging their readers.
Learn how to communicate why the visual content you are
sharing with them is relevant or ties into an existing story. For
influencers, try a soft pitch; send a few bullet points and ask if
they’d like to hear more.
TIP: A 24-hour exclusive can
help secure placement with
your preferred publisher
and give you an opportunity
to share with additional
publications after.
18

20. PAID MEDIA
Paid media ensures placement
across a number of platforms, and
there are many options to choose
from. Consider which paid media is
most likely to attract your specific
audience and serve your goals and
budget.
SOCIAL ADS
As social sites continue to figure out how to monetize their business, your
company posts are getting seen by fewer and fewer people. Boosting a post
on Facebook can greatly increase your chances of visibility, and almost all
social sites now have paid amplification options (think sponsored tweets,
promoted pins, etc.).
TIP: If you already have a
solid social following (1,000+
followers), try promoted
content (sponsored tweets,
Facebook post boosts, etc.).
If you still need to grow
your following, start by
sponsoring your page
to get more visibility.
19

21. CONTENT DISCOVERY AND TRAFFIC BUILDERS
In the past five years, companies such as Outbrain, Taboola, and
StumbleUpon have gained popularity due to their ability to help
you recommend your own content on top sites. They’re similar to
suggested posts but apply specifically to your content on more
established sites or networks.
NATIVE ADS AND SPONSORED POSTS
Native ads can connect with a built-in audience by providing
quality content that would naturally fit on a particular site,
making it feel like a “native” or natural experience. Most large
publications have some level of sponsored post or native ad
offerings. (Vox Media and Forbes do these well.)
TIP: There are also some great
platforms, such as Nativo and
Sharethrough, that can help
automate and scale these
efforts, as well as report on
results. Experiment both with
platforms and single-publisher
media buys to determine what
works best for your audience.
20

22. MEASURING RESULTS
Content marketing has grown exponentially over the
past few years, but it still has a reputation for being
“intangible.” Fortunately, you can track and measure
your efforts through core metrics, each of which track
success at a different stage of the sales funnel.
21

23. AWARENESS
METRICS TO MEASURE
CONSIDERATION CONVERSION PURCHASE
Number of unique visitors
Number of page views
Percentage of new visitors
Acquisition sources (where
your traffic is coming from,
which referring sources are
performing the best, etc.)
Bounce rate
Time on site
Number of pages/session
Number of social shares
Conversion rate based on
goals (newsletter/blog sign-up,
request a demo, contact sales,
e-book download)
Acquiring
new visitors is
important, but
your most valuable
customer will come
back time and
time again.
This category of
metrics is most
important to your
content marketing
strategy.
Email open rate
Email clickthrough rate
Number of repeat visitors
(3+ visits in 30 days)
Conversion to sale/revenue
Number of repeat purchases
Measuring traffic is
a great way to gauge
how much interest
your content has
generated.
Content that gets
visitors to your
site is great, but
it’s important to
encourage and
measure how well
that content
engages them.
22

24. REFINE YOUR APPROACH
Each brand has unique content
marketing needs. Throughout your
process, continue to tweak, test and
refine your strategy to determine
what’s right for your brand.
CHOOSE METRICS WISELY
It’s easy to get overwhelmed
when tracking metrics. Choose
a maximum of three metrics per
category to measure, report on
and judge success by. Every step
of the funnel is important, but if
you try to measure and improve
too many metrics, you’ll invariably
get overwhelmed.
23

25. info@columnfive.com
949.614.0759
@columnfive
Column Five is an industry-leading visual content agency, specializing in infographic design and data
visualization. Learn more about creating and distributing visual content at www.columnfivemedia.com.
Onboardly is a Demand Marketing agency. We help small and medium-sized companies fast-track
visibility, brand awareness and lead generation. We work at the intersection where public relations,
content marketing and social media meet, to deliver marketing that gets results.
info@onboardly.com
www.onboardly.com
@onboardly