8 Types Of Content Distribution Channels To Consider

Intro

As content creators, we all strive to create valuable content that resonates with our audience. However, creating great content is only half the battle. The other half is getting that content in front of the right people. This is where content distribution comes in.

With so many channels available, deciding which ones to focus on can be overwhelming. In this article, we'll explore the best types of content distribution channels to consider so you can effectively promote your content and reach your target audience. Let’s get right to it!

Source

Your Website Is Your Go-To

Your website is your best content distribution channel, but only if you play your cards right. Every piece of content you put out on this outlet can positively impact your bottom line.

However, people won’t visit your website just because you have published your content. You need to make your audience aware of your content. Optimizing the target keywords in your content is a great way to increase your website’s visibility. By researching the keywords that your audience searches on Google and strategically mentioning them in your content, you increase your chances of ranking on search engines, resulting in more traffic, You have found the top rated Long Beach seo expert in California..

It’s important to find terms with high search volumes and low competition when conducting keyword research. Using these in your blog strategy enables you to maximize their traffic once they start showing up on top of Google searches for your keywords.

If you’re working with a content team, it’s in your best interest to use tools for content collaboration. They help streamline your content creation process by assigning keywords for writers to write about and setting up a publishing schedule for each. This enables your brand to create a steady stream of content that your audience can watch out for.

To make your content more shareable on your site, include eye-catching headlines, images, and videos. Also, use bullet points and subheadings to break up the text and make it easier to read.

Video Platforms Offer Dynamic Engagement

There’s a reason why YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google. Videos are engaging, easy to consume, and communicate your message in a dynamic and interactive way. And while there are other platforms like Vimeo and Dailymotion where you can post your video content, none of them have the reach and popularity that YouTube has.

To get the ball rolling, you must first create a channel and upload your videos. If you want to eventually gain a massive audience, you must also develop a video marketing strategy for the YouTube search algorithm. This will make it easier for YouTube to favor your videos and show them to more people.

Since YouTube is also a search engine, optimizing your videos for search queries is necessary. Find what people are searching for on the platform, how many searches it gets in a month, and the competitors you’re going up against for the term. This way, you can target keywords that will get more eyeballs to your videos.

Of course, while increasing your visibility on video platforms is one thing, making your videos high-quality and engaging is another challenge entirely. Use a mix of visuals, audio, and text to keep viewers interested. Consider adding subtitles to your videos to make them accessible to a broader audience.

Podcasts Provide Insight

Source

There’s a good chance you’ve listened to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify while on a jog, doing menial tasks at home, or traveling in your car. Podcasts are easy to consume and can run in the background while listeners still get value out of them. This is why people conduct interviews and discuss thought leadership on this distribution channel.

If you’re interested in launching a podcast for your business, use podcast recording tools to ensure that the quality and sound of your voice are crystal-clear and easy to understand.

Just as important, you need to determine the topic you’ll be discussing and the approach of your podcast channel. Most podcasters use this distribution channel to connect with influential people in their industries by interviewing them. By having people with lots of followers and clout, you can also increase your visibility and popularity.

Some prefer solo podcasts to distribute their content. This is an uphill battle unless you already have an audience in place. However, the goal remains the same: provide listeners with useful information and insights as a subject-matter expert. The value your podcasts bring to them determines how many listeners you can rake in over time.

Online Courses Help Your Audience

Industry leaders bank on online courses as a distribution channel and in turn make bank with them. You can create and sell online courses to monetize your expertise and help give your audience the blueprint and processes to achieve their goals faster.

However, building a profitable online course is a tall order. Since people will be paying for it, you have to deliver information that either hasn’t been shared yet by others or build upon ideas that have already been discussed.

Once you’ve decided on a topic, ensure the course is engaging and interactive. Break the monotony of video lessons by including quizzes, assignments, and discussions. Your courses also should be well-structured and easy to follow, with clear learning objectives and outcomes.

Next, you can upload your online course on the following:

• Udemy
• Coursera
• EdX
• Skillshare
• LinkedIn Learning

Not only can these platforms host your courses, but they also offer marketing and promotional tools to help you reach a wider audience.

The Versatility of Social Media

Source

Social media is arguably the most versatile content distribution channel on the list. You can post any content type here to increase your audience's engagement. You can also use it to amplify the visibility and traffic of your published content, like blog posts, videos, podcasts, and more.

To achieve social media success, you must first learn how to build a massive following. Knowing who your audience is and what their needs and wants will help you get the ball rolling. Only then will you be able to identify which platforms to use since your audience won’t be engaged in every social media site. This lets you focus your energies on a handful of platforms, from Facebook to Instagram, and maximize your output.

From here, create profiles that match your brand. You can design the graphics and choose the appropriate colors for each or ask help from a branding agency to get the job done for you.

Next, develop a content calendar for posts you publish on these channels. It’s important to mix things up by posting different post types. Aside from promoting content on your other distribution channels, consider running polls, asking questions, or sharing nuggets of information that will be helpful to your audience.

Also, consider adding user-generated content (UGC) to your social media content strategy. Mobilizing your fans, customers, or even influencers to talk about your brand online is a great way to foster trust with your audience. This is especially true if the UGC is a genuine positive review about your business and their experience with it.

You can organize your efforts by using UGC platforms to collect testimonials, short-form videos, and photos showcasing your products or services. Feature the best user-generated content on social media for more people to see.

Regularly publishing these posts gives your audience more reason to follow you on these platforms. Not to mention, you need to reply, comment, and engage with users to increase your visibility on your chosen channels, thus encouraging them to follow you as well.

Convert with Email

Like social media, emails let you distribute content to specific people in your audience. But what makes email arguably better is that it has the highest conversion rate among all distribution channels. The fact that they gave you consent to send emails to their inbox means there’s a great chance they’ll open and read your emails.

To prime your email marketing for success, however, you need to build and segment your email list and create drip-feed campaigns for each one where you can share your expertise, send newsletters, and promote your other content.

When creating email campaigns, determine how often you want to send them out. You don't want to send too many at once and risk overwhelming your subscribers, but you also want to send only a few and risk being forgotten. You can refer to your analytics to see how subscribers respond to your email depending on its frequency. Use the information here to iterate your publishing schedule as needed.

You can perform all the above using a marketing automation tool of your choice. It also has premade templates you can choose from when creating your emails. Decide on the template and edit it according to your brand using its built-in editor. From here, you’re ready to type in your content.

Finally, include a clear call-to-action in your emails. You can ask your subscribers to share your content on social media or visit a page on your site to learn more about what you discussed in your email.

Ads Widen Your Reach

Source

Finally, if you’re looking to go all out on your promotions strategy, go with paid advertisements. This content distribution channel goes above and beyond to increase your brand visibility in ways that none of the platforms above can reach. This makes them an indispensable part of your content marketing campaign.

However, as a paid channel, you must do your due diligence before launching one. Decide on the ad type you want to promote your brand on. Pay-per-click (PPC) ads appear on top of search engines, while social media ads appear on your target audience's feeds. To help you find the right one for you, know which of your audience frequently to more online.

Next, set a budget for how much you’ll spend on your campaign. If you’re just getting started, you can allot a nominal amount to test the effectiveness of this channel. At the same time, you need to dedicate time to developing the ads that your audience will see. It’s a delicate balance of cost and time to get the most out of your ads.

Once the test campaign concludes, check the results and see if it’s worth continuing on this channel. Consider changing the ad copy, graphics, keywords you’re bidding for (for PPC ads) or the demographics (for social media ads).

Conclusion

Content distribution is a crucial aspect of any successful content marketing strategy. With the right distribution channels, you can reach your target audience, increase engagement, and drive traffic to your website.

Consider the content distribution channel types we've explored in this article. Identify the most effective channels for your brand to maximize your reach. Remember to monitor your analytics and adjust your strategy to ensure you get the most out of your content distribution efforts. Good luck!