Course Content Distribution and Syndication

Not only will I discuss some of the resources you can use for both content distribution and syndication, but also, I’ll give you a few ideas on how to use each of them. Of course, content distribution and syndication are a great way to successfully market your course.

In case you don’t already know, content distribution refers to sharing, publishing, and promoting content to online audiences using various forms of media through different media channels. Moreover, content distribution platforms are on the increase with more springing up every day. Significantly they come in three basic categories. Those are paid media, owned media and earned media.

Furthermore, content syndication is a way to republish content to other sites with the goal of reaching a wider audience. Syndicated content not only increases your reach, but it also raises your brand awareness whilst building links. In addition, it helps drive traffic to your course or article.

So, there are lots of resources available for course content distribution and syndication to help you utilize them as valuable marketing tools.

Let’s Look at Content Distribution Categories

Paid Media

With this type of distribution, brands must pay to use and access specific media to achieve a wider reach for their content. People are already on these platforms so you can benefit from this and build your presence effectively. Make sure the ads you run, e.g., Facebook Ads or PPC (Pay Per Click) always direct the prospect back to your own media. Other examples you could consider using would be to enlist an influencer to share your content or perhaps think about investing in display advertising.

Owned Media

This type of media typically consists of content or promotional components that you’ve created. Effectively meaning that you are in full control of it and not subject to the rules and algorithms of others. Of course, this includes your blogs, websites, and social media channel itself. Another key point to remember is that you should place your core content on your own platform to make sure your content isn’t subject to unpredictable rule changes.

Earned Media

This is one of the most effective ways to spread the word about your products and services. Importantly, it goes a long way to building trust in your brand. Additionally, it builds your credibility and helps your audience to see you as an expert in your niche. Furthermore, your organic reach on the search engines can be boosted by earned media. It can also potentially lead to viral content. Examples of earned media include, word-of-mouth, recommendations, reviews, reposts, shares and so on.

Creating Your Content Distribution Plan

There are a few things worth considering when you’re creating your content distribution plan. It’s important to select the type of content you’re going to publish to market your course and the places where you want to publish it. You might decide to focus on your blog because you have a significant number of subscribers. Or you may decide to promote on social media or an advertising channel. Remember, it’s crucial you target where your audience is hanging out.

Here are just a few options:

• Your website or blog
• Email
• Case Studies
• How-to guides or tutorial
• Newsletters
• eBooks
• Podcasting
• Social media
• Facebook Groups
• Infographics
• Paid ads

Let’s Look at Some Content Distribution Platforms

1. HARO (Help A Reporter Out) is a free platform where you can sign-up to receive notifications from journalists looking to tap into the knowledge of experts in particular niches and industries. You can pitch your content to journalists who are looking for sources for their upcoming articles. You can choose to receive all reporter inquiries or just select specific industries.

2. Medium is a publishing platform that attracts insightful writers, storytellers and others who want to read important stories.

3. BuySellAds is a paid platform you can use to run ad placements on specific niche websites. The ad inventory is for banners, native ads, and sponsored content.

4. Google Ads is a paid media platform owned by Google. You can pay to display ads for service offerings, products, and video content.

5. Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads) are an alternative to Google Ads and presents a fantastic opportunity to generate leads at a relatively lower cost.

6. Disqus Ads is a paid platform. Their sponsored story unit lets you run ads where you can target people on over 10,000 sites.

More Content Distribution Platforms

7. Forbes Brand Voice is a paid platform that will connect your brand with Forbes‘ influential global audiences. You can publish your content to the editorial streams. Forbes will circulate your content across their social media accounts.

8. Chamber of Commerce is a free or paid platform. Your local Chamber of Commerce is great for business networking. It will effectively help promote members to other business owners in the local area through their email newsletter.

9. Facebook Ads is another paid media platform. On this platform you can create do-it-yourself ads that can be targeted across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.

10. Facebook Groups have become more and more popular recently. Essentially, there are groups on every subject imaginable from baking to DIY to maths formulas. Facebook Groups is a free or paid niche media platform. Look for groups relevant to your course subject with at least 10+ Likes or comments on their most recent posts. Go ahead and join the group and get involved in actively contributing before sharing your content. You can contact the group owner and make clear why you think members would enjoy it. Always seek permission before you post your course information as sharing it may be against the group rules.

11. Facebook remains the most popular social media platform. There are so many options for sharing your content here, such as videos, photos, GIFs, blog post links and live videos. You can share valuable, engaging, useful content about your course here to raise your profile and gain trust.

12. Instagram is a free photo and video-sharing social media platform. Contact people with similar follower counts and fan base to you. Ask them if they’d like to promote your content to their followers in exchange for you promoting one of theirs.

A Few More Content Distribution Platforms

13. YouTube is a free platform for uploading your videos. It’s a brilliant platform for sharing teaser content about your course.

14. Vimeo is a free and paid video sharing site that has tools for hosting, sharing and streaming videos. The paid version allows you to upload videos that can then be published on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles as native videos.

15. Reddit is steadily growing and is a popular free discussion website. It has a constantly updating feed of breaking news, fun and unusual stories, in addition to images, memes and videos. Find relevant subreddits related to your subject, add an intro and why you created it with the link to your content. Use bullet points to break down the key takeaways.

16. Pinterest is a free social media platform focusing mainly on images. It continues to grow and is popular for sharing home ideas, travel ideas, recipes, interior design ideas and other lifestyle-based content. Use images from your content to pin to group boards to gain more visibility.

17. LinkedIn is a free professional networking platform that connects professionals globally. You can post updates, photos, videos and join groups. You can also send messages to people you’re not connected with through InMail.

Syndicated Content Tips

Syndicated Content is the republishing and repurposing of your content on other sites to reach a wider audience. If you’ve never thought about republishing your content on other people’s sites, then you should certainly consider it. Getting your content in front of a new and different audience can generate positive results. However, not all sites allow content syndication. Therefore, always check to make sure the site you have decided to repurpose your content to accepts republished content. It’s important to reserve some of your best pieces of content yourself so that you have total control over it. Remember to produce content that will appeal to, and engage with, the publishers target audience.

There are several ways you can publish your content including:

• Free content syndication services such as HubPages, SlideShare, WikiHow.

• Partnership websites which allow you to republish syndicated content.

• Paid services where you pay a specific fee to have your content published on their network.

• Ad supported is a strategy where you get rewarded for your super content by receiving a percentage of the syndication service’s revenue they get from advertising.

• Licensed blog syndication allows you to make money from royalties when people access your content.

Content Syndication Networks

Content syndication networks are the services that deliver your content across the numerous news and blog sites within their network.

Let’s look at a few of the options for doing this:

• Outbrain is a content discovery and marketing platform. It recommends your content to top media sites like CNN and Time which helps readers to find out about it.

• As mentioned previously, SlideShare is a free to use tool and part of LinkedIn‘s affiliate network. You can upload your content in the form of a slideshow and targeted search viewers can watch it whenever they want.

• Arc XP is PR Newswire‘s press release service. It distributes your content across an expansive area of networks encouraging engagement opportunities. These include blogs, news, and social sites.

• As mentioned previously, Medium is an easy-to-use online publishing platform. It allows you to syndicate your own content and links with your social media profiles.

Tips for Getting Syndicated

• Perfect your pitch. Syndication is a lot like guest blogging, and you have to work on building a relationship. Once you’ve established a strong connection send a personalised pitch of your offer for republishing your content.

• Ensure you always provide a link back to the original content.

• Create a content marketing strategy using syndication. Endeavour to forge multiple partnerships that can help you to build momentum with your syndicated content.

• It goes without saying that you should always create stellar content!

Start creating a content syndication strategy for your course content and gain more exposure to audiences you wouldn’t normally have access to.

To Your Success!