We have talked a lot about content distribution here on the Streams blog. If you haven’t already you should check out these blogs to learn more about content distribution strategy.
Content Distribution: How to Create a Successful Strategy
Content Distribution: The Key to A Successful Content Strategy
Streams Update: New Features To Help You Discover and Distribute Content
We know that sometimes it can get frustrating watching your competitors get press and backlinks and you are wondering why your content is not getting the same kind of attention.
It's easy to make the excuse that it is down to luck. But by leveraging the power of your network you can change that mentality.
In this simple step-by-step guide, we will share with you the ways you can leverage your network to improve your content distribution and in turn build more awareness around your brand.
Working with an in-house marketing team has some drawbacks. Your talented in-house writers may not have the built-in audience and distribution network that you are searching for.
The solution, build in content distribution to your marketing strategy. It is not enough to simply create the content but during the creation process, you should be thinking about the external writers and publisher you are going to reach out to, to share your content.
This cannot be an afterthought. It needs to be built into the strategy. You should be outreaching to writers before you create because they will often come back to you saying either no it's not a good idea (in which case you may need to change your content), or yes but there needs to be something changed.
To leverage your network you need to remember they are people. You are targeting an individual, not a company.
Don’t be too broad in your search and try to leverage your connections with everyone you know. Think about the content you are creating – what specific people do you know who would be interested in your content and why?
When you approach your network to help you with content distribution, you need to show them you have really thought about them as a choice. You need to personalise your outreach. Explain why that person and their audience would enjoy your content.
To leverage your network you should not limit yourself to simply people who can distribute your content. You also need to think about strategic contacts – these are people who can make introductions for you.
With the prevalence of social media and especially Linkedin where you can see the degree of connection you have with individuals, there is no need for cold emailing anymore.
Creating a list of strategic contacts is simple with LinkedIn’s “Advanced Search Tools”.
When creating your list of contacts to target some things to keep in mind include:
Now you have established your list of contacts it's time to reach out to them.
We have written a full guide to crafting the perfect outreach email. This will give you everything you need to write an email that gets a response and gets your content shared.
An additional top tip to consider when leveraging your network is to tie in your personal connection to the person. Do you have a mutual contact in common? Did you attend the same school? Did you both go to the same conference last month?
This is a great way to establish a strong network and make sure you are not another name in their inbox that is simply forgotten.
Content distribution is a key part of content strategy – and leveraging your network makes distribution easy. You have more contacts than you think and with some thoughtful outreach, many of them will be happy to share your high-quality content.
See inspirations here:
Having a handy content curation tool to help you out can save you a lot of time and frustration with your strategy. Streams is a powerful marketing tool that can help you find trending content in your niche. Try it out today by signing up for a 14 day free trial!
