There is no simple formula to use that will determine the content distribution channel that is right for your business. Several factors must be considered, including your goals, target audience and budget. Furthermore, your needs will shift over time as your business grows.
Where to begin
If you’ve been struggling with content distribution, you can help narrow your focus by answering the following questions:
- Can free distribution platforms give you a valuable ROI?
- Do some platforms have a clear advantage over others?
- How do paid channels stack up?
- What are your goals? More revenue? Broader reach? Something else?
- Which channels are most relevant to your brand?
Making a case for paid distribution
As the amount of online content increases exponentially and consumer attention spans grow shorter right alongside, using unpaid platforms can be ineffective.
Paid distribution channels can dramatically reduce the amount of time and effort you’re spending on pushing content by guaranteeing you will always reach your audience. That translates into higher site traffic and motivated visitors more willing to engage with your brand, which means quality lead generation, more conversions, and stronger growth in your subscriber base.
In the end, it’s likely that a paid distribution platform will yield a greater ROI than spending an inordinate amount of time tossing content around on free channels, hoping that something will stick.
Types of paid channels
If it sounds like a paid channel could be a good fit for your business, you’ll want to take a closer look at several different types to decide which is best for your needs.
- Content discovery tools: By using relevant metadata, these tools help deliver focused, personalised content to users. Examples include Klout, Nativo, and Adblade.
- Social networks: More than 51% of B2B marketers are using social media ads, which are different than boosted or promoted posts.
- Paid search ads: Google is the biggest player, but other search engines also offer paid advertising to help marketers distribute and promote content.
Conclusion
Making the leap to paid content distribution can be daunting, but with some careful planning and goal-setting you can secure a good ROI and boost your bottom line.
