Struggling to reach new customers online? You are not alone. Turns out, simply publishing content regularly is not enough. To maximise your content’s impact, you must ensure it reaches the right audience – the decision-makers and influencers who can benefit from your expertise.
That is where content syndication steps in. Around 80% of marketing professionals consider B2B content syndication to be the most powerful lead-generation strategy. It is like sharing your best content with a wider audience, on websites and platforms they already visit.
Today we discuss what content syndication is, why it is important, and how you can use it to get your content seen by more people.
What is Content Syndication?
Content syndication is to share a content on other relevant websites and platforms, mostly in a different form, to reach a larger audience. It allows creators like bloggers, publishers, or entrepreneurs to reach a wider audience and increase the visibility of their content.
The process involves sharing articles, blog posts, videos, or other media on third-party platforms, and then making the content visible to their audience.
Here is how it works:
- Create high-quality content like articles, videos or podcasts
- Find third-party websites or platforms frequented by your target audience.
- Share a different version of the content, ideally in a different format.
It is a win-win situation that allows you to get your content in front of more eyes without having to create entirely new material constantly. Think of it as extending the reach of your valuable knowledge and insights beyond your website.
What are the Different Ways of Content Syndication?
Syndication of content helps improve SEO rankings for both parties by increasing backlinks and generating organic traffic. To avoid any potential problems or conflicts, it is essential to have explicit agreements on the use of content, copyrights, and exclusivity to facilitate successful syndication. You can use the following formats to syndicate your content across multiple platforms:
- Guest Blogging
Share your expertise by writing articles for relevant industry publications, reaching their established audience base.
- Social Media Syndication
Utilise platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter or industry-specific groups to engage with potential leads and share content snippets.
- Infographic Syndication
Partner with websites that cater to your target audience to showcase your data insights visually.
- Video Syndication
Publish engaging videos on platforms like YouTube or industry-specific channels to reach a wider audience.
- Syndication Networks
Leverage platforms like Outbrain or Taboola to distribute it to content syndication partners across a network of websites for amplification.
How to Successfully Syndicate Content?
As we discussed earlier, you can increase brand visibility and reach new audiences if you syndicate your content effectively.
Read the 10 steps below to understand how to successfully syndicate content:
1. Create High-Quality, Evergreen Content
The creation of top-notch and unique content is a key component of effective syndication. The data must be useful and relevant to your intended audience. Evergreen content can be updated or reused for syndication on various platforms as its value is retained over time.
2. Identify Relevant Syndication Channels
Not every platform is appropriate for distributing your content. Choose industry or niche-specific platforms where your content will be most relevant for your audience is most active. Industry-specific websites, content-finding tools, and social media networks can be your best syndication channels.
Now, how should you find the best websites for your content?
You can try searching with these strings along with the topic or industry you are writing for:
- “This article originally appeared on” + topic
- “Originally published on” + topic
- “Published with permission from” + topic
- “First published in” + topic
For instance, if you are looking for syndication partner to republish financial blogs, here is what you can do:
3. Build Relationships with Syndication Partners
Successful content distribution requires building trusting connections with syndication partners. Connect with bloggers, website owners, and industry influencers who can assist you in syndicating your content. Merge hands with them to reach more people.
4. Customise Content for Each Platform
Avoid using a one-size-fits-all approach when syndicating content. Make sure that your content is specific to each platform’s audience to meet their tastes and expectations. This might include modifying the structure, tone, and images to fit the aesthetic of the platform.
For example:
- For LinkedIn: Publish a professional, data-driven article.
- For Facebook: Share an engaging video or infographic.
- For Twitter: Post bite-sized tips with a link to the full article
5. Implement Proper Attribution and Canonical Tags
Make sure that syndicated content has accurate attribution and canonical tags to prevent problems with duplicate content. This will alert search engines to the content’s source and help avoid any penalties for duplicate content.
6. Time Content Publication Strategically
When syndicating content, timing is essential. Work together with your syndication partners to plan a strategic release date for your content. Take into account the times of day when your target market is most engaged on each site.
7. Monitor and Analyse Performance
Keep an eye on how your syndicated content is performing across various platforms. To evaluate the success of your syndication strategy, look at measures like traffic, engagement, and conversions. Utilise this information to improve your strategy and concentrate on the most effective channels.
8. Encourage Audience Participation
Respond to feedback, comments, and questions from your audience on the syndication platforms. Developing a relationship with your audience might result in more people sharing your content and being more devoted to your brand.
9. Leverage Influencers and Guest Posting Opportunities
To increase the reach of your syndicated content, work with influencers in your sector. Additionally, guest posting on relevant websites can help you tap into new audiences and establish your authority in the field.
10. Measure ROI and Adapt Your Strategy
Finally, measure the return on investment (ROI) of your syndication efforts. In terms of improved website traffic, lead generation, and brand visibility, evaluates the advantages. As a result of the findings, modify your plan and add new elements for subsequent syndication campaigns.
Why Should B2B Marketers Consider Content Syndication?
Content syndication unlocks multiple benefits, making it a powerful tool for B2B content marketing:
1. Enhanced Content Exposure:
Reach a significantly wider audience beyond your existing website visitors. By strategically choosing syndication partners, you expose your content to a targeted audience already interested in your industry and value proposition.
2. Lead Generation Technique:
Attract qualified leads by strategically placing your content on platforms frequented by potential customers. By offering valuable information that addresses their pain points, you establish yourself as a trusted resource and nurture leads through the sales funnel.
3. The Link-Building Advantage:
Backlinks from high-authority websites significantly improve your website’s search engine ranking (SEO). Content syndication on established platforms can significantly bolster your SEO profile and enhance your brand’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).
4. Content Optimisation and Repurposing:
Do not have the bandwidth to constantly create fresh content? Syndication allows you to repurpose existing high-performing pieces into different formats, maximising their reach and impact.
5. Efficient Content Recycling:
Revitalise older, valuable content by strategically syndicating it on new platforms. Breathe new life into your content library and ensure valuable information reaches a wider audience. Content tracking can come into use here to monitor already existing website content and improve it.
6. Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy:
Compared to traditional advertising methods, content syndication offers a cost-effective way to reach a vast audience. When a content distribution strategy is properly executed, it can yield significant returns on investment.
7. Increased Website Traffic:
Content syndication acts as a magnet, attracting qualified leads back to your website. You can potentially generate conversions and drive sales by engaging leads with valuable content and directing them to your website for more information.
Drawbacks of Content Syndication and Mitigating the Risks
While content syndication offers numerous advantages, it is essential to be aware of potential drawbacks. Amateur attempts at paid content syndication can be resource intensive and cause negative repercussions. Here are some potential roadblocks to consider, along with strategies to navigate them:
1. SEO Impact
The Risk: Imagine syndicating your meticulously crafted content on third-party websites and both of them have the same keywords. This poses the risk of keyword cannibalism where the content published on your own website may take a hit.
Mitigating the Risk: Be meticulous about the content being syndicated and its keywords. Spare the top performing content that are at the peak of their life cycle. And learn the best ways to improve your SEO to get the most out of your syndication campaign.
2. Spammy Neighbors
The Risk: Partnering with websites that scream “spam” with flashing ads and misleading content can tarnish your brand image. By association, your content might be perceived as less valuable, deterring potential customers.
Mitigating the Risk: Scrutinise potential syndication partners. Steer clear of websites with excessive pop-ups, irrelevant content, or a history of questionable practices. Look for platforms that align with your brand values and maintain a professional online presence.
3. Inefficient Lead Generation
The Risk: Not all syndication partners are created equal. Imagine placing your content on a platform frequented by hobbyists, when your ideal customer is a corporate decision-maker. This mismatch can result in minimal qualified leads, despite high website traffic.
Mitigating the Risk: Thoroughly research your syndication partners’ audience demographics. Look for platforms where your target market actively engages. Utilise audience targeting options offered by some syndication networks to ensure your content reaches the right eye.
4. Content Dilution
The Risk: Over-syndication can dilute the value of your original content. If your content appears everywhere online, it might lose its unique appeal and fail to drive traffic back to your website, where the most valuable information (gated content, lead magnets, etc.) might reside.
Mitigating the Risk: Maintain a healthy balance. Syndicate strategically, focusing on high-quality platforms that complement your website.
5. Loss of Control
The Risk: Once you syndicate your content, you relinquish some control over its presentation. The syndication partner might edit your content for length or style, potentially altering your message or brand voice.
Mitigating the Risk: Clearly establish syndication guidelines with your partners. Outline acceptable modifications and maintain editorial control whenever possible.
6. Hidden Costs
The Risk: While some syndication opportunities are free, others involve paid placements or network memberships. These costs can add up if not carefully managed.
Mitigating the Risk: Be mindful of the budget allocated for content syndication. Track the return on investment (ROI) for paid placements and adjust your strategy accordingly. Analyse which platforms generate the most qualified leads and website traffic to optimise your spending.
By carefully selecting partners, maintaining quality control, and monitoring your content’s performance, you can mitigate these risks and ensure a successful content syndication strategy.
Platforms Where You Can Syndicate Content
There are numerous platforms online where you can syndicate your content. Here are some excellent choices for syndicating your content:
1. Free Platforms
If you are just starting up, or have a limited budget, you can try these free platforms for republishing your content. These are excellent cost-effective platforms:
i. Industry-Specific Blogs and Websites
Look for blogs and websites that cater to your niche. Many of these platforms accept guest posts or allow content syndication, giving you an opportunity to reach a targeted audience interested in your industry.
ii. Social Media Platforms
Social media networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer free options to share your content with your followers. By leveraging relevant hashtags and engaging with your audience, you can increase the visibility of your content.
To learn more on how to utilise social media to its maximum for your business, go through this video below!
iii. Medium
Medium is a popular free platform for writers and bloggers. Syndicating your content on Medium exposes it to a wide audience of readers and can lead to further distribution through the platform’s recommendation system.
iv. Quora and Reddit
These question-and-answer platforms are excellent for syndicating content in the form of informative answers. By addressing popular questions or topics, your content can gain visibility and drive traffic back to your website.
v. SlideShare
If your content is in presentation format, SlideShare is an ideal platform for syndication. It allows you to showcase your expertise and attract a professional audience interested in visual content.
2. Paid Platforms
Here are the platforms that require a subscription or a certain fee to syndicate your content. Some of the best possible paid syndication platforms are:
i. Content Discovery Platforms
Content discovery platforms like Outbrain, Taboola, and Zemanta offer paid options to promote your content across their vast network of publishers. They use algorithms to display your content as recommended articles, increasing its exposure.
ii. Sponsored Content on Social Media
Social media platforms often offer sponsored content options, allowing you to promote your content to a specific target audience beyond your followers. Paid social media campaigns can significantly boost visibility and engagement.
iii. Native Advertising Networks
Native advertising platforms like Nativo and Sharethrough integrate branded content seamlessly into the user experience on various websites, reaching a wider audience through sponsored articles and videos.
iv. Influencer Collaborations
Investing in influencer marketing allows you to partner with industry influencers who can promote your content to their substantial follower base, driving traffic and increasing brand awareness.
v. Premium News Sites and Publications
Some premium news sites and publications offer sponsored content opportunities. Although these can be more expensive, they provide access to a highly engaged and often more qualified audience.
Therefore, content syndication has established itself as an effective strategy for extending the reach of content and generating genuine connections with target audiences. You can expand your impact across platforms and reach new and diverse audiences by collaborating with reputable syndication platforms and carefully choosing appropriate distribution channels.
However, the success of content syndication greatly depends on the production of high-quality, meaningful content that connects with readers and adheres to the standards of each syndication partner.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should I syndicate all of my content?
No, it is not necessary to syndicate all of your content. Reserve syndication for your best-performing content. Focus on pieces that can provide long-term value and maintain the uniqueness of your website by keeping some content exclusively published on your platform.
2. What are some examples of content syndication formats?
Content syndication formats include guest blogging, social media syndication, infographic syndication, video syndication and using syndication networks for paid content amplification.
3. How often should I syndicate content?
Share content strategically, focusing on quality over quantity. Avoid overwhelming your partners and audience. Aim to share top-performing content regularly for lasting value.
4. Can content syndication improve my website’s domain authority?
When reputable websites link back to your content, it can positively impact your website’s domain authority and boost search rankings.
5. How can I identify the best syndication partners?
Identify reputable industry publications, syndication networks like Zemanta, Revcontent or Taboola and social media channels that align with your target audience. Research their audience demographics and editorial guidelines and ensure they maintain a high-quality reputation.
6. What are the potential drawbacks of content syndication and how can I mitigate them?
Potential drawbacks include SEO impact, spammy neighbours, inefficient lead generation, content dilution, loss of control, and hidden costs.
7. How do I measure the success of my content syndication strategy?
Track key metrics such as website traffic, lead generation, user engagement, and social media shares. Regularly analyse this data to identify the most effective syndication channels and refine your strategy accordingly.
8. Can I use content syndication to repurpose old content?
Yes, content syndication allows you to repurpose existing high-performing pieces into different formats, maximising their reach and impact. This strategy is especially useful if you do not have the bandwidth to constantly create fresh content.
9. Is content syndication a cost-effective marketing strategy?
Compared to traditional advertising methods, content syndication can be a cost-effective way to reach a vast audience. When done strategically, it can generate significant returns on investment.
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