Content Promotion Strategy and Tactics for Growing Organic Traffic

Content distribution is something that is rarely mentioned. In fact, there are many website owners who don’t even know what content distribution is. However, if you plan to increase the visibility of your brand and drive organic traffic to the content on your site you need to have a solid content promotion plan if you want to succeed.

Content distribution refers to content promotion using different channels and networks. This promotion is done by posting on social media, by paying for Facebook ads, sharing content via email, doing SEO and AdWords, answering questions on Quora, etc. With so many ways to promote your content, the whole process can be daunting. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and give up before seeing the results.

In order to avoid common content distribution mistakes, we’ve made a list of the most important strategies and tips you need to consider when creating a content promotion plan.

#1 Pick the right network

The biggest mistake people make when it comes to content promotion and distribution is spreading themselves too thin. Although you have access to many social platforms, that doesn’t mean you should use tham all at the same time. In fact, focusing on just 1 or 2 channels will likely get your better results.

Your time is limited and you simply cannot maintain a large enough audience and stay engaged using different platforms at the same time to make it worthwhile. Furthermore, it is much easier to grow your audience if you’re actively involved. By finding out which platform gives you the best results and focusing on those channels you’re more likely succeed in achieving your goals.

So how do you find out what channel to focus on? Here are main factors you should take into consideration when selecting the channel:

1. Find the right audience for your content

Every platform is different. So how do you find out how much attention should you dedicate and which one to go with? If you study your analytics you can easily find out which channel brings you the most traffic. Try to optimize it, measure, figure out what gets the most traffic and share and adjust to get even better results. Don’t give up too quickly and always measure and analyze the results. There are many Key Performance Indicators that can help you decide if this is the right network for you. Be careful, social media KPI might be different from SEO KPI (The 9 Most Important SEO KPIs You Should Be Tracking) So set your goals and measure the results to see if this is the channel for you. You don’t want to waste many hours on a network that has no interest in the type of content you want to promote.

2. Focus on audiences’ engagement

A lot of marketers make a mistake by only focusing on traffic numbers. They blast tons of content without trying to engage hoping some of it will go viral. They simply focus on quantity, not quality. There are lots of situations where people will see your content, but will never interact or share it. Such traffic is useless. It’s nice for bragging rights but it doesn’t lead to any lasting results. There will be an immediate spike in traffic which will quickly die down. Engaged audience and passionate readers are what will get your content noticed. So aim at increasing shares, likes and comments, not just posting tons of content that gets no engagement.

Content that gets shared will also more likely to get noticed by search engines and will lead to significant improvement in how well it’s ranked in search engine results resulting in more traffic.

#2 Keep reposting your content

Instead of simply posting once, repost your content multiple times. There are many tools that allow you to quickly schedule your posts at various times. Most popular tools to help you schedule and distribute your content on social media include tools like Buffer and Hootsuite. By scheduling and reposting your content, you’re likely will get more traffic, simply by having more people see it.

You can repost your content on the same network and also by distributing on other platforms to reach different types of audience. Some of the best platforms for reposting your content include:

• Facebook
• Twittter
• LinkedIn
• Medium
• Reddit
• Slideshare
• Huffington Post etc.

#3 Post regularly and consistently

If you want to get the most views possible, it’s always a good idea to post frequently and consistently. People will get used to seeing your posts in their feed and will be more likely to read and share your content. You should also find out at what times users of specific channel are more active and engaged. Each platform has its peak hours in terms of activity and you should keep this in mind when sharing and promoting your content.

Each platform is different so figure out which times are better for posting your content on the platform of your choice.

#4 Get help from influencers

If you’re looking to spread your content or build your brand you need to build a sizable audience. Instead of building new networks and audience from scratch, you should rely on friendly influencers and tap into their own readership to get quick results. Find out who are the influencers in your niche and see if you can work out some kind of deal or cross-promotion to get the results you want.

Connecting with influencers is crucial as it will gain you a new audience that you might not have been able to reach otherwise. So, how do you find and connect with influencers?

1. Reach out directly via email

You can start by either complimenting a person or offering them a reason to connect. Keep in mind that influencers often get hundreds emails emails each day, so don’t be surprised if your email outreach won’t get a response. Don’t give up and try different approaches to see if you can get their attention.

2. Contact them via blog or social media

A great thing about blogs and social media is that people usually perceive it as a less intrusive method. We are used to communicating through this platform partially because it is more personal. This allows us to lower our guard and accept new requests.

Unfortunately, marketers who choose this approach encounter two main issues: there is a chance the influencer is using an assistant so you won’t be able to create direct contact with him or your message will slip through the cracks (especially if he or she is getting too many messages during a day).

3. Share and promote their content

If you’re a small entrepreneur who has just started blogging or participating on social media, there is a good chance this approach won’t lead anywhere. If you don’t have a large audience or not already influential, there is a good chance the influencer won’t notice you sharing their content. However, if you have already managed to build your network and have a decent number of followers, influencers will more likely to notice you sharing their content and will be more willing to reciprocate.

There you go! Follow these tips to help you with the distribution of your content to get better results. As long you put in time in promoting your content and do it diligently you should soon see solid results from your marketing efforts.

Ellan Dineen is the Marketing Associate at Design Wizard. When she’s not hard at work in the Marketing Department, Ellan can be found en route to foreign lands with a book in her hand and a podcast in her ear. With a Master’s in English and Diploma in Social Media Marketing, she knows the importance of staying up-to-date with the industry’s latest trends and insights and is keen to pass these tips on to her readers.