Content distribution is critical in getting your hard work in front of the right people, driving brand awareness and engagement.
Why isn’t it just about developing awe-inspiring content anymore?
Creators worldwide publish about 500 minutes of video to YouTube, 116 blog posts, 1,099 Instagram posts, and six new websites per second.
And don’t even get me started on TikTok (with an estimated 34 million videos posted every. single. day).
Without a solid distribution strategy, even the best creative can get lost in this vast universe of content, failing to make an impact and costing you dearly without generating the intended ROI (return on investment).
How do I know?
Since 2016, I’ve been the strategy director and principal at Optimist, a growth-focused content marketing agency. In my time helping everyone from startups to corporate clients achieve growth through strategic content marketing and SEO, I’ve seen a lot of content. I’ve witnessed many successes, and some flops.
But, most importantly, I’ve learned plenty about what it takes to build an effective content distribution strategy. Want to know what I’ve learned? I’m going to show you — right now.
Key takeaways
- Shareable content is emotional content. Know your audience and create the kind of copy they can’t help but share.
- Use a variety of content distribution channels where your audience already is to maximize reach. Look beyond major social networks to communities, like Indie Hackers.
- Optimize your content for each platform and channel. This may require using a different tone of voice, resizing your images, or tweaking the copy.
- Repurpose existing content. This tactic can save you time, expand your reach, and help you convey the right message to different audiences.
- Iteration is the name of the game. Track your performance on each platform. Analyze the results to see what works, what doesn’t, and where you should focus your efforts.
What is content distribution?
Content distribution is the practice of publishing, sharing, and promoting your content to your target audience.
This marketing strategy relies on online channels like social media, newsletters, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. However, you can also leverage offline distribution channels, such as magazines, newspapers, workshops, or trade shows. An example would be the print edition of Forbes or Entrepreneur.
From photos and videos to case studies, you can distribute just about any type of content. What matters most is to "package" it in a way that resonates with your customers — and share it on those platforms where they spend their time.
The psychology of shareable content
Even the highest-quality content sometimes bombs.
So, what gives? What motivates users to share content with others?
A possible answer comes from The Psychology of Sharing, a study conducted by The New York Times on 2,500 internet users. Most participants said they share content online to:
- Define themselves to others
- Build and foster connections
- Make a difference (e.g., change someone's opinion)
- Feel more involved in what's happening around them
- Raise awareness of the causes they care about
- Inform others about the products they love
For instance, 68 percent of respondents said they share content to express their true selves. About 73 percent saw it as a way to connect with others who shared their interests.
Content shared online brings people together. It also gives them a sense of self-fulfillment and makes them feel like they are part of something bigger.
A good example is Dove's Real Beauty Sketches campaign, which revolved around a video aimed at instilling self-confidence in women. At the time of this writing, the video has been viewed almost 180 million times.
Consumers worldwide shared the video. It was their way of saying something about themselves, as well as the difference they wanted to make in the world. Dove’s content gave them a voice and an opportunity to inspire others — making it irresistibly sharable.
Looking at this example, it's easy to understand that shareable content has an emotional component to it. As a small business owner, you may not have the same budget as Dove or other big brands, but you can craft content that clicks with your audience.
Types of content distribution channels
Content distribution channels fall into three main categories: owned, earned, and paid. Here's what each entails and how it fits into your strategy.
Owned channels
Owned channels include the platforms you fully control, such as your website and blog. It also extends to the marketing lists you build to send email newsletters, physical mailers, etc. as well as the social media channels you’ve set up.
Owned channels are where you can most closely track and iterate on the success of your content distribution plan. For example, it’s much easier to know if people are reading emails you’ve sent than it is to understand engagement when you’re featured as a guest on another brand’s email list, blog etc.
Additionally, owned channels allow for the most creative freedom.
Think about Tesla founder and X (formerly Twitter) owner, Elon Musk. Many of his posts are controversial, to say the least, but that’s something he can get away with on his own platform — and it certainly generates a lot of attention.
Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in! pic.twitter.com/D68z4K2wq7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 26, 2022
A potential drawback of using owned media channels is that it takes time to build an audience. Plus, you have to create and share content regularly to drive engagement and stay relevant.
Earned channels
Earned media includes user-generated content (UGC), media coverage, social media shares, as well as PR and guest posts your brand pushes out. The most important thing to remember is that earned media channels will always belong to third parties, such as bloggers, news websites, and review platforms, so ultimately, you have little to no control over them.
For example, the reviews left by travelers on TripAdvisor are considered earned media for the businesses being reviewed.
The great news is consumers tend to trust these content distribution channels.
In a 2024 survey, 36 percent of consumers said they check at least two review websites or apps before reaching out to a local business. Another 25 percent admitted to visiting at least three sites to form an opinion.
Earned channels can drive brand awareness and boost your reputation. In some cases, they may also increase traffic to your site or blog.
The downside is that any brand mentions on these platforms are controlled by other parties. Therefore, they may come in the form of negative, inaccurate, or offensive messages.
The best thing you can do to combat this is to diligently reply to any content you can on earned channels. After all, the same study found that 88 percent of consumers actually prefer businesses that reply to all of the reviews left for them.
Paid channels
Paid media includes PPC ads, sponsored posts, and influencer marketing, which is most often conducted on social media and search engine channels.
The gist of paid channels is that you have to, well, pay to share and promote your content.
For instance, luxury fashion house Coach paid actress Selena Gomez to promote a biker jacket and a bag on Instagram:
