Save all those unused headlines for content distribution.

Are you digging your new role as a continual content creator? Have you now started to think and act like a publisher all of the time too? Is your head always filled with thoughts about your next blog post, ebook, infographic or how to fill up your social stream with great content?

For those who have embraced Content Marketing, it’s no exaggeration that the “to do” list isn’t getting any shorter.
And with so much competition for attention online, the challenge to develop something worthy of sharing—what the gurus describe as “engaging”—isn’t getting easier.

Yet, if your goal is to become a surging factory that pumps out an unending stream of great content that your prospects and customers will find relevant, entertaining or valuable, there’s one important consideration that you can’t afford to dismiss.

Once you publish, you’ve only just begun.

That’s right. Those important content assets that you invested real resources and time into now have to turn into business value. That means that people have to see the content you’ve created and engage with it. And if your stuff is really good, others might share it with their communities online.

Like it or not, it’s now essential that to have a distribution plan for every content asset that you create. Whether it’s a campaign on the social network of your choice, targeted email, paid advertising on a social network to extend reach, or cross-posting to other popular sites, your stuff has to get seen to then turn into clicks and value.

Share it where they’ll see it.

Recent research from GWI asked respondents from 32 markets (representing roughly 90% of the global Internet audience) “Which of the following online sources are you primarily using when you are actively looking to find out more information about brands, products, or services?”

While GWI’s research provides insights and direction for developing your content distribution game plan, your target audience’s preferences may differ significantly. So, you need to dig into the behaviors of your target audience and where and how they seek content and information.

And once you get your arms around that significant task, it’s a good idea to continually test your content delivery methods and make modifications based on your audience’s changing needs over time.

Copy + Paste just won’t cut it.

In order to fuel your content distribution activity over a period of time (what equates to an old school media flight), you’re going to have to do more than copy and paste. The title of your post over and over again in an email blast or on a social network just isn’t good enough anymore.

Why?
It’s one of the best ways possible to turn off (or piss off) that select, custom media channel that you painfully built person by person over time to distribute your content to. And if that discerning audience senses that you’re mimicking a bot or using auto broadcasting tools that push out the same old stuff over and over again, you’re increasing the opportunity for them to remove you. Or worse, unsubscribe you from their community.

Avoid the trash can.

Every content creator knows that it all begins with writing. So when you develop a content asset (think blog post, email, social post, etc.), chances are you’ve written more than a few titles for your content as it evolved through the creation process. This development and editing process creates important fuel for distributing your content.

During this writing and editing process, avoid the trash can or the delete key so that you save every digital thought and sound bite that you create.

Why?
Because after you publish, you can go back to your development draft and glean a slightly different expression of the title of your content or a key concept of the asset that you can use for:

• | email subject line
• | enewsletter subhead
• | guest author post title
• | social media campaign on facebook or Twitter
• | image description on Instagram or facebook
• | webinar invitation

The core idea here should be to avoid reusing the same headline or title again and again in your content distribution strategy. So leverage the key thoughts and alternative headlines that you’ve already created by using them in other media.

Don’t lose your voice. Or keywords.

As you refer back to your source creation file, focus on integrating keywords in your alternative headlines. By being mindful of this, you enhance the opportunity to get found in search.

Avoid overused cliches and integrating a personality that reflects a voice unique to you. This helps to keep your content interesting and make it more attractive to others.

Keep it up.

Trying to run a content factory or working on the assembly line producing content is hard work. And it’s never done. Today, those engaged in these activities understand that it’s the long game. Not the one time event.

More than ever, you need to develop simple recurring workflows and techniques that breakdown the formidable barriers that prevent people from producing content consistently. In an environment like this, what you create and develop before you publish should have real value too to help your content to get distributed, read and shared.

Are you getting more out of your content writing?

What’s working for you on the content production assembly line? And what’s been a dud? Looking forward to hearing from you.

Paul Pruneau

As president and creative director of TeamworksCom, Paul develops brand strategy, engineers content to express customer value and creates integrated online and content marketing solutions to help businesses succeed. Connect with Paul, send an Email, or just call 415.789.5830.