Page 114 - The Content Code: Six essential strategies to ignite your content, your marketing, and your business - PDFDrive.com
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media	 outlet.	 Study	 these	 channels.	 Learn	 about	 the	 editorial	 policies.	 Immerse
yourself	in	the	content	forms	used	by	the	sites.	Set	a	goal	of	creating	one	superb
and	relevant	piece	of	content	for	that	channel.	Each	quarter,	turn	to	another	new
channel	and	repeat	the	process.

   	
2.	Establish	a	distribution	process.
Your	 organization	 should	 be	 constantly	 researching	 potential	 new	 distribution
sites	 and	 assessing	 all	 content	 for	 distribution	 potential.	 One	 large	 company	 I
work	 with	 reviews	 every	 piece	 of	 content	 they	 produce	 and	 determines	 at	 least
three	 other	 ways	 it	 can	 be	 used.	 They	 might	 pitch	 a	 publication,	 turn	 it	 into	 a
SlideShare	 presentation,	 or	 suggest	 it	 as	 an	 interview	 topic	 with	 a	 favorite
podcaster.	Are	you	putting	your	content	through	a	similar	distribution	gate?

   	
3.	Consider	an	organizational	shift	focused	on	distribution.
Some	 companies	 are	 beginning	 to	 take	 “brand	 journalism”	 very	 seriously.	 The
old	 idea	 of	 a	 company	 copywriter	 is	 being	 transformed	 into	 a	 full-blown	 media
creation	 department.	 Some	 companies	 are	 exploring	 content	 development
newsrooms	 for	 external	 sourcing	 as	 well	 as	 traditional	 marketing
communications	functions.

   	
4.	Explore	the	idea	of	employee	networks.
Establishing	 a	 “social	 organization”	 is	 a	 long-term	 aspirational	 goal	 for	 many
companies,	 but	 there’s	 no	 reason	 you	 can’t	 ask	 enthusiastic	 employees	 to	 help
spread	 interesting,	 relevant	 content	 on	 their	 social	 networks.	 The	 amplification
effect	 can	 be	 significant—much	 greater	 than	 traditional	 distribution	 through	 the
logo-infused	company	sites.

   If	you	have	20	interested	employees,	that’s	20	potential	networks	you	can	tap
into	 if	 they’re	 willing	 to	 volunteer	 to	 help.	 Many	 employees	 are	 enthusiastic
about	the	idea	of	igniting	content	from	their	employer	and	becoming	involved	in
the	marketing	process.	Some	companies	also	tap	suppliers	and	business	partners
to	share	their	content,	which	they’re	normally	happy	to	do.

   	
5.	Don’t	overlook	email	as	a	distribution	channel	for	your	content.
For	 many	 people,	 email	 is	 still	 the	 preferred	 method	 of	 communicating	 and
sharing	 information.	 Are	 you	 making	 people	 aware	 of	 your	 content	 through
regular	 emails?	 You	 are	 sending	 regular	 emails,	 aren’t	 you?	 Remember	 that
email	 subscribers	 may	 be	 the	 closest	 thing	 you	 have	 to	 a	 record	 of	 your	 Alpha
Audience.	These	are	the	people	who	have	raised	their	hands	and	said,	“Market	to
me!”	Let	them	know	of	new	opportunities	to	consume	and	share	your	content.
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