Content marketing has been proven over and over to be a wildly effective tool for your marketing toolkit. However, like all forms of marketing, it only works when people see it. If you’re writing content that no one is reading, you might as well be posting grocery lists or sections of the phone book.

So how do you get eyes on all that valuable content? The answer is content distribution.

This is a system in which you distribute your marketing content — such as blogs, whitepapers, and more — through a variety of channels designed to allow as many people as possible to see it.

Social media
Social media can be difficult for B2B marketing; some popular sites that work well for B2C marketing can be completely ineffective. Although every business’s needs are different, here are a few social media sites that are useful for B2B content distribution:

• LinkedIn: By far the most effective platform for B2B marketers, LinkedIn is the Facebook of professionals, exposing your content to relevant audiences in a business context.

• Twitter and Facebook: These platforms can be effective for content distribution if used properly, depending on your company’s audience. However, remember that most Twitter and Facebook users are on the sites for entertainment, not business.

• Other: There are plenty of industry-specific social media websites, but these sites will only be helpful to you if you have a specific reason that platform will work for your business. Most B2B businesses will not benefit from, say, a Pinterest account. But an IT firm might want to check out Slashdot or Spiceworks.

• Forums and communities: Depending on your industry, there may be online communities that are relevant for content distribution. For instance, if you sell private jet parts, communities for private jet enthusiasts or private jet sales might be an excellent audience for your marketing.

The most important thing to remember with social media content distribution is that you don’t have to do everything. Tailor your social media presence to be relevant to your brand, and don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to canvas too many channels.

Email marketing
Email marketing is a proactive approach to content distribution, in which your marketing material goes straight to your readers’ inboxes. More compact email marketing messages such as eFliers can help get blog posts, press releases, and other relevant updates in front of the right eyes.

Consider allowing website visitors to subscribe to your blog via email, so that every new post will be delivered to them if they desire it.

You don’t have to manage content distribution alone
Having ties to other marketers and professionals can only help your content distribution. You might consider inviting industry professionals to write guest posts for your blog or newsletter, and likewise, you could offer your own expertise in guest posts for others’ blogs and newsletters. In the same vein, affiliating with related businesses and referencing and linking to others’ content can help form mutually beneficial bonds.

And of course, don’t be afraid to ask readers to share your content. Sometimes readers will enjoy a piece and won’t automatically take the next step to share it with friends on their social media pages. A short prompt at the end of an article or blog can remind your viewers to spread the word.

Don’t waste time and resources on invisible content. Contact the experts at Proven Systems by email or at (970) 223-6565 for a no-cost assessment of your current marketing and content distribution practices.