Leveraging The 3 Distribution Channels To Boost Your Content

Leveraging The 3 Distribution Channels To Boost Your Content

Creating content that is engaging and has clear, social-specific goals is only a small part of the larger social media marketing equation. In fact, publishing that content can make or break your strategy, and utilizing the trifecta of content distribution channels - owned, earned, and paid - is essential to extending your social reach and getting the most out of your curated content. If you’re publishing great content and still wondering why you’re not seeing the results you desire, then it’s time to reflect on your method of publication.

Leveraging The 3 Distribution Channels To Boost Your Content

The average B2B marketer uses 12 different content marketing tactics with 87% of those marketers using social media. (Source: CMI)

Simply publishing content and hoping that it sticks with some users is about as effective as printing out your article on paper and leaving it in a public place. Using a conglomeration of the three distribution channels gives you the best opportunity to reach the most users. So what’s the big difference?

  • Owned: This distribution channel consists of what your company already owns. That includes your blog, your website, and even your own employees. You’re likely already posting content on your blog and website, but have you truly tapped into your employees as a resource? Employee advocates have the ability to boost your social reach exponentially. Learn more about employee advocates and why you need them.  
  • Earned: As the name implies, earned distribution channels require a bit of preface wherein your company has garnered a following that can share or post your content without them working directly for you or being paid by you to do so. Think: non-sponsored bloggers, reviews, and social shares by individuals. Here, the name of the game is engaging those who distribute your content in order to foster more loyalty and develop the relationship for further symbiotic promotion in the future.
  • Paid: They say that nothing is free, and paid distribution channels are in fact one of the quickest, simplest, and easiest ways to extend your social reach. Sponsored posts, boosted posts, and social media advertisements are all part of the paid distribution channel. They’re as easy as making a few clicks, choosing your targeted demographics, and forfeiting part of your marketing budget. Some paid advertising includes PPC while others are more like a billboard (you pay for your reach, but not necessarily for engagement).

So what’s the best solution? If you haven’t already guessed, a combination of the three distribution channels typically yields the best results.

There are systems that can be used to simplify the process further. GaggleAMP is a tool that makes the utilization of your employee advocates (an owned distribution channel) easier and more effective by making social sharing as easy as one click for your employees. In turn, you may find that content promoted across your owned distribution channel through employee advocates may flow into other types of distribution when promoted effectively; And owned media can amplify earned media as well.
Give your content the publishing boost it needs to make it the most effective. If you’re wondering why your great content simply isn’t getting the traction it needs, look at how you’re distributing and promoting it, and tap into each of the three distribution channels.

Download our eBook to get started boosting your owned media distribution through employees.

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