We have witnessed an exponential growth of content in recent years. There are innumerable blogs, websites and social networks. To turn an idiom inside-out: we miss the individual tree for the forest. How does one make sure content gets the attention it deserves? Quality by itself is not enough. The content has to be promoted. Various tools will help you with that. You can either talk as loudly as possible in order to be heard or you realize that good content by itself will not get you the recognition your are hoping for. A pop star turns into one only because there is a team that ensures the music is heard. Even great content has to be promoted before it can sell something. There are three ways to do this and it is best to rely on a well-balanced mix of all of them: owned media, earned media and paid media.
Owned media are company-owned websites, blogs, newsletters and profiles on social networks such as Facebook, Tumblr or LinkedIn. It goes without saying that these media are used to publish and promote the content created for/by the company. However, it is easier said than done as the content or the way it is promoted should fit the channel that is being used (e.g. blog versus Twitter).
Paid Media: Buy Attention at a Bargain
Great content markets itself! - People who rely on this will be disappointed quickly. Sure, there is no attention without content that appeals to the targeted audience. But many people are interested in your target group. How are you going to stick out from a group of suitors vying for attention? Think less advertising and more in terms of public relations and you will get there! What you need is to get the content in front of people's eyes. The rest will take care of itself as long as you have great content! Various tools help you to promote your content:
Facebook: You can reach people who do not follow you on Facebook as well. Using Facebook Ads, your content can show up in the news feed of people who have not liked your profile. The good thing about Facebook is that targeting is very specific.
Stumble Upon: On this website, users “stumble” through the internet. StumbleUpon delivers websites to its users that suit their interest. Among these stumbles are also paid discoveries: Companies can pay the site to get their websites in front of users at a fair price. In general, this is a great tool to drive traffic. However, StumbleUpon especially appeals to a younger, college-age demographic, which is why not every content will work here.
Outbrain: Outbrain has a network of websites that publish content. For a small fee, Outbrain will make your content appear on sites that suit your target groups.
Plista: This Berlin-based company is very similar to Outbrain. Again, cooperations form the cornerstone of its business. However, Plista also allows you to create ads.
Earned Media: Enjoy the Echo
The attention you have earned is the most valuable. However, it is also the hardest to get. What this refers to is content that is shared by people simply because they found your content and liked it enough to let their friends and contacts know about it. This also means that you cannot get earned media without the other two. People have to be able to find your content somewhere. That is why it is best to rely on a combination of owned, earned and paid media. Moreover, the content promotion strategy should be clear before you actually start creating content.
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