If content is king, distribution is queen

The age-old adage 'Content is King' is true to a certain extent even today. Of course, when the phrase was first invented, it had its reference to text-based formats. Today, content has further diversified to include photos, videos, boomerangs, GIFs and a whole lot more. Without proper distribution, your content can fall on deaf ears. Therefore, the new adage should be 'If Content is King, Distribution is Queen'. The golden rule to content marketing is to provide value. However, that's just the first part of the two-part rule.

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The second part includes delivering your content to the target audience. Today, web users have a host of websites to choose from. How you make your information and resources available to your target audience in this medley can determine your standing on social media.

If you're getting low traction on good quality content, you need to solve the problem of distribution.

Here's how you can go about matchmaking for the King and Queen.

Don't allow great content to fall on non-existing ears

Simply creating good-quality content is no longer enough. You need to have a strong distribution strategy in place to drive relevant traffic to your content. SEO shouldn't be the only tool to help you meet your purpose of distribution. Start by creating content with an extended shelf life. When that's done, try to reach your users early on, even before they know they need your product or service. Once you recognize the importance of a certain piece of information you have created, begin exploring options for repurposing and redistributing it for extended reach.

Make sure to select the right distribution options

There are two important types of distribution channels - owned and earned. Both channels are equally important as they produce different results and both channels require different levels of effort. For example, building your own subscriber list is a lengthy and tiresome process but it is also invaluable. External distribution vehicles, on the other hand, are going to give you quicker wins and allow you access to a larger audience. Some owned channels include blog posts, videos and podcasts. Some earned channels include Facebook groups, guest posts and Quora.

Set your goals

After you've produced valuable content, you need to lay down your goals before selecting the distribution channels you have to use for each piece of content. When you are able to answer questions such as 'Who are you trying to reach?' and 'What do you care most about?', you'll be in a better position to determine which channel is the best fit. If someone in your network has similar goals, reach out for help. Social listening can help too. Pay attention to the kind of content your audience is sharing and where they are sharing it for a better understanding of value and distribution.

Value and distribution are two sides of the same coin. You need to be willing to keep testing, iterating and researching if you want to have a better understanding of what your audience wants and where they want to see it.