In 2016, getting results from your content has never been tougher. Creating content is tough enough. There should be a support group for writer’s block. But today, once the content is created, there is still more work to be done.
There is a lot of competition out there, and anyone with a small budget and a bit of time can set up a website, publish blog posts, create social media accounts, and get their content syndicated and distributed to various free platforms. And many do.
To rise above the clutter, not only do you need to create valuable and worthwhile content, you have to keep doing it to meet and even exceed reader expectations. Additionally, the need for highly personalized content is increasing, and is even expected.To stay competitive, it has become necessary for inbound marketers to consider paid content distribution. The build it and they will come ideal is misleading at best (thanks for nothing, Kevin Costner). It’s just not a strategy to be embraced in today's online space. Anyone who succeeds with this approach is the exception and not the rule.
Let's consider, in more detail, why inbound marketers need to consider paid content distribution.
The term inbound marketing was first coined by HubSpot co-founder and CEO Brian Halligan. The core defining principles of inbound marketing, however, have existed for well over a century.
In Google Trends, we can see that interest in the search term "inbound marketing" has been steadily increasing since 2009, and is still on the rise.
But what was once a buzz term only six or seven years ago has fast become the go-to strategy in online and digital marketing.
In 2014, eight out of 10 people identified themselves as blog readers, and 23 percent of their time was spent on social media sites.
But Google algorithm updates continue to shake things up. "Mobilegeddon" and Quality Update in 2015 are still fresh on a lot of people’s minds, and 2016 is far from over, with an unnamed update and the AdWords Shake-up already released.
There are more blogs than ever in the same spaces competing for the same keywords, and relying on any one source of traffic is increasingly risky, as search engines and social media sites continue to update their algorithms as trends come and go.
The principles of inbound marketing are still relevant and incredibly effective. But becoming the go-to source of information and holding the attention of your target reader/listener/viewer over the long-term is a difficult task even for the most experienced businesses.
Paid content distribution is about amplification. Inbound marketing is effective, but you can take things to the next level by leveraging paid promotion. Creating quality content can be time-consuming and expensive, and if you want to get the most out of it, you need to get it seen by as many members of your target audience as possible. There has never been a greater opportunity in paid content distribution than nowOpportunities In Paid Content Distribution
There is no shortage of paid content distribution channels to explore. Whether you're looking to promote a blog post, guide, or eBook, paid media can help you to get more views, more engagement and more conversions.
From a broader perspective, here are several categories for paid content distribution:
Here are several things to keep in mind when you are using paid distribution to promote your content:
There is a growing opportunity in paid media, and there has never been a better time to start exploring the possibilities. If you want to amplify your content, get more views and engagement, and earn more sales with your content, it's time to start paying to play.
For a deeper look at what paid opportunities are available across the web, get your copy of the Inbound Marketer's Guide To Paid Media today.