The Distribution Channels for Content

THE KEY POINTS

• Audio version available at the bottom of the page.
• There are numerous ways and places to present and showcase your content, in all its many forms.
• Create specifically for the intended distribution outlet. Some are more suited for straight up ads than content.
• Outlets include digital, social-specific, theater, real world, and broadcast.
• Should you cover and saturate everything on this list, don’t worry, there are still more options well beyond these.

I could drone on about content distribution, but what you could probably really use is just a handy list of everywhere your content, in all its many forms, could go. It might pay to re-read the “What ‘Content Marketing’ Really Means” post of the Content Marketing for the Very Busy series, because some channels are more suited for ads (that you’re going to make sure are entertaining in their own right…right?), others are better for brand content. But these are the places your target audience could have the option of seeing your message.

 

Digital Outlets

Your website, including blogs

Influencers’ websites, blogs and social channels

Blogging platforms like wordpress.com and Tumblr

Your mobile app

In-app mobile ads

Your email List, including newsletter distribution

Site-based forums, communities, groups and answer sites like Reddit and Quora, or sites and communities you find via a web search of your topic

Paid amplification channels like Outbrain that suggest your content at the bottom of relevant content pages

Webinars – through webinar platforms, Skype or Google Hangouts

Podcast

Guesting on an influencer’s podcast

eBook

OTT channel for your brand or a presence on someone else’s. (These are those streaming channels available through Roku, Apple TV, etc.)

Google ads

Website display ads

Sponsored search results

VR and AR experiences

 

Social Media Outlets

LinkedIn

LinkedIn Pulse – their publication platform

LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Sponsored InMail

SlideShare

Twitter – organic and sponsored

Vine

Facebook page – organic and sponsored

Targeted Facebook Ads

Facebook groups

Facebook Messenger

YouTube channel

Pre-roll or in-video ads on YouTube

Vimeo

Pinterest – organic and paid

Snapchat – organic and paid

Instagram – organic and paid

Flickr

TikTok

WeChat

Line

Yelp

Influencers’ social channels

 

Theatrical and Real World Outlets

Theater:

Short films by your brand submitted to film festivals

In-theater ads

Live theater sponsorships

 

Real World:

Events – speaking or sponsored presence

Physical books

Billboards

Direct mail print material, including fliers and newsletters

Print Magazines – either your brand’s or a presence in someone else’s

Print handouts – of all shapes, sizes and purposes

Newspaper ads or contributed articles

Local print sales fliers

Merchandise

Sign spinners

In-store displays – digital and physical

Vehicle wraps

 

Broadcast

Radio – buying ad or brokered time, or being a guest/interview subject

TV – buying ad or brokered time, or being a guest/interview subject

 

Now, is this a complete list? Not by any long shot. myspace and foursquare are still around! There are numerous niche interest social platforms like ReverbNation and Nextdoor. There are multiple not so US-centric social networks like QQ, Baidu Tieba and VKontakte.

 

But if you get to the point where you’ve thoroughly saturated the above options with effective content and need more outlets, I’ll proudly admit I let you down.