Discover the perks of content syndication and explore your options.
As a marketer or content creator, you know that today’s digital landscape makes it tough to stand out and reach a wider audience—but tough doesn't mean impossible. There are ways to tap into established audiences and content syndication marketing is one of them.
Content syndication is a powerful solution that can help you expand your reach without investing a ton of additional man-hours. There are extensive networks and established platforms with readers interested in what you have to say, so take advantage of this lead-generating, brand awareness-boosting strategy.
What is content syndication?
Content syndication is the act of republishing your content to one or more different websites. This process benefits both parties. The publisher can provide fresh content to its readers while the original author gets their brand in front of a new audience. This practice differs from guest blogging in that syndicated content is a previously published piece—not newly written.
The reader can discern what content falls under this category, as third-party publications will typically include the following text above the syndicated content:
"This article originally appeared in [the original publication and associated internal link]."
Any content can be syndicated, including blog posts, videos, infographics, whitepapers, etc. Get creative with your strategy as you become more comfortable with the process and build mutual relationships with those in your industry.
How does content syndication work?
If you're considering content syndication, there are several options for leveraging this marketing approach:
Republish your best-performing content on larger sites with more readers than yours. This option is best when your primary goal is greater brand awareness.
Syndicate old content on smaller, focused publications. They should have a similar authority level as yours to reach a more niche audience. Bonus: Since they allow more contextual links, readers can discover your content, allowing you to generate more leads.
Create a guest thought leadership post on an authoritative publication. This allows you to syndicate content on your website, LinkedIn page, or Medium profile. Sometimes, sites are only interested in fresh content, so this is a strategic option.
Generate a landing page that showcases your willingness to syndicate your content. This is helpful because sites can organically pick up your content—particularly those focusing on syndicated content.
Use content marketing software to gain greater visibility on major platforms. Features of this tool include scheduling, tracking, and reporting so your content syndication strategy doesn’t fall behind.
What are the benefits of content syndication?
When you syndicate content, benefits can include:
Quality backlinks to your site, increasing SEO optimization and brand exposure. As your ranking improves, you can benefit from a boost in site traffic—thanks to referral links and organic performance.
The development of authoritative brand messaging through thought leadership helps you position your brand as an authoritative leader, allowing you to build trust and credibility.
Cost-effective marketing that leverages existing platforms and networks. You can get your content in front of a large audience quickly, improving your cost per lead (CPL) compared to other lead generation methods.
The ability to build and strengthen relationships with other trusted sources in your industry that target a similar audience and align with your brand.
How to syndicate your content effectively?
If this is your first experience with content syndication, follow the guidance below:
One of the easiest ways to get started is to focus on free content syndication, republishing your best-performing, click-worthy content on social media platforms. This approach may already be part of your everyday digital marketing strategy.
Next, reach out to niche sites that attract a similar audience as your brand. If your goal is to zero in on your target audience, this may be the best technique for you. To find sites to pitch to, type "This article originally appeared" in the search field + your industry/niche. Within seconds, you'll find sites that feature syndicated content.
Use appropriate content syndication methodologies so search engines know your content isn't plagiarized. Be sure to use the "rel=canonical" tag, the meta noindex tag, and backlinks.
Follow these content syndication best practices
To nail content syndication strategy, consider the following best practices:
Best practice | Why it matters |
|---|---|
Select sites with a higher domain and more extensive following. | This is key when your goal is to boost brand awareness. If you want to generate more leads, choose a smaller publication—but not one with less traffic or domain authority than your site. |
Know who your audience is. | This process is critical to ensure you find the right syndication partners based on your target audience. |
Always make proper attribution mandatory and add the "rel=canonical" tag. | This ensures your content isn't considered duplicate text and that you’re recognized as the original source. |
Post a portion of your post or article, linking to the original post (if the publication approves). | This approach is best when you publish long posts with many details. Plus, it’s a great way to attract visitors to your site. |
Space out the publishing period between original and syndicated content. | While this is not necessary, it is best practice. A time gap allows the content to gain traction on its own. |
What is an example of content syndication?
Once you become more invested in a content syndication strategy, you'll see that this type of content is everywhere. Here is a hypothetical example.
A small tech company published an article on the rise of AI in 2021. Two years later, the original author distributed the same article on Medium. The idea was to reach a broader audience following the launch of OpenAI, focusing on key industry trends. The tech company wanted to help SMBs understand the benefits of AI so that they could generate leads for their artificial intelligence software.
In this example, content syndication on Medium can be a straightforward process. This approach can help you boost exposure with little to no additional effort. To get featured, focus on quality content that delivers value. Trending articles and those that Medium's staff picks will be featured because they deserve recognition.
/ Tip
Always add relevant tags and cross-promote on your social channels to increase your chances of being featured.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when syndicating your content?
Be sure to avoid the following mistakes when syndicating your content:
Not publishing content on the right platforms. Focus on the quality of platforms, not the quantity—they need to be relevant and authoritative. They also need to attract readers that make up your target audience. Customize the content to make it feel more native to the platform by adjusting intros, headlines, or formatting.
Not prioritizing high-quality content that is informative and well-written. This content syndication process will be counterproductive if your content has spelling errors or doesn't engage your intended audience. Content management software can help with this.
Don't ignore SEO best practices. Use keyword-rich titles, tags, and descriptions. Also, optimize your images and always include high-quality links. An SEO strategy will help drive quality leads and traffic.
Deprioritizing your analytics and tracking mechanisms. It’s important to measure KPIs like traffic, engagement, backlinks, conversions, etc. so that you can adjust your syndication strategy to maximize results.
Target the right audience with content syndication
Content syndication can be intimidating—especially if you're new to this marketing strategy. However, by implementing the best practices and avoiding the mistakes listed above, you will find this is a simple and highly effective strategy.
To maximize the benefits of content syndication, continue to invest in education and stay on top of the latest marketing trends. To guide you, check out the following resources on Capterra: