Content Syndication is an extremely valuable marketing channel for any site looking to expand its footprint online. The reasons are numerous, and they will be elaborated upon below.
But first it’s helpful to arrive at a definition of content syndication, as the term gets thrown around a lot. Narrowly defined it means producing high-quality content and publishing it on other sites.
And here are the specific ways it can be helpful to your business online.
Backlinks
Most publishers will allow you to insert at least one backlink into your piece. This helps with both traffic (readers click on the link) and SEO (search engines register that you have an additional link pointing back to your site).
Branding
You can also often add a logo to your article, inherently attracting the eyeballs of readers. So even if your piece doesn’t attract a link it could make an impression on the audience. And, if you’re not able to include a logo, it still helps the brand to be associated with high-quality publishers. In other words, if a big hub like the Huffington Post comes calling for your content, don’t let the lack of a logo be a deal-breaker. Content syndication is also a great chance to brand your company a “thought leader” in your space; this is accomplished by providing excellent content to readers on outside sites.
Business Development
What starts off today as a guest blog post or a content swap (you give the publisher a post, and it gives you one back to post on your blog) could very evolve into a much deeper, and lucrative partnership. Content syndication is an excellent first step toward a large business development deal.
Content syndication isn’t likely to ever become your top channel when it comes to driving traffic to your site. But it should still be a big part of your content strategy. Creating content -- even high-quality content -- is not terribly expensive (think $100 per piece), and, after finding an outside publisher, it should prove to be an excellent investment.