Starting conversations by creating and distributing content
Generating content is becoming even more important on the Internet, not only for SEO reasons but also for starting conversations.
The higher quality of your content the more chances of distribution through different channels and stages as pointed out in this post on Search Engine Land using a graphic by Elliance.
In our view the goal distribution of the content is important for SEO reasons, but starting the conversation is even more important.
The distribution stages of content
There are several stages and channels of distribution (slightly different than the graphic from Elliance)
Writing – Editing:
This is the most difficult part: writing new original content that needs to interest and engage people.
Publishing
After writing and editing the article can be published:
- As a blog post on a website
- By submission to an article site
Syndication:
Once published
- Search engines will index the content and make it findable
- Scraper sites will scrape the entire content or extract a part and publish this too.
- The blog RSS feed will distribute the content to subscribers: people or aggregation sites
Dissemination:
Spreading and broadcasting the content further by:
- E-zines
- Clipping services
- Newsletter of the company
- Social bookmarking
- Other blog posts referencing, linking or using excerpts
- Micro blogging
- Readers send email with a link to your original article
- Readers can post a link to your original article on a forum
Consumption:
People read the article:
- On your original source when visiting
- Read the RSS feed if subscribed
- On any other website or blog
Interactions to conversations:
This is where it starts getting more interesting as making comments can work as leverage:
- People will comment on blog posts
- Other people will react on the comments
In both cases the conversation is started.
These interactions generate more content thus getting even more interest from the search engines (SEO).
The conversations can become an infernal circle for the benefit of your article, your company, your lead generation.
Conversations
Most businesses concentrate on the transactions; however markets are all 3 things (Cluetrain Manifesto):
- Transactions
- Relationships
- Conversations
The conversation can be achieved by your article or blog post – if successful.
Next the conversation is can be used to develop the relationship, but also the transaction.
Benefits of content generation
- Not only the article will travel on the Internet, but also your name or your company name.
- Increase of links to your website
- Positive SEO effect
- People will put your content on a watch
- People can subscribe to your RSS or newsletter
- Conversations are started
The costs involved are just the writing of the content and publish it in the best possible way.
Compare the writing and editing costs with the amount of advertising spending you would need to achieve the same exposure that probably wouldn’t start a conversation.
However you are not in control of the distribution of content and even less concerning the conversation.
Thus the effort can be without any effect.
As conversations are a multiple of relationships, and transactions a subset of conversations, the better you can follow this process the more chance on leads.
More from LEADS Explorer
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- Content marketing is getting hyped – The problems kept quiet
- Why Creating Content for SEO is Wrong
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