The abridged version if you’re strapped for time? Don’t be afraid to ask others to share your content.
Editors spend hours slaving over content but forget to consider how they are going to promote it when it’s finished. Then when it’s ready to go they push it out into the ether and it fizzles rather than flies.
You’re left thinking it was no good, when in fact you just didn’t give anyone a reason to read it.
There are two ways to reach out to people: Ask them for something and give them something.
The easy way to do this? Think about outreach when you first start your post. Every time you begin writing, consider how you can build other people and resources into your content.
There are many different ways to mention influencers: lists, quotes, sources, references, the list goes on.
If you’re writing quality content then it’s highly likely you’re going to include links to relevant sources in order to back up the things you’re saying.
Creating a post based around a selection of people’s opinions on a particular topic can create something incredibly interesting and informative, and gives you a ready-made list of people who will share it when it’s live.
Follow-up posts also provide a great way to tap into an audience that already exists and is engaged with your topic. If someone has written a piece of content which you have more information to add to, or a counter-argument to throw into the mix, then a follow-up post is perfect.
Reference the initial post, then explain what you can add or why you disagree. Don’t be dismissive, put your point across in a constructive way and let the author know you’ve written a follow-up.
Once you’ve wrapped up your post, all that’s left to do is contact the people you’ve referenced. It’s best to send a personal email wherever possible, but if you can’t find their personal contact details then @ mentioning in tweets or posts is a suitable alternative.
It’s important that you do the work to find great sources to include, and let those people know when you include them. If you’re prepared to put in the work, you’ll end up with a range of people, from the big fish to the smaller, and you’ll finish with a great share ratio. If nurtured correctly, it could lead to some fruitful relationships down the line.
The success of this approach is based on you using it correctly and authentically, not in a black hat way to contact people because you referenced them in any way possible.
This also isn’t an excuse to churn out posts and expect to see results on search and social because you included people within it. If you want people to share your content, it needs to be share-worthy. Mentions just give you a means of getting the word out there.
Next time you sit down to write a post, think promotion from the get go, and you should begin to see the shares roll in.
We are Connect – an award-winning digital technology agency.
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