10 Sure-Fire Ways to Maximize Your Online Distribution Channel

It doesn’t matter what venue you choose to attend, there’s a common question that someone will be asking, “how do I get more traffic to my web site?” Which is often time followed up by the second question, “how can I make more money with my web site?”

The answer to these types of questions aren’t found hidden within the hard drive of your favorite influential blogger, but are revealed from a core of principles and disciplines. If you’re consistent in these practices, you can watch your readership grow and traffic increase.

Here are 10 ways you can begin immediately to maximize your online distribution channel.

1. Provide Killer Content
The reason why people keep coming back to a web site is because the content that is provided is original or has a spin on it that makes it unique to the author. Providing killer content is what causes others to share it, tweet it, bookmark it and even email it.

2. Leverage Social Syndication
Share your content on social media sites, bookmarking sites as well as ping directories within your niche. Make your content easy for your readers to share with others. Utilize tools that allow your content to be submitted to Digg, Reddit, Stumbleupon, Facebook, Twitter and even emailed. Don’t wait for people to come to your content, allow your content to be accessible where the audience is that you are trying to reach. Make sure you don’t forget the basics. Allow your content to be read via an RSS feed or by email subscription.

3. Provide More Than One Format
Don’t limit yourself to just text. Utilize video, audio and even eBooks. Realize that everyone consumes information differently. There are those that will never grasp the content from a blog post, but immediately understands it when they can see it or hear it.

4. Make Sure You Understand Basic SEO
Search engine optimization for some seems overwhelming, but there are a few things that you can do to rank for the keywords you want to rank within Google, Yahoo and Live Search. There are also basic things you can do with your content creation with H tags and ALT or image tags that can help your content become more search friendly.

To learn more about SEO check out SEOmoz.org.

5. Follow an Editorial Calendar
One of the biggest challenges for many content producers are consistently generating ideas and producing content that people want to read and link to. One of the ways that you can help facilitate this is by developing a content calendar for 1-3 months and producing the content you’ve scheduled. This doesn’t mean that if something news worthy arises that you cant write about it because of your schedule, but the editorial calendar is a guide that keeps you on tract and focusd.

6. Incorporate e-Newsletters
Provide exclusive content that is only made available to your e-newsletter subscribers. Offer them content that isn’t just a rehash of your previous blog posts, but provide tips, tricks and insights that is specifically created for them.

Blue Sky Factory and Mail Chimp are great options to consider when using email marketing.

7. Provide Downloadable Content
Develop free content such as eBooks, video and even audio podcasts that can become portable and downloadable. eBooks are another way for you to distribute your content to another group of readers. It’s also another way for your content to reach places that it never could with just another blog post.

Here is a great tutorial on how to create a PDF eBook.

8. Don’t Forget Offline Strategies
Write for other outposts that don’t publish online. Trade journals, local newspapers and magazines are just a few ways to get exposure to your web site.

Providing simple “mini billboards” like free schwag that promote your site. The more creative you are here the better the chance it doesn’t end up at the bottom of a trash can.

Another offline opportunity is to make yourself available for public speaking. These are great venues to share your content, position yourself as an expert and gain exposure to your online initiatives. While public speaking isn’t for everyone, if you can communicate an idea and keep an audience engaged, you may want to incorporate it into your distribution channel strategy.

9. Build Relationships
The bottom line is that there are no such things as lone rangers. There’s a reason why people succeed and it’s because they know how to build a network of relationships. What may start as a comment on a blog or an exchange of business cards at a conference could prove beneficial if your willing to incorporate all the networking disciplines it takes to build a strong and vibrant group of people around you.

10. All Roads Lead Back to Home
The final key to maximizing your online distribution channel is to make sure that everything points back to home. Make sure ever social profile, your email signature, business card etc. points back to your site. Push your content to where the crowds are gathering, but make sure you leave a trail back to your site. Keep in mind that not everyone will come to your site, but for those that do it’s another opportunity for your content to be consumed and a new group loyalists to become fans to your site.

I know that there are other additional strategies you can do to jump-start your content distribution channel, but the 10 ways mentioned above will get you started and pointed in the right direction.

Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you are doing. What would you add to this list?

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