Your dream as a content marketer is to get your content before as much of your target audience as possible. Lots of resources go into the creation of first-class blog posts, videos, infographics, and images.
But what would it matter if no one knows about your website housing all your amazing content?
If only there were some method to get the same content on other more popular websites and draw attention to your site.
Even if such a method existed, is there not a possibility that posting the same content on different websites might reduce the visibility of your site to search engines?
Since we have these concerns about our content marketing endeavors, in this post, we will pay due attention to the concept of content syndication. This post will discuss its implications, benefits, various patterns and what to do to prevent a flop in your search engine visibility while syndicating your content.
What is Content Syndication?
Content syndication is the act of republishing a web-based content on a third-party website. The web-based content could be a blog post, video, or even an infographic. However, of all forms of content, blog posts are understandably the most syndicated.
Content syndication is more or less a symbiotic arrangement involving two figures: the smaller dude and the bigger dude.
In the arrangement, the smaller dude publishes stellar content on his website and then goes ahead to have the same content republished on the bigger dude’s site (the third-party website). Actually, the entire blog post could be republished. Or it could be a portion of it, such as the first paragraph, or just the headline, with a link leading back to the smaller dude’s site for the entire post to be read.
Just in case you were wondering why I chose to use the “smaller dude, bigger dude” reference, I will fill you in on that in a minute.
The most masterfully crafted and informative blog post (or any other form of content for that matter) on your website can only drive little traffic. Now, imagine such superb content on a website that receives much traffic and is regarded as a high-authority site in your industry. That is sure to get the attention of your much-desired audience.
Clearly, it avails you the opportunity to be noticed by an audience who wouldn’t have easily discovered you organically.
The “smaller dude, bigger dude” reference doesn’t seem so out of place after all. Does it?
Noteworthy is the fact that while the arrangement is between you and a third party, you can still get into the arrangement with multiple “third parties”. Therefore, the same content published on your website can be republished on the websites of third parties A, B, and C.
That’s a whole lot of exposure if you ask me.
Benefits of Content Syndication
There are a number of advantages that come with republishing your stuff on a high-authority website. They include:
- Huge exposure because it gives you access to a larger audience
- Boosting your SEO rankings and your domain authority
- Helping your traffic grow organically
- Establishing you as a thought-leader and an industry expert
- Better exposure for your brand which is demonstrated in improved brand recognition and brand mentions
- Showering your site with link authority and link equity which stem from the high-authority backlinks to your site
- Increasing your followers and expanding your general online presence
- Optimized lead generation opportunities
- Deeper insight to consider concerning your buyer personas
- Greater opportunities to nurture prospects
Obviously, the goodies that content syndication brings are too good to pass up on.
Do you know that some high-authority sites have the tradition of syndicating their content on other high-authority sites? (Keep Business 2 Community, Business Insider, HuffPost, and Inc in mind)
Imagine that a content originally published on your site is the subject of such repeated republishing on high-authority sites. Absolute gold!
Content Syndication vs. Guest Blogging
For many content marketers, whenever the issue of gaining audience and exposure through another site comes up, only two words come to mind. Guest blogging.
Put simply, guest blogging is the practice of blogging on third-party sites in your industry. As the author of such blog posts, you get a byline that contains information about you, your services and your website.
Guest blogging shares some characteristics with content syndication. These features are:
- Content created by you is published on another site
- Both of them fetch you extra exposure
- In the two, there is a backlink to your site
However, the striking difference lies in the fact that for guest blogging, you have to create a totally new post which you have not published on your blog or any other site before. But for content syndication, the post must have been published on another site first.
Which Is Better?
If ever a question should arise as to which is better, between content syndication and guest blogging, here’s my candid response: None.
They are both effective strategies in their own rights in the world of content marketing.
Worthy of note, however, is the fact that content syndication saves time and is relatively much easier than guest blogging.
A single awesome post can be republished on five different high-authority third-party websites (if you go about your content syndication strategy just right) within a short period. Once you’ve created the post and published it on your blog, it’s all sunshine and butterflies.
For guest blogging, however, the boot is on the other foot. Most high-authority sites only post top-tier content. This means deeply-researched blog posts which number almost 1,500 words, to say the least.
Do you know that more than 60% of marketers admit that constantly creating spectacular content is challenging? They are not joking!
Imagine trying to create 5 top-notch guest posts for 5 different websites. That will definitely bite into your time and energy. Facts!
But, in favor of guest blogging, there is a point worth mentioning.
Guest blogging can be financially rewarding because some popular sites pay guest bloggers.
However, high-authority sites don’t (nor does any site that I know at the time this post is written) pay for content syndication. In fact, some of them actually charge you for it. Examples are Outbrain and Taboola.
The Various Patterns Of Content Syndication
Having understood what content syndication is and what it is not, it is appropriate to give attention to the different ways in which content can be syndicated.
Is it only content posted on your site that can be republished on a third-party website? Do you always have to formally liaise with other site owners? Can you go about this syndication process on your own?
Well, keep reading and you shall have your answers in a bit.
1. Syndicating Your Content On Other Sites
This is the pattern of content syndication which readily comes to mind. To get started, you have to find out the popular websites in your niche that engage in content syndication.
When you have found them out, go ahead and craft a good pitch telling them that you can provide amazing content on your blog which they can republish.
If your posts are truly awesome, they will be glad to join forces. You do not easily say “no” to good content offered on a platter.
2. Syndicating Third-party Content On Your Site
It might interest you to know that it is not only your posts that can be re-published on other sites. Even if you are the “smaller dude”, you can republish the “bigger dude’s” content on your blog.
The first step is to ask for approval to feature their content. Trust me when I say that this is not as daunting as it might seem. Actually, there is a huge chance they will agree because it implies you think highly of their content.
My word of advice is that you should republish content that will be of value to your audience. Featuring such a post from a high-authority website lends credence to your knowledge of your audience’s needs.
A clever move is to take advantage of this pattern when you contribute to a popular site via guest blogging. You might have to ask for permission to republish. Actually, the site might even provide terms for republishing on its guest posting guidelines.
Normally, some of these sites ask for a few weeks of exclusivity before you can republish the post.
Once the period of exclusivity expires, you are free to republish the post on your site.
3. Publishing On Sites That Syndicate Their Content
Another pattern of content syndication is to publish on websites that syndicate their content. A number of websites might have a syndication relationship going. They might even be owned by the same company (you never know).
Where this is the case, the sites usually make it clear in their contribution guidelines that your post might be featured on other sites. In that case, they do not have to seek your permission to syndicate the post.
Honestly, it is an idea to relish. As far as the post bears your byline and a backlink to your site, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
4. Self Syndication
If the idea of content syndication appeals to you, but you are too shy to reach out to site owners or editorial staff, chill. All hope is not lost.
You can actually go about this syndication process on your own.
There are sites out there that allow you to republish your content as you will. There is no requirement to send a pitch asking for permission. These sites recognize your desire to get your content before a larger audience, and they are here for that.
You can republish your posts on them, or publish on them and subsequently republish on your blog.
Some of these sites include:
- Medium
- Publish0x
- SlideShare
- Facebook Business
- Mix
- Pinterest (For pictures and infographics. Remember, all forms of content can be syndicated)
- YouTube (For videos)
- SoundCloud (For audio posts)
Content Syndication And SEO: The Ties That Bind
Some experts have gone to town saying that content syndication is not about SEO. They say it is about marketing, and gaining more exposure for your stuff.
With all due respect, I beg to differ. I say syndication is about both of them. After all, SEO is part and parcel of Internet marketing.
Generally, Google advises webmasters to avoid creating duplicate content. This is because it can whittle down a site’s visibility.
Eventually, syndicated content counts as duplicated content.
One of the utmost concerns of Google is to serve searchers better. In the event of syndicated content, Google shows only the one it deems to be of more value. Sadly, this might not be your site.
Imagine a third-party website ranking on the first page of Google due to your republished content, while your site bearing the original content is nowhere to be found.
You’ve created a monster, my friend.
What, then, can you do to avoid such a scenario? Can content syndication be SEO-friendly?
Well, here are three tips to answer your questions and save you from self-sabotage. Anyone of them can be used.
1. Utilize The “Rel=Canonical” Tag
The “rel=canonical” tag is a tag that is inserted in the HTML header of a page. It is a solid shield from the problems that duplicate content poses.
Essentially, when a page is tagged with it, it points Googe towards the original page of that content. It informs Google that it is only a republished content while indicating the original one.
In that instance, Google is aware of which one to show.
When the syndicated post attracts backlinks, the “rel=canonical” tag ensures you reap the fruits of such links.
When entering a syndication arrangement, you should request that the third-party websites use the “rel=canonical” tag. If you are republishing another site’s content on your blog, be fair and use this tag too.
Do unto others…
For WordPress users, indicating the original content to Google is an easy case that requires no knowledge of coding. The Yoast SEO indicator on the post editor page helps you do the job. Just click the “Advanced” tab.
The “Advanced” tab then reveals a number of fields. In the last field which says “Canonical URL”, enter the URL of the original content. That lets Google know the original content.
2. Utilize The “NoIndex” Tag
Another super-effective way to dodge duplicate content issues is by tagging the page containing the republished content as “NoIndex”. This tag is similarly inserted in the HTML header of a page.
The effect of such a tag is to tell Google bots not to index that page. When a page is not indexed, it doesn’t pop up on search engine result pages.
You see where we are going with this, right?
The tag stops the republished content from overshadowing the original content. Therefore, you will not lose your well-deserved organic traffic.
Always ask third-party websites if they would be willing to use this tag when they republish your content. Do well to use the tag if you are republishing another site’s content on your blog.
Again, do unto others…
This is another easy case, thanks to WordPress. Just as we saw above, this can be effected using the Yoast SEO indicator. Click the “Advanced” tab. In the first field asking “Allow search engines to show this Post in search results?”, click “No”.
This means that you do not want the post to be indexed.
Easy peasy!
3. Add A Clear Attribution And A Backlink
If, for whatever reasons, the third-party website administrators refuse to add any of the two tags discussed above, do not despair.
You can ask them to add an attribution with a backlink to your site at the end of the post. An attribution generally takes the form of “This post was originally posted on xyz.com.”
While this tip gives you the acknowledgment that you deserve, it totally pales in comparison to the two tips discussed above. This is because it does not seem to stop the republishing site from outranking the site with the original content.
However, better is half a loaf than no bread.
Be sure to include this attribution as well if you republish another site’s content on your blog. (Can I say “Do unto others…” one more time?)
Finally, it is appropriate to say that you can’t have content syndication without content. Therefore, you should create outstanding content that high-authority sites will consider worth republishing.
Having gathered this much information, go ahead and make the most of content syndication networks. Your site will thank you for the link juice that will follow. Also, your much-desired target audience will notice you.
Has this post impacted you? Do you have any ideas to share? Let us know in the comments.
