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What is content syndication in digital marketing and how does it work?

Read Time 12 mins | Written by: Rebecca Gardom

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The internet is full of competing brands, and it can be hard to gain visibility if you’re a small business, a startup or your company doesn’t have an established web presence. That’s where a strong content marketing strategy comes in, and content syndication can be a viable part of that. In this article, we ask ‘what is content syndication in digital marketing’ and how it may be able to help your business grow.

Table of contents

  1. What is content syndication in digital marketing?
  2. How does content syndication work?
  3. Why content syndication can benefit you
  4. What are the methods of content syndication?
  5. Best practices for content syndication
  6. How to do content syndication
    i. Steps for building your brand’s reputation online
    ii. Steps for building your audience

What is content syndication in digital marketing?

Content syndication is a marketing strategy that is used to get content published on multiple websites to reach larger audiences and improve your brand’s online authority.

Syndicated content is different from guest blogging, it involves taking the same content and republishing it on other sites with permission and a link. By stating where the content is from, the writer is given credit and it can also avoid duplicated content issues.

How does content syndication work?

What-is-content-syndication-in-digital-marketing-Copify-blog-2-768x512-1The main way a content syndication strategy works is by enabling your content to reach wider audiences by publishing your content on a different website. This can help you promote your brand’s awareness to a larger group of individuals, who are potentially new customers that your brand would struggle to reach alone.

By working with content distribution partners, digital publishers, or industry influencers, you can build up traffic and website authority while getting new people coming in through the referrals from these external sites. Content that is published on high ranking websites or news sites will rank higher in search engine results, bringing more traffic to your website and business.

Building trust through content marketing is essential for businesses, and when another site publishes one of your articles it helps build that sense of trust amongst readers as well as search engines.

Why content syndication can benefit you

Content syndication refers to the process of distributing your content, such as articles, blog posts, or videos, to third-party websites in order to reach a wider audience. Here are some ways in which content syndication can benefit you:

  1. Increased brand visibility: By syndicating your content, you can reach a larger audience that may not have discovered your content otherwise. This can help you gain more exposure for your brand, increase your website traffic, and build your audience.

  2. Improved search engine rankings: When you syndicate your content to reputable websites with a high domain authority, it can help improve your search engine rankings. This is because search engines recognise that your content is being shared on other high-quality websites, which can increase the credibility and authority of your content.

  3. More backlinks: When your content is syndicated, it often includes a link back to your website. These backlinks can help improve your search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site.

  4. Increased leads and conversions: By reaching a larger audience with your content, you can increase the number of leads and conversions you generate. This is because more people will be exposed to your brand, and you will have more opportunities to convert them into customers.

  5. More cost-effective marketing: Content syndication is a cost-effective way to reach a larger audience. You can often syndicate your content for free, or for a low cost, which can help you stretch your marketing budget further.

  6. Increased audience reach: If you have a niche audience, you can reach out to other brands that have a similar audience to yours, for example, a yoga teacher and a health food company. They may be more willing to share your content because it is relevant to their audience, and to endorse or try out your product or service. 

Overall, content syndication can be a powerful tool for building your brand, increasing your visibility, and generating more leads and conversions.

What are the methods of content syndication?

What-is-content-syndication-in-digital-marketing-Copify-blog-1-768x512-1There are a few methods of content syndication that you may want to consider including blog partnerships where another blogger will write about your company on their site in exchange for sharing the post with their audience. You can also start by publishing industry influencer posts on your site without requiring them to share it with their followers (or providing a “share-for-share” option).

The aim of content syndication is finding quality, high-authority websites in your industry and contacting them about publishing a post for you. There are also paid content syndication services, where you pay a fee to get your content published on a high-ranking website or news site, like Buzzfeed News or Forbes. In some cases, a published story can end up featured on over 20 domains if it is placed by a large news agency.

Best practices for content syndication

There are a few things to keep in mind when you are trying to introduce a content syndication strategy. It is essential that the content you create is valuable, unique and interesting, and in some cases, it might be wise to get a professional content writer to do this for you.

The content you share doesn’t have to be a guest blog; content syndication can also be used for Ebooks, podcasts, infographics and webinars. By sharing diverse, quality content that shows your brand’s unique insights and perspective, you can create a voice online that people want to listen to.

Once you have found a few sites that offer syndication opportunities, it is important to review their guidelines on submitting content for approval. Some publishers only allow articles in specific topics or require them written with SEO optimisation practices in mind. By following these submission guidelines and providing the necessary information requested of you, your article will increase its chances of being accepted.

Keep an eye out for types of content that the site will accept and see what unique angle your company can bring.

How to do content syndication

What-is-content-syndication-in-digital-marketing-Copify-blog-4-740x493-1There are a few simple steps to getting started in content syndication, and some specific strategies depending on your goals:

  • As with all marketing strategies, begin by asking yourself what your content marketing goals are. Is it to generate brand awareness, build website authority or drive traffic? If you’re looking for the best way to drive traffic, content syndication is a great option, as a link to your site will appear high up on someone else’s site.
  • Another great way to get started with content syndication is to work with distribution partners who will place your content on their site and share it on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. This strategy generates more views for your content as well as visibility; however, it can be a more expensive option for companies with limited marketing budgets.

Steps for building your brand’s reputation online

If you’re looking to build your website authority, then look into the benefits of syndicating content with industry influencers. This strategy is more affordable than distribution partners and provides a way for companies who have low budgets to increase their visibility in an increasingly competitive digital marketing landscape.

In this case, you may want to work with influencers who are not affiliated with competitors or potential clients – that way they can share your content without fear of backlash from posting something negative about your company.

Steps for building your audience

Content syndication is a cost-effective way for companies with limited marketing budgets to increase their visibility in an increasingly competitive digital marketing landscape.

Syndicating articles that offer value-added information provides readers with a feeling of knowing more than just the brand name but also understanding your brand’s outlook, values and industry expertise.

✏️If you're looking to create content for syndication, contact us about our content creation services today.


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Rebecca Gardom

I’m a creative copywriter based in the beautiful Derbyshire Dales, with a varied portfolio, many years of experience and a passion for creating great content. I’ve held a variety of writing roles in a range of industries, including property, the arts, marketing and fashion. I also run a small business and have worked as a freelance writer and artist, before becoming a professional copywriter for Copify in 2020.