Content Marketing is as strong as ever.  Strong content principles still apply – targeted, compelling, relevant content written for each persona at each different stage of the buying cycle.

That said, how we get the content to our consumers is the major component of a great content marketing strategy.  No more “if you write it, they will come” SEO strategies.  Today’s consumer is being pulled in more directions than ever, and even the most cleverly crafted thought leadership piece is fighting for attention with about a million other marketing strategies.  Preparing a strong campaign for how this content will be consumed is at the forefront of modern marketing strategies.

Here are just a couple of examples of how marketers will need to focus their investments toward making sure people read their content.

Digital ad strategies for content distribution

Traditional digital display

Using digital display creative to drive traffic toward an article as opposed to driving it toward a quick call-to-action (“call now”) has become the latest trend in digital display advertising that effectively drives traffic to your well-crafted content.  Our research is showing that digital display ads pointed at content versus pointed at quick calls-to-action drive almost twice as many clicks, confirming the fact that today’s consumer wants to be educated, nurtured, and wooed by their advertisers.

Sponsored Content

Leveraging the “halo effect” of respected publishers by promoting your content on their sites usually ensures a higher click-thru-rate and a longer engagement with your content.

Facebook advertising

Facebook ads targeting prospects who will read your content is an attractive option for many reasons.  First of all, it’s – well – FACEBOOK.  214 million users in the U.S. confirms that the audience is there.  And its many different demographic targeting capabilities ensure that you can get your content in front of virtually anyone.

Content recommendation engines

Tools like Taboola and Outbrain partner with major online content publishers to suggest content they think their readers will want to consume.  These tools are by and large CPM based, so you’re essentially bidding on contextual consumption to drive your rate toward getting qualified prospects to click on and consume your content.

Of course, some of the more tried-and-true methods of content distribution will never go out of style:  eNewsletters, sharing on social media, link building, encouraging employees to share, and distributing to clients.