In this episode, Ross lays down the law on modern content distribution and why "hoping it goes viral" isn't a strategy. He breaks down the five most common mistakes marketers make with distribution, highlights the new reality of reaching audiences in the AI and multi-channel era, and walks you step-by-step through building a powerful, repeatable distribution system that delivers results. If you’ve been creating high-quality content but struggling to get it in front of the right audience, this episode gives you the system, mindset, and framework to turn things around.
Key Takeaways and Insights:
-
Hope Is NOT a Strategy
-
Pressing “publish” is not enough to drive content success.
-
Distribution is what transforms good content into great, high-impact content.
-
If no one sees your content, it may as well not exist.
-
5 Common Distribution Mistakes
-
Publish Once, Then Disappear
-
Celebrate distribution, not just publishing.
-
Implement a content distribution calendar to continuously share and promote assets.
-
Relying on a Single Channel
-
Multi-channel presence is essential to stay top of mind and generate multiple touch points.
-
Don’t stick to just LinkedIn or X — explore YouTube, Reddit, newsletters, Slack groups, and more.
-
Assuming Organic Reach is Guaranteed
-
Social and SEO algorithms don’t owe you visibility.
-
Use rented platforms to build owned ones (e.g., newsletters), and pair organic with smart paid amplification.
-
Not Repurposing Content
-
A blog post should become a LinkedIn carousel, a video, a thread on X, a newsletter, etc.
-
Embrace the mantra: Create Once, Distribute Forever.
-
Failure to Track Performance
-
You can’t optimize what you don’t measure.
-
Use tools like GA4, HubSpot, Ahrefs, etc., to analyze what’s working.
-
How to Build a Real Distribution System
-
Audience & Content Market Fit Research
-
Understand who your audience is, their interests, pain points, and where they hang out online.
-
Go beyond business competitors — study top-performing content in other niches (MrBeast, Yoga with Adriene, etc.) to understand attention mechanics.
-
Create a High-Value Pillar Asset
-
Choose a format (blog post, video, case study, podcast, etc.).
-
This asset will form the nucleus of your distribution efforts.
-
Repurpose & Atomize
-
Break your pillar asset into quotes, clips, carousels, threads, email snippets, and more for long-term promotion.
-
Define Distribution Across PESO
-
Paid (ads, boosts)
-
Earned (press, influencer shares)
-
Shared (social, communities)
-
Owned (newsletter, blog)
-
Measure Everything & Iterate
-
Use data to guide future efforts and content decisions.
-
Recommended tools: Google Analytics 4, HubSpot, Ahrefs, SparkToro, UTM dashboards, and Distribution.AI.
Resources & Tools:
🔗 Distribution.ai
🔗 Create Once, Distribute Forever
🔗 HubSpot
🔗 Ahrefs
🔗 Google Analytics 4
🔗SparkToro
— 👋🏾 Let's stay connected —
╰ Subscribe to my channel: @RossSimmondsTV
╰ Instagram: @thecoolestcool
╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool
╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds