#200: Drive | Create Once, Distribute Forever: Content Marketing & Distribution with Ross Simmonds, Founder of CEO at Foundation & Distribution.ai
Dec 9, 2024
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Ross Simmonds, Founder and CEO of Foundation & Distribution.ai, shares valuable insights on content marketing and distribution strategies. He introduces the mantra "create once, distribute forever" to enhance marketing efficiency. Ross discusses blending educational and engaging content to captivate audiences. He emphasizes leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and Reddit, providing tactical distribution tips, and the importance of authenticity in communications. Additionally, he reveals how embracing AI can optimize content strategies and enhance audience engagement.
Embracing a 'create once, distribute forever' mindset enables B2B brands to maximize content reach through strategic distribution channels.
A robust content strategy involves understanding audience needs and crafting quality content, rather than merely filling content calendars.
Deep dives
Lead Response Times in B2B Sales
Average lead response times for B2B sales teams remain alarmingly long, with recent findings showing it takes over one day, five hours, and 17 minutes for companies to follow up with leads. This delay is detrimental as potential buyers often seek alternatives after only a few minutes of inaction. The necessity of immediate engagement highlights the vital role of automated scheduling tools like Revenue Hero, which streamline the meeting booking process for qualified leads. With major brands already utilizing this solution, companies are urged to prioritize swift follow-ups to capture and retain interest from prospective clients.
The Importance of Content Strategy
The podcast emphasizes the need for B2B brands to rethink their content creation approach, moving beyond simply filling content calendars with mediocre articles. Many businesses mistakenly view a series of blog posts as a comprehensive content strategy, neglecting the importance of effective content distribution. Successful content must be educational, engaging, entertaining, or empowering to resonate with audiences, demonstrating the necessity of quality over quantity in content marketing. Additionally, a shift in perspective is called for, encouraging marketers to develop a media-like approach to content, understanding that successful content doesn't just require publication but must also be actively marketed.
Effective Distribution Framework
To maximize the reach and impact of their content, brands are encouraged to adopt a robust distribution framework consisting of four key steps: research, creation, distribution, and optimization. This approach starts with understanding the audience's needs and challenges before crafting high-quality content. Distribution must then be strategically executed, utilizing various channels such as social media, email newsletters, and niche communities to ensure the content reaches its intended audience effectively. Regular optimization allows for continuous improvement and adaptation of content strategies to maintain relevance and effectiveness in a constantly changing digital landscape.
Leveraging User-Generated Platforms
The discussion includes the significance of platforms like Reddit for understanding audience behavior and preferences, as well as the potential for brands to engage with users in these communities. With Reddit's growing prominence as a user-generated content site, businesses are encouraged to analyze discussions and contributions related to their field to glean insights into what resonates with their target demographic. Developing content that aligns with the community's interests, while also fostering genuine engagement, can enhance brand visibility and relevance. Companies are advised to think creatively about using these platforms for content distribution and community building to foster authentic connections with audiences.
This episode is from Drive 2024, Exit Five's first-ever in-person event for B2B marketers in Burlington, Vermont. Ross Simmonds, Founder of CEO at Foundation & Distribution.ai , hosted a session on creating and distributing B2B content that drives real results.
Ross covers:
Why "create once, distribute forever" should be your mantra for content marketing.
How to blend educational, engaging, entertaining, and empowering content to captivate your audience.
Tactical approaches to dominate distribution channels like LinkedIn, Reddit, and niche communities.
Timestamps
(00:00) - - Intro to Ross
(02:55) - - Content Creation Mistakes
(05:49) - - Thinking Like a Modern Media Company: Distribution Strategy
(09:22) - - Crafting and Distributing Engaging, Impactful Content
(14:19) - - How to Continuously Engage Your audience
(17:10) - - Optimizing Strategy through Reddit and Niche Communities
*** This episode of the Exit Five podcast is brought to you by our friends at Revenue Hero. It’s 2024, your buyer has probably moved on to an alternative after a few minutes of not hearing from you, let alone 29 hours.
What those companies need is automated scheduling for qualified leads.
And that’s where RevenueHero comes in. Their platform is the fastest way for qualified leads to schedule a meeting with your sales team. Plus they have the most sophisticated matching algorithm so all your leads get booked with the right rep whether they are a new account or already a customer. Check them out at revenuehero.io/exitfive.
***
Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.
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