So you’ve been producing and sharing content online, but not reaching as many people as you would like to, and you wonder what you’re missing ... You need to think about seeded content.
Seeded content is more than sharing content online; it’s about placing the right content on the right channels, at the right time.
For this to happen one needs a content-sharing strategy on social networks and other content aggregators, such as Bizcommunity and Travelwise.
The Cisco Visual Networking Index Forecast 2015 predicts that by 2019, there will be 27-million South African Internet users. That might sound like a lot, but reaching those users in a meaningful way is not an easy task. In this blog we will look at what seeded content is, tips on how to get it right, and who is doing it correctly in South Africa.
The first thing to consider is how you want to package your content, where you want to publish it initially and how to keep the content alive.
“Seeding or distributing the content you produce in the right places is as important as creating it. At Travelstart we have enjoyed some success by creating content for multiple niches, and then serving it to audiences beyond our own website, blog and social media channels via relevant third-party platforms,” says Russell Jarvis, global head of communications at online travel booking website, Travelstart.
“This helps the content reach a wider audience than what we could achieve through an owned-media-only approach, plus it helps increase our brand awareness and position us as an authority on travel-related topics; that in turn helps build trust with our customers and prospects,” he says.
Seeding content tips
Planning and packaging
It goes without saying that creating good, relevant content for your target audience goes a long way when creating engagement. Know your audience and make sure you post where you can reach them.
One thing that popular online posts have in common is that they stay relevant to the audience for a long time. Top five or top 10 lists are still incredibly popular simply because, if done correctly, the content does not become outdated overnight. This is what is referred to as “evergreen content”.
Publishing and sharing
Think about where you want to publish your article first, and from there always refer back to the main source. A company website is a great place to start. Facebook and Twitter are the most popular social networks but others, such as LinkedIn or Google+, offer more targeted audiences who may be more relevant to your communication.
A targeted audience provides fertile ground for discussion, which is what you want in order to create a buzz around your article. Also, interact with key influencers who may share your posts on their own networks. It is even better if you can become a regular contributor to other, relevant websites, as this will add credibility to your content.
The more content you produce, the more you can establish yourself as a trusted source in your field.
Engage and measure
Once the content is published, be prepared to engage and manage the social media interactions and other websites’ interactions, where possible. If you can, spend some money on paid advertising on social media networks to promote your article.
Have a management tool in mind to track your content, to see who is reading your work. Google Analytics, for example, can offer great insights without you having to spend a cent.
Who is doing it right?
Travelstart is the leading online travel booking website in Africa, and it won best travel blog in the SA Blog Awards for 2015. Even though its core business is selling flights and hotel rooms, it also creates its own content and partners with top travel bloggers. It has established itself as a go-to place for travel information.
Nick Paul writes blogs for Travelstart and one soon notices that he produces a lot of top 10 lists, which are great for search engine optimisation (SEO). All the blogs can be easily shared on at least three different social networks, which are visible just under the header and at the bottom of each blog. Even though he does not say “please share me”, the message is clear: if you like it, share it with your networks.
It’s also clear that Travelstart knows the market in which it operates. Travelstart’s core business is e-commerce and because technological infrastructure is still a challenge in Africa, it has embraced mobile technology with a flight booking app for Android in South Africa.
Basically, a user can plan and book a holiday on their mobile phone, read up about their destination and share the information on their social networks – without having to look elsewhere. Travelstart has partnered with MTN to create easy payment solutions for the other 16 African countries in which it operates.
And that, in a nutshell, is how seeded content works.