This post cuts the fluff and shows you exactly what’s changing, which products to avoid and how to build hyper‑specific digital products that actually sell. If you’re serious about turning your expertise into a sustainable business, read on.

2026: A Purging Year for Digital Products

2026 is a purging year because the barrier to entry has never been lower—thanks to AI‑generated content and plug‑and‑play platforms—and the market has never been more saturated. Those who dipped a toe in without committing are about to get washed out. The good news? If you stay focused and adapt, there’s still plenty of room to grow.

Why the Purge Is Happening

• Saturation: Everyone and their mother is selling templates, guides and online courses. Generic offers get lost in the noise.

• Buyer fatigue: Customers have been burned by low‑value courses and “ultimate guides” that promise the world but deliver little. They’re now looking for precision and tangible results.

• AI: Tools can churn out content faster than ever, so what you sell has to be more than regurgitated information.

Bottom line: 2026 will reward those who go deep rather than wide, and punish anyone peddling shallow, one‑size‑fits‑all products.

What Won’t Sell: Generic PDFs and Massive Courses

Skip the Generic Downloads

A few years ago you could throw together a 10‑page PDF on a broad topic and sell it for $27. Customers expect specificity and actionable outcomes. A bland budget planner or “Ultimate Guide to Productivity” just doesn’t cut it when dozens of better‑packaged options exist.

Why generic PDFs fail:

• They’re too broad; they don’t solve a defined problem.

• They’re often cheaply made, signalling low value to buyers.

• Competition is fierce, so your audience scrolls past them without a second thought.

Forget the Mega‑Course

The second type of product heading for the trash bin is the mega‑course. Those “ultimate guide to becoming wealthy” or “all‑in‑one home décor” programs are too overwhelming and too broad to capture attention. People are busy; they want a quick transformation, not a semester’s worth of content. Massive courses also take forever to produce and are harder to update as market conditions change.

Why mega‑courses flop:

• They promise everything and deliver nothing.

• Their length scares off buyers who don’t want to invest weeks or months in a single program.

• They age poorly; tech and tactics evolve fast, leaving your content outdated.

The Solution: Hyper‑Specific Digital Products

What Is a Hyper‑Specific Product?

Hyper‑specific digital products solve one clear problem for a tightly defined audience. They don’t try to be all things to all people; they offer a direct path to a desired result. Success in 2026 will come from these targeted offers—think about YouTube course that teaches how to hit 100 k subscribers by using AI to create faceless videos or a program on selling through Instagram stories, not the entire platform.

How to Design Your Hyper‑Specific Offer

1. Identify the one win your customer desperately wants. Ask yourself what’s the single transformation they crave. Is it launching their first Etsy shop? Booking their first freelance client? Losing 10 pounds without a gym? Whatever it is, your product should be built around delivering that specific win.

2. Remove everything that isn’t essential. Great design happens when there’s nothing left to take away. If you can teach the same result in eight videos instead of eighty, do it. Shorter, more focused content respects your customer’s time and increases completion rates.

3. Create frameworks, not encyclopedias. Instead of cramming every possible tip into your product, provide a clear framework or process. Frameworks are memorable and repeatable. They also make your product feel unique even if the information is available elsewhere.

4. Price it intelligently. Start with a no‑brainer price like $27 so buyers can say “yes” without overthinking. Once you have proof of concept, you can graduate to $97 or $197 offers.

5. Use real examples. Show how the framework works through case studies or personal wins. Course creators are making $30–50k a month in niche topics like gardening guides because they solved a very specific problem.

Pricing Strategies That Work

Gary Vee always preaches that price is a story you tell yourself—and your customer. I recommends launching hyper‑specific products at $27 to take price out of the equation. Once you’ve validated demand, you can step up to $97 or $197 product. These tiers are proven sweet spots for digital products because they’re affordable yet reflect value.

• $27 – Perfect for beginners; removes price objections.

• $97 – Great for intermediate buyers; higher perceived value.

• $197 – For established creators or comprehensive micro‑offers.

Raising prices without validation is a common rookie mistake. Let the market tell you when it’s time to level up.

Focus on Transformation Over Information

The value of your product isn’t measured in hours of video or pages of worksheets. It’s measured in outcomes.Your job is to deliver the transformation with the least amount of content possible. When you shift your mindset from “more information” to “faster results,” you not only create a better product but also differentiate yourself from the sea of info‑dumpers.

• Think like a product designer. Ask: “Can I get my customer to the result faster?”

• Prioritize action steps. Give worksheets, templates and scripts that drive implementation, not just theory.

• Streamline the learning path. Remove tangents and deep dives that aren’t essential to the core transformation.

Marketing Your Hyper‑Specific Product

Creating a great product is only half the battle; marketing is where you win or lose. Once your hyper‑specific offer is ready, build a marketing plan that focuses on a single platform (YouTube, Instagram stories, TikTok, etc.) and leans into storytelling. Use social proof, behind‑the‑scenes glimpses and bite‑sized content to drive traffic to your product. In other words, practice what you preach.

Next Steps

• Test and iterate. Treat your product like a living asset. Update it as you gather feedback.

• Invest in community. Build an audience that believes in your mission so future offers get easier to sell.

• Keep learning. The market will continue to evolve. Stay curious, stay humble and keep shipping.

Conclusion

Digital products aren’t dying in 2026; they’re evolving. Generic PDFs and massive courses are relics of the past. The future belongs to hyper‑specific solutions that deliver clear wins quickly. By choosing a narrowly defined problem, stripping away unnecessary content, pricing intelligently and marketing with purpose, you’ll stand out in a crowded market. Like Gary Vaynerchuk always says, “legacy is greater than currency.” Build offers that make a real impact and the money will follow.

The post 2026 Digital Product Strategy: Why Generic PDFs Won’t Sell in 2026 appeared first on Brian Manon.

Too many people still think there’s a magic hack for making money online. They jump from one platform to another, chasing trends without ever building something real. I’m here to tell you – if you want to create a $10K/month content site in 2026, you need to stop dreaming and start building. You have to put in the work, understand your audience and create content that actually matters. Let’s break down how to build a digital brand that pays the bills and stands the test of time.

The New Content Landscape: E‑E‑A‑T and AI

Search has changed. In 2026, your content isn’t just competing with millions of articles – it’s competing with AI. Large Language Models pull answers from the web, and they prioritize pages that show real experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (E‑E‑A‑T). AI‑driven engines look for authority signals and third‑party validation, and that your content should be infused with examples, case studies and insights that come from hands‑on experience. Collaborate with experts when you cover complex topics and explain your methodology so readers understand how you arrived at your insights

Information gain is the new secret sauce

Standard advice isn’t enough anymore. Your content has to deliver “information gain” – something readers can’t find anywhere else. I suggests publishing original research, creating unique frameworks, developing custom visuals and sharing advanced tactics, Structure your post so it’s easy to scan and provides a logical pathway through the topic. That’s how you stand out when AI and humans are filtering through mountains of content.

Use AI as a tool, not a crutch

I love AI – it helps my team brainstorm outlines, find examples and organize complex information. But AI doesn’t replace your voice. It can draft, but you have to refine it, add your personal stories and bring the energy. Use AI to save time, not to cut corners. Readers can tell when a post is written by someone who cares versus a bot spitting out fluff.

Pick the Right Niche and Audience

If you’re serious about building a $10K/month site, you have to pick a niche you actually give a damn about. I recommend choosing a niche you care about because a genuine interest makes it easier to create and manage content. Your expertise doesn’t have to be your lifelong passion, but some level of interest goes a long way when you’re doing the work.

1. Identify a problem. Don’t just publish random thoughts; find a specific problem your audience is desperate to solve. Whether it’s teaching beginners how to invest or helping new parents get more sleep, specificity wins.

2. Understand your ideal reader. Who are they? What keeps them up at night? The clearer you are about who you’re serving, the easier it is to create content that resonates.

3. Research the competition. Look at what other sites are doing, and ask how you can offer more value. Remember: information gain and E‑E‑A‑T are your differentiators.

Build Content That Adds Real Value

Content is your product. If your blog posts are just regurgitated listicles, you won’t last. Your content needs to be deep, actionable and organized. I emphasizes that high‑quality content should provide original insights and clear organization, not keyword stuffing

. Here’s how to do it:

• Original research and case studies. Share data from your own experiments or interviews. It signals authority and provides something readers can’t get elsewhere

• Unique frameworks. If you have a process that works, package it as a simple framework – people love repeatable systems

• Custom visuals and storytelling. Use graphics, charts and personal stories to explain complex ideas clearly

• Clear structure. Use headings, subheadings and lists. A well‑structured article helps readers and AI understand your content

SEO Fundamentals for 2026

SEO isn’t dead; it’s evolving. On‑page SEO in 2026 is all about clarity and context.

Here are the fundamentals you need to master:

1. Title Tags and Headings

Your page title should be simple and aligned with the main keyword. Each section of your guide should cover a distinct subtopic with descriptive headings that work like a table of contents

2. URL Structure and Internal Links

Keep URLs short and focused – no extra parameters, dates or category folders. Link to related guides using descriptive anchor text; internal links build context for readers and for search engines

3. Semantic Relevance

Instead of repeating your main keyword, include related terms naturally. Cover the topic completely so search engines and AI models can understand the context

4. Technical Optimization

Don’t forget the basics. Write meta descriptions that accurately summarize your content. Optimize images with descriptive file names and alt text, and compress them for faster loading. Improve page speed and ensure your site is mobile‑friendly. These factors may not be flashy, but they make or break user experience.

Monetize Smartly: Multiple Revenue Streams

Remember, a content site is a business. These sites earn money in several ways: display ads through networks like Google AdSense or Mediavine, affiliate marketing where you earn commissions by linking to products or services, and sponsored posts or selling your own digital products such as e‑books or courses. Diversify your income so you’re not reliant on one source.

Monetization options:

• Display ads. Once your site receives consistent traffic, display ads can generate a steady baseline revenue. To maximize earnings, optimize ad placement without sacrificing user experience.

• Affiliate marketing. Promote products or services that genuinely help your audience. Authentic recommendations convert better and enhance trust.

• Digital products. Sell e‑books, templates, courses or memberships. When you own the product, the margins are higher, and you control the customer relationship.

• Sponsored posts and brand partnerships. Collaborate with brands for sponsored content once you’ve built authority. Just make sure the partnership aligns with your audience’s interests.

Build vs Buy: Choosing Your Path

Do you build a site from scratch or buy one that’s already making money? Both paths can work for earning passive income.

• Building from scratch. If you’re on a tight budget and want to learn, start a site yourself. Pick a niche, create valuable content and grow traffic through SEO. Be prepared for a longer ramp‑up period – it usually takes several months before the site gains traction.

• Buying an existing site. Buying is a shortcut if you’d rather skip the early hustle. You get a site that already has content, traffic and earnings. It’s less guesswork, but it requires more upfront investment. Always review the site’s traffic data, earnings history and SEO practices before purchasing.

Whatever path you choose, the goal is to build an asset that can grow over time. Remember, content sites run with minimal day‑to‑day input once the content is ranking.

Tips for Beginners: Start Smart

Motion Invest offers several foundational practices for anyone getting into website investing:

• Pick a niche you care about. Your interest keeps you going when growth is slow.

• Understand the basics of SEO. Invest time learning keyword research, on‑page SEO and internal linking because most organic traffic comes from search.

• Diversify your income streams. Don’t rely on just ads or affiliate links; combine multiple revenue channels for stability.

• Track your performance. Use tools like Google Analytics, Search Console and affiliate dashboards to monitor what’s working and double down on it. Tracking not only helps you grow traffic and income but also increases your site’s value if you ever decide to sell.

Scale, Diversify and Stay Patient

Building a $10K/month content site isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Once you have one site humming, it becomes easier to replicate the process. Content sites offer scalability – once you learn the ropes, you can expand into additional niches. They also provide freedom and a low barrier to entry; you can work from anywhere and grow as you go. Stay patient, keep producing quality content and reinvest earnings into growth.

Conclusion

I’m not here to sell you a pipe dream. Building a profitable content site requires hustle, patience and smart execution. But if you follow the principles above – pick a niche you care about, create content with real value, master modern SEO, monetize through multiple streams and track everything – you can build a digital asset that pays you $10K a month. Stop waiting for the perfect moment. The only way to win is to start now, learn on the fly and adapt.

The post From Zero to $10K/Month: Building a Content Site That Wins in 2026 appeared first on Brian Manon.

Image Credit: Headway from Unsplash.

Marketing is an essential part of running a business. It’s vital to generating brand awareness, bringing in new customers, and nurturing sales. As much as you’ll already know that, you mightn’t be seeing the results you want with your marketing efforts. You could need to do better.

That means knowing how to improve your marketing strategies long-term. As obvious as this can be, it doesn’t mean it comes easy to everyone. It could seem overwhelming. But, it doesn’t need to be. By focusing on the right areas and marketing tips, you could end up seeing better results than you would’ve thought.

Know Your Audience

You’ll have a target market for your products or services, and it’s always worth keeping them in mind. This is especially true when it comes to your marketing strategies. You’ll need to refine and hone these to make sure they resonate as much as possible with the people most likely to buy what you’re selling.

That means taking the time to invest in market research. The more you put into this, the better you can improve your marketing strategies to engage and draw them in. With how much of an impact this can have on your results, you’ve no reason not to do it.

Outsource to Experts

One of the main reasons your marketing mightn’t be hitting the mark is because your business doesn’t have much advertising expertise. This doesn’t need to be as much of a barrier as you’d think. By outsourcing to marketing professionals, you can overcome this relatively easily.

There are plenty of these you can outsource to, like a branding agency. With the right option, you should see much better results as time goes on. This can even be a lot more affordable than you’d think, making it quite a cost effective approach to take. It’s worth the investment.

Take a Long-Term Approach

Countless businesses focus on the short-term when they’re investing in various areas. Marketing can be one of the more notable of these. While this can offer some short-term results, it mightn’t always be an effective approach to take. You’re much better off taking a long-term approach to your marketing efforts.

This helps you see more and more success as time goes on. You can still have short-term goals, but these should feed into a more long-term objective. That way, you can make sure you’re seeing the results – and overall growth – you want to see going forward. Make it a priority.

You’ll already know that marketing can be vital for your business. But that doesn’t mean you’re seeing the results you want. Your marketing efforts just mightn’t be hitting the mark. You don’t need to settle for that, though. You just have to know how to improve your marketing.

Focusing on the right areas should have quite an impact. Some marketing tips will have a significant impact on the results you see going forward. There’s no reason not to focus on some of the more helpful of these. You’ll see better and better results in time.

The post How to Improve Your Marketing & See Better Results appeared first on Brian Manon.

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When it comes to being a business owner, you have a lot of things you have to juggle, from customer service to getting paid on time; you’re in a rush to build an online presence and basically anything and everything in between. But with that all said however, when it comes to planning out your marketing, they say that you should plan out your marketing at least three months in advance.

Now, it’s up to you if you’re someone who likes to have a content strategy in advance or more last minute, but needless to say, it has to stay consistent. Generally speaking, staying organized is key to not getting overwhelmed. But regardless of how much planning your marketing (especially content marketing) can be, you’ll still need to focus on setting up a consistent marketing schedule that can streamline your efforts, keep you visible to your audience, and save you loads of time.

Sounds like a lot, right? Well, it’s actually not too much; it’s all about time management and finding what works. But where exactly do you start? Well, here’s what you need to know!

Pick Your Channels Wisely

Chances are, you already know what your goals and your audience are, right? Well, once you know where your audience hangs out, choose your channels. Whether it’s Instagram, newsletters, or maybe even a podcast, focus on channels where you can shine rather than trying to be everywhere at once. But it’s best not to pick everything- at least not at this stage. So, for example, if you want to do video marketing, then you could make one video and post it on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts, but keep in mind you’ll still need to engage with comments if you get any. Just be selective at first because it can be challenging doing it all at once.

You’ll Need to Properly Map Out Your Content Calendar

You’ll need to think about your content calendar as your marketing roadmap. But what exactly is this? Well, a content calendar helps you plan out when you’ll post what and where. It’s about striking a balance between promotional stuff and genuinely interesting, engaging content that speaks to your audience.

It’s up to you how to do this; some people will use Google Sheets, some use Hootsuite, Meta content planner, or even something like Notion too. But it’s best to have one for every platform you plan to post on.

Hiring Some Professionals

You have to keep in mind that content marketing isn’t the only form of marketing, and you’ll still need to plan for other types of marketing, too. So, with that all said, since it can take a lot of time, why not hire professionals such as an SEO service, graphic design services, social media services, and so on? Again, it’s up to you and how you’re marketing, but needless to say, you need to focus on SEO in the long term.

Embrace Automation

So, if you can’t hire professionals, or you’re only getting a professional to do a very specific service, then you should look into automation, too, to save yourself some time. Again, Meta, Hootsuite, and some other platforms offer this, so basically, you’re automatically scheduling something to show up for you on your social media and website.

The post How to Plan a Consistent Marketing Schedule That Works for You appeared first on Brian Manon.

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you to rejuvenate your marketing techniques.

Image Credit.

Marketing To Your Audience

Marketing is often designed to constantly find new customers. This is undeniably a good thing, more customers mean that more people can buy your products and spread the word about your business. The goal is usually to reach further and further.

However, this can lead to some mistakes. One major issue with being blinkered onto this goal is that it can lead to a muddy marketing strategy. If you try to reach every customer, then you risk alienating your core customer base who are most likely to buy from you.

Marketing campaigns are at their most effective when they’re designed for certain customers. Think of it as a wide net with holes that are too large. You’ll reach more people, but you’ll bring in far fewer actual customers.

If you do plan to widen your niche and appeal to more or different customers, then take care with this. Do your market research before jumping into any strategy or rebranding and make sure that the potential reward will outweigh the risk.

Marketing to Existing Customers

If your marketing campaigns are only designed to bring in new customers, then you’re missing a major opportunity. Your existing customers are far easier to reach and more likely to return, as long as you give them a reason to.

Customer retention means turning one-time customers into regular and loyal customers who provide repeat business. Create special campaigns for these existing customers, such as loyalty rewards and discounts for certain purchases or periods of time. Look after your customers and they will look after you.

These marketing strategies are often cheaper than marketing to new customers because you know what works. You’ve already reached these people once. Even better, you likely have the option to contact them more personally via email or post, so you know that they will see your campaign.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is currently the gold standard for reaching customers, but it can be difficult to get into. Marketing experts like Joey Armstrong can provide you with effective and pointed advice to help you to take advantage of this tool.

On a more general note, digital marketing requires having a digital presence. Even small businesses are moving online, whether via an eCommerce website or at least via social media. This helps customers to easily find them, and vice versa.

A firm online presence requires being able to use SEO effectively and follow social media trends so that it’s easier to reach as many people as possible. The same principle of marketing to an audience applies.

The post How to Keep Your Marketing Game Strong appeared first on Brian Manon.

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1) Content marketing:

This is especially true in the digital world, where consumers are bombarded with content from all sides. Creating high-quality, informative, and engaging content is essential to capturing attention and driving traffic to your website or blog. But it’s not enough to create great content; you also need to promote it through social media, email marketing, and other channels. Content marketing can be used in several ways to grow an organization. For example, you can use it to drive traffic to your website, build relationships with customers and prospects, generate leads and sales, and even create brand awareness.

Many different types of content can be used for marketing purposes, but some of the most popular include blog posts, articles, infographics, videos, social media posts, and emails. When creating content, be sure to target your audience and create relevant and valuable content.

2) Search engine optimization:

One of the best ways to reach consumers is through search engines, small business seo is the process of optimizing your website and content for Google and other search engines. This includes adding keywords and phrases throughout your site and creating informative and keyword-rich titles and descriptions. SEO can be a complex subject, but many resources are available to help you get started. Once you’ve optimized your site, be sure to track your progress with analytics so you can see the results of your efforts.

Search engine optimization should be an ongoing process, as it takes time for Google to index and rank your website. However, if you’re consistent with your SEO efforts, you will see results over time.

3) Social media marketing:

Social media is one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s toolkit. It allows you to connect with consumers, build relationships and create brand awareness. When used correctly, social media can be an incredibly effective way to grow an organization.

There are many different social media platforms, each unique audience, and purpose. The most popular platforms include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest. To be successful on social media, it’s crucial to understand how each platform works and what type of content performs best on each one. For example, images perform well on Instagram and Pinterest, while long-form content performs better on LinkedIn. Once you know which platform(s) to focus on, create relevant and exciting content for your target audience.

In addition to creating original content, be sure to share others’ content. This will help to build relationships and grow your network. And don’t forget to track your progress! Social media analytics can give you insights into which posts are performing well, who your audience is and how they interact with your brand.

4) Email marketing:

Email is a powerful communication tool that can reach consumers directly. It allows you to connect with customers and prospects personally, build relationships and drive traffic to your website or blog. In addition, email marketing has one of the highest ROIs of any marketing channel.

When creating an email campaign, it’s crucial to think about what you want to achieve. Common goals include generating leads, selling products or services, increasing brand awareness, and driving traffic to your website. Once you know what you want to achieve, create content that encourages recipients to take action. For example, if you want them to visit your website, include a link in your email signature. And be sure to track your results! Email marketing analytics can tell you how many people opened your email, clicked on a link, or made a purchase.

To be successful with email marketing, you need to build a list of subscribers. There are many ways to do this, including collecting email addresses on your website or blog, participating in trade shows and conferences, and running social media contests.

These are just a few digital marketing strategies that entrepreneurs use to grow their organizations. While there are many other strategies, these four are a great place to start. Using these techniques, you can reach more consumers, build relationships and drive growth for your business.

The post 4 Digital Marketing Strategies Entrepreneurs Use to Grow an Organization appeared first on Brian Manon.

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Certain content mistakes on your website could be putting off visitors or having a negative impact on your rankings. The digital customer experience is one of the most important thing that you have in your arsenal and if you’re not being careful about it, you’re going to lose customers before you have a chance to gain them. You need to pay attention to the type of experience you give if you want your customers to be happy. Below are 6 of the biggest website content mistakes to avoid (and what to do instead).

Walls of text

Large walls of text are likely to intimidate most readers. Where possible you should try to keep chunks of text small. There are various ways in which you can break up text. A few solutions include:

• Using paragraph breaks (paragraphs on average should ideally be no more than four lines).
• Using headings and subheadings
• Using bullet points (such as these ones).
• Using images or multimedia to break up text.

Generic stock images

When it comes to choosing images for a company website, try to avoid generic stock images. If people have seen these images before, it could make your company seem uninspired or unprofessional.

Where possible, try to use unique and original images. Consider taking your own photographs of your staff members or products or pay a professional photographer to take photographs. If you do decide to use stock images, try to look for images that aren’t overly familiar (here are a few stock images to avoid).

Duplicate content

Duplicate content is any content that is copied from another webpage. It could be content copied from another website or another page on your own site. Using duplicate content can damage your search engine rankings, so you should avoid it at all costs. Stealing content from another website is particularly ill-advised – if it is revealed that you stole that content, your reputation could be at stake.

Try to always keep content original. If you need to take inspiration from another post, you can do – just make sure to change the wording enough to keep it somewhat unique.

Keyword stuffing

Want to improve your rankings on search engines? Trying to use the same keyword in every sentence isn’t going to help. Repeatedly using the same keyword in an unnatural way is known as ‘keyword stuffing’ – search engine algorithms can pick up on this and you could find that it has a negative impact on your rankings. It can also affect the readability of your content.

Try to incorporate keywords in a natural way. People should be able to read your content without constantly picking up on the same keyword. For SEO-friendly content that reads naturally, it could be worth hiring a copywriting service as found at sites like WebX360.com. You can hire such services to help with both general web copy and blog posts.

No calls to action

Calls to action can help to convert customers by getting them to fill out forms, ring your number or buy a product. Make sure that you are including these throughout your website – customers shouldn’t have to search your website in order to find a way of getting hold of you.

CTA buttons are great for making calls to action stand out – plus you can digitally record how many people are clicking on them to see how effective they are. You may want to hire a web designer to help with this.

Outdated information

Is all the information on your website up to date? If you haven’t updated your website for a year and there’s still content advertising events that have already happened, you may want to quickly edit this – visitors may assume that your site and company isn’t active if it’s outdated.

You should update your website every month. Failing to update your website regularly won’t just lead to outdate information but could also harm your search engine rankings.

The post 6 Website Content Mistakes To Avoid appeared first on Brian Manon.

Syndication is a content marketing strategy that makes your content work harder for you. Instead of constantly producing a new part for each new online store, you can reuse the content you’ve already created. This means that you can publish some of your content posts on LinkedIn, Medium, or Pulse, which gives you much greater reach. Content syndication can be a great way to drive traffic to your site, gain visibility, and maybe even improve your rankings. But, on the other hand, it can also be devastating, if played poorly.

The main issue when it concerns topics like syndication is duplicated content. The question is, will Google chastise you for taking other writer’s works and applying them to your website? Will this affect your SEO? There is also concern regarding rankings. Should you maintain a small site, will this allow you to rise above the definitive sources you have shared your content to?

Well, there are many variables, and depending on each case you need to take the appropriate action. In this article, we’ll try to cover as much as possible and help you decide if content syndication will work for you, or if it’s better to stay away.

What is Content Syndication and How Does Content Syndication Help in Driving Traffic?

Content syndication is giving other publishers the right to republish your content. This can often happen in all types of media and is not limited to the web. Content syndication was also popular on television, radio, and print media.

So, in a nutshell, content syndication is about publishing your content on other websites. Why would you do that? Well, there could be a number of reasons, but the most important is to gain visibility and potential traffic.

You can also post other pieces of content on your website, in order to attract visitors to your website and generate income through advertisements. It goes both ways.

Content syndication offers important SEO advantages, such as developing backlinks and improving DA (domain authority). However, there are also some SEO risks associated with content syndication, including recurring penalties for content and lower search engine rankings. So if you are distributing your content, make sure you do it right and efficiently.

Steps to Follow in Content Syndication

There are many different ways to syndicate content because it’s worth bearing in mind: syndication does not necessarily have to mean duplicating the whole article. At times you can show an excerpt from your work instead of the whole thing. Here are steps to follow:

1. Create great content

Posts make money from advertising. More page views mean more ad revenue. Syndication allows them to leverage content that has already been proven to generate views, or at least allows them to bet on a writer to get it. So what’s missing from posts is not free content, but great content. To get syndicated, you need to lay the groundwork and create remarkable content and create images for your content that will help make your content readable and attractive for the site’s visitors.

2. Search for websites with authority

Once you have created your content, it is time to look for possible places to publish it. They must be authoritative websites that are a reference in the sector so that you can attract qualified traffic to your page.

Also, it is recommended that you check first if they agree to publish syndicated content to make it easier for them to accept your proposal. You can use Google search commands like “originally posted on + topic” or similar formulas.

3. Contact the chosen websites

Some websites will only have a contact email to go to directly but some larger sites have different emails for different areas or have certain people in charge of specific sectors. Do some research to find out exactly what email to write to or who to address. Just remember that large sites have different writers for different topics, so be sure to do your research and reach out to the right person.

4. Other options: self-syndicate your content

If you can’t find websites to syndicate your content to, don’t despair. You have the option to do it yourself by publishing your content on platforms such as Medium where, in addition, you can do it automatically just using the original URL.

Other sites where you can copy and paste your content (always with the link to the original publication) are LinkedIn or Reddit, although, in the latter, promotional content is not usually well-received if you are not an active user or that usually adds value on a regular basis.

Resorting to the practice of content syndication can bring you many benefits in terms of positioning, as long as you follow the steps and advice that we have given you before.

One of them is the improvement of the brand image, especially if your syndicated content appears on several reference websites in the sector. It will reach more people and you can gradually become a benchmark.

In addition, it is a way to get new subscribers since you can ask webmasters to syndicate your content to include a link to a landing page that has this objective, for example.

Content Syndication Platforms

The following is a list of the major content syndication services to be aware of in 2021.

Medium

Medium is a minimalist internet blogging platform designed for long texts. The goal of the site is for the platform to offer maximum visibility to texts regardless of their author, to overcome the difficulty of promoting their blog. Results, there are thousands of articles that are very useful and very interesting while remaining pleasant to read.

Scoop.it

Scoop.it is a leading “social listening” company, is a powerful (but not only) very ergonomic content curation tool, which analyzes millions of web pages every day and then organizes the content according to the subjects most relevant. Thus, it allows users to filter, modify and share the most relevant content. It has an interface that is reminiscent of Pinterest and its goal is to make it easier to find relevant and shareable articles.

Reddit

Reddit is a large and popular forum that gives its users the option to share their own posts or comment on others’ posts. This year, the site is ranked 20th most popular in the world and 6th in the United States, according to Alexa ranking.

Becoming popular on such a viral platform can allow you to generate significant returns to build brand awareness and increase traffic to your site. The only catch though is that Reddit doesn’t tolerate inactivity. So if you only bet on Reddit and don’t regularly post content, you may lose your post, long before it has a chance to reach a good number of users. The key to staying in the game is to spend every week on the forum posting a new post. Or at least bring back one of your old content in a thread to give it some new attention.

Tumblr 

This platform is different from many others in that it mainly hosts microblogs for its users. Individuals and companies can build their blogs very easily and intuitively with multimedia (such as images and short video clips). Tumblr’s strength is that it relies mainly on cross-linking and therefore makes the content more viral.

Outbrain

Outbrain claims to have helped more than a billion people discover new content, services, and products. But it can’t be denied that the platform is quite a popular content syndication solution used on influential sites like BBC, CNN, and The Washington Post. And why not? Maybe one day your site will gain so much awareness that you will decide to use Outbrain on the publisher’s side to earn some passive income.

Content Syndication Best Practices

Wherever you are distributing your content, it is a good idea to follow these tips and best practices.

1. Pick your best pieces

Do not try to syndicate each of the pieces that you post on your blog, in addition to causing problems with Google, it is unlikely to be a good return on the time invested.

Instead, pick your best pieces to syndicate with – the ones that have already proven popular or successful. You can also consider which pieces will work best for an audience that is probably not already familiar with your brand.

2. Promote syndicated content on your own site or network

Although it can be tempting to drive as much traffic as possible to your website, it is important that you promote your syndicated content on your own site or network. That way, you can help it build momentum.

For example, tweeting a link to your Medium message could mean that more people will “clap” your message, making it more visible on the platform. Sharing a link to your LinkedIn Pulse post can encourage people to “like” it again, making it more visible.

3. Include links to your own blog and/or other syndicated content

When you produce a syndicated piece, make sure you link back (when relevant!) To other articles on your blog – this can be a great way to drive more traffic to your site.

You can also link to other pieces that you have syndicated on certain platforms, so as to help create a more firm bond with casual visitors. Links in syndicated parts will more often than not seem like nofollow as opposed to dofollow. However, as Monitor Backlinks show us, they are still worth it for SEO purposes.

If you haven’t tried to syndicate your works before, you select a few decent pieces of your site to start with and post them on LinkedIn Medium/Pulse. Promote them through social media, and see if you can attract an audience.

Content syndication can have a positive effect on SEO when done right, but it can also increase engagement and SEO by strategically using share buttons. Install our social media share buttons today to start generating more traction for your content. They install in a matter of minutes and are completely free to use.

Drive Traffic on Your Site Now…

Ultimately, it’s a personal decision, if not a matter of business models and website goals if you wish to begin syndicating content. It can be an amazing way to advertise your works and to create an identity for yourself. However, you also have to come to terms with the truth: content syndication orbit around your audience as opposed to search-caused traffic, and should you overplay it, you could run into trouble.

What about you? Have you ever used content syndication to promote your blog? If so, how did it go? Did you gain traffic? Have you ever been upgraded? Let us know in the comments section, we really want to know! If you haven’t tried it yet, what are you waiting for? We know you’ve learned enough from this article, so don’t be afraid to take a dip!

Author’s Bio:

Yen Pedrajas is an experienced digital marketing content writer. She likes to share ideas and insights about SEO, startup digital marketing and branding. You can read more of her content on Medium.

She works full-time as the Lead Editor of Removal.AI, an AI platform used to remove image background and edit photos for ecommerce, photography and all other apps/web development purposes.

The post Content Syndication: How to Drive Traffic to Your Website Through Content Distribution appeared first on Brian Manon.

Pexels

You have a lot to tackle on any given day when you’re a business owner and in charge of your company. However, one of the most important to-dos is reaching customers and making sure your target audience knows about you and what you’re selling.

You must work hard to promote and advertise your company in the right ways so you can get in front of potential customers and stand out from the crowd. You can’t sit back wishing and hoping that your target audience finds you. Instead, you need to be proactive and creative, and find ways to promote your business successfully.

1.    Website & Blog

One option for promoting your business and reaching customers is through a website and blog. You can see an example from Charles Zsebik who publishes relevant and timely information about himself, what he does, and his business to help get the word out. Make sure that you include all pertinent information regarding your mission, offerings, and how to get in touch or contact with you. Maintain your website and publish new posts regularly to ensure your audience returns to read your content again in the future.

2.    Email

Email marketing is another way to promote your business and reach customers. Collect email addresses based on who may be interested in your products or services and then come up with a strategy for what information you want them to see and when. Make sure that you have a plan in place so that your emails are relevant and informative and that you don’t annoy your readers by sending out messages too often. Do it right by creating enticing subject lines and using it as a way to keep your offerings and company top of mind for your customers. You may even consider using email to gather more referrals and get your current customers to bring friends or family with them the next time they shop with your company.

3.    Social Media & Influencer Marketing

You can also promote your business and reach customers by using social media and influencer marketing strategies. Many consumers are spending more time online and on these platforms and it’s a great opportunity to ensure they get to know your business better and see what you’re selling. Engage on social media by sharing unique content and blog posts and responding to questions and inquiries. Influencer marketing is another way to promote your business without having to do the talking yourself. Consumers are more likely to trust these influencers and what they’re saying versus the brand itself.

4.    Online Marketing Campaigns & Video Ads

Consider promoting your business and reaching more customers by designing online advertising and marketing campaigns, including video ads. A major benefit of running pay-per-click ads is that you only pay for what consumers click on. You might also want to consider advertising on social media, on a podcast, or grow your visibility with location-based offers. All it takes sometimes is cutting through the noise online through creative advertising means and driving more customers to your website and getting them to look further into your products and services.

The post 4 Ways To Promote Your Business & Reach Customers appeared first on Brian Manon.

Use Images And Videos

Picture Source – CC0 License

We highly recommend that you use images and videos in order to get some more engagement. There are as lot of people out there who don’t want to read large blocks of text all the time, and would prefer that you switch it up a little. Not only this, but some people are more engaged by visual resources that still convey the same kind of information that the block of text would have. The last thing that you want is to lose customers because you have uploaded the wrong type of content to your blog or social media.

Try to keep these relevant and keep a good mix between them and regular content. You don’t want to go overboard and only post photos and videos, unless you are on Instagram of course.

Ensure Your Content Is Flawless

Have you thought about the fact that a lot of the content you read online has some kind of grammatical or spelling error? If you have, then you need to make sure you are not making the same mistakes. How often have you laughed or wondered who wrote that or how it made it to publish with the issues that were included? You don’t want to be the website that someone is laughing at, even if you don’t know about it.

Instead of allowing this to happen, you need to go through all of your content before you post it, and make sure that it is flawless. There are even software and tools that allow you to have it checked for you so that you don’t have to spend time doing this. For example, you can look up how to use Grammarly, which is a specific piece of highly-rated software, and the grammar in your posts will be excellent.

Use Keywords To Draw Them In

Image Location – CC0 License

If you want to draw more users in, then you need to look into keywords. These are the things that are going to draw people to a piece of content. Don’t forget that often people just skip through looking for the words that they are hoping to see. If they do see them, then they are more likely to go back and read through the entire thing. If they don’t, they will click off and see if another website has got what they are looking for.

Do some research and you can find out what keywords people generally attach to your kind of business. Then, make sure that you are putting them in the content where you can without stuffing it, as Google will drop your ranking for this.

Highlight The Important Parts

The final thing that we are going to suggest is that you highlight the important parts of the text so that people get the main information quickly. Sometimes, there isn’t enough time to sit down and look through everything, even though the user might want to. Instead, if you highlight the important parts, they get the gist of what you are saying and can come back to it later if they want to, or make their choice based on that extremely limited information.

It is essential to understand that you should try to put your content in as few words as possible, where possible. The occasional long post isn’t going to be an issue, but if you are constantly doing this, people are going to get extremely bored of reading your website.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you should be doing if you want to deliver content that users will engage with. It’s important that you have your users engaging with what you are posing as much as possible, and if this is not happening then you need to rethink what is going on on your website or social media. We wish you the very best of luck with this, and hope that it helps to improve your content where possible.

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