“Content syndication is visibility and voice for your brand is finding the right vendor that matters. Let's go through its selection process.”
It is a strong point among the many businesses that marketers syndicate content through at arm's length. With this channel, organizations and companies can reach, increase visibility, put themselves in the right place at the right time, and generate leads.
No, but probably the biggest consideration is choosing the right vendor for that content provision before getting its complimentary benefits in the overall effectiveness of your syndicated content.
This article discusses key points that are critical in deciding on a content syndication provider and provides you with a detailed guide to choosing the best vendor for your needs.
Understanding Content Syndication
Before going into the vendor selection process, the first thing to note is content syndication. Content syndication is the process of taking your content, such as articles, blog posts, or videos, to third-party platforms to spread it to wider audiences.
This advantage comes with more traffic to the website, increased brand exposure, and lead generation. Understanding the types of content syndication helps you better determine which best relates to your target goals.
Identifying Your Content Syndication Goals
The next step to choosing the right content syndication partner is understanding your objectives and goals. Do you want to increase awareness or generate quality leads? Do you have a definite target group or market segment in mind? If you really need to know your goals, then it becomes much easier to set objectives that align with your overall business goals and evaluate vendors accordingly.
Vendor's industry expertise and reputation:
Seek out vendors that have a long-standing history in your industry as well as having an established pedigree for outcome delivery.
The value of syndication network quality and relevance:
Verify the syndication network of the vendor to ensure that their members are really reputable and would be applicable to your target audience.
Distribution channels offered by the vendor and reach:
Get to learn more regarding the new distribution channels and reach available from this vendor such as through email newsletters, social media platforms, or content discovery networks that the vendor has, making sure these features get in line with your required distribution.
Lead quality and targeting capabilities:
By knowing how lead generation is done and how targeting is enabled, you would find the result about whether the vendor is truly capable of sourcing premium leads.
Possessing reporting and analytics capabilities:
With good measurement and reporting, you have a good chance of understanding the effectiveness of your syndicated content. It is very important, therefore, that the vendor whom you are considering works with strong reporting and analytics tools.
Considerations of Cost and Budget:
Know if the vendor matches your budget and assess the vendor's pricing structure.
This article is about researching and evaluating Content Syndicators Vendors to find the best one:
1. Do Online Research:
Vendor sites, industry sites, and review sites to check their case studies and read other reviews concerning their operations.
2. Ask the vendor for case studies and success stories.
Vendors should be asked for their case studies and success stories to see if they have been in that place before the request and how they were able to drive for results.
3. Search for references and referrals.
Reach out to your colleagues and peers from the industry. See if they can recommend or refer a particular content syndication vendor they have encountered and are comfortable working with.
4. Close the list of possible vendors:
Have your shortlist of vendors fit your particular research and evaluation for those who are likely to meet your requirements and have a proven history behind them.
The Process of Selection of Vendors
Now that you have a shortlist of potential vendors, you need to kick-start the selection process:
1. Define selection criteria and priorities:
Define clearly your selection criteria and priorities so that all vendors are evaluated consistently and objectively.
2. Conduct interviews and meetings:
Arrange the interviews or meetings with the shortlisted vendors to discuss their services, their capabilities, and how they fit into your goals.
3. Request Proposals and Pricing Information:
Request for detailed proposals and pricing information, including their price structure and what other services they offer beyond the basic package, from the vendors.
4. Evaluate vendor capabilities and fit.
Assess the different capabilities of each vendor along with their expertise and fit with your business to see which vendor will best suit you.
Except in the case of finalizing your decision, due diligence was performed, and the credibility of the selected vendor was verified:
1. Vendor contracts and agreements :
Meticulously read through vendor contracts, including terms and conditions, to know the exact extent of the partnership and all likely restrictions.
2. Content Quality and Relevance:
Seek samples of the vendor's syndicated content to assess its quality and relevance to your brand image.
3. Check out the distribution network and reach:
Check the vendor's syndication network, ensuring it stretches to that of your target audience and, subsequently, distribution goals.
4. Confirm lead generation and targeting capabilities:
Ask the vendor's lead generation process and targeting capabilities, so they can put it before you generate any leads.
5. Reporting and Checking of Analytical Systems:
The importance of vendor reporting and analytical systems should be determined according to the input/output that will give you results in tracking and improving your content syndication performance.
Finalizing the Decision and Onboarding
Once you have done the due diligence, then it is time to finalize the decision and start the onboarding process:
1. Comparison of vendor proposals and prices:
Make a comparison of a proposal from shortlisted vendors for pricing structures to come up with the one that provides value-for-money solutions and is within your budget.
2. Overall value proposition and ROI potential against each:
Look at how each vendor would provide their overall value proposition to you, considering their expertise and capabilities and return on your investment.
3. Negotiate contract terms and agreements:
Negotiate terms of the contract, pricing, and other additional services with the selected vendor needed to seal the deal.
4. Transitioning and onboarding:
After vendors have been selected, partners should work hand in hand through transition and onboarding so that their services can be aligned with your content syndication strategy.
Monitoring and Optimizing Content Syndication Performance
After all, continuous monitoring and improving the ongoing syndication of your content will bring the desired effect in your content syndication work:
1. Installation of tracking and monitoring systems:
Put up good packages for tracking and monitoring the performance of your syndicated content.
2. Interpretation of performance metrics and KPIs:
Review regularly the performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to ascertain how well your content syndication works.
3. Spot areas for improvement and develop optimization:
Make use of the insights that performance analysis has brought in identifying the areas to be improved and optimizing your content syndication strategy.
4. Work with the vendor on continuous room for improvement:
Keep talking with your vendor about the performance, exchanging insights, and working together on continuous improvements.