Michael Epps Utley 
No small business owner has ever said they have too much money to spend on content distribution. Getting your content out there on all the right channels is key to reaching prospective buyers, reinforcing your brand, and boosting SEO.
Here is our ultimate checklist of free — or almost free — ways to distribute your content.
Partner With Influencers
Are there influencers in your industry that the people you’re targeting admire? It can be anything from a known academic at a local college to a fashion blogger. Partner with them when you develop your content. They’ll get exposure to your audience and you’ll gain access to theirs. It’s a win-win.
Get Employees Involved
Train your team on how to share your content on their social networks. Explain how they can spin it to make it their own. Of course, you can’t require them to do this, but if they understand how and the value to your business it provides, they will likely help out. While you’re at it, ask employees to like and comment on company posts. This will send signals to social networks that will increase distribution.
Turn to Public Relations
Review the content you’ve already created. Are there pieces that might be right for a trade publication, industry blog, or local news outlet? Perhaps a customer story, case study, or something based on original research.
A writer or reporter from the right publication could help you get a fresh variation of your content in front of the people you’re targeting. Staffing at most publications is limited, so editors are on the lookout for material. Packaging up the piece with quality visuals will make it more likely to get published.
This approach will help you get additional free visibility for content that otherwise might be aging out on your blog. Plus, you can share it again on social media, extending its reach even more.
Engage With Forums
Identify online forums related to your industry. Reddit and Quora are common platforms that span industries and interests. Look out for questions and conversations that your content could enhance. Share it and make yourself available to answer questions about it. It’s a great way to get free distribution of your material while positioning yourself as an expert. Don’t, however, make the common mistake of promoting your business on a forum because it could get you kicked off.
Create Engaging Content
Content that people love will generate more activity on social media, earning it additional distribution. Plus, people will want to share it with others on their social networks.
Here’s a guide on making your content more engaging by keeping it simple.
Leverage Email
Email is essentially a free content distribution channel. If you haven’t already done so, develop an email newsletter and send it to people in your database a few times a month. It will keep your business top of mind so people will think of your organization when they need the goods and services you offer.
Repurpose Content
Do you have popular pieces that have already earned significant free distribution in one channel? Consider repurposing them in another. For instance, if a video is widely viewed on YouTube, convert it into a blog article. It may end up being just as popular on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Ask for Shares
The ultimate form of free content distribution is sharing. A shared piece comes with the sharer's recommendation, making it more likely to be engaged with and shared again. So why not ask for a share? Many businesses forget about this simple way to increase free content distribution.
Share Content More Than Once
It’s doubtful all your followers and email contacts see your content the first (and only) time you distribute it (or even the second). That’s why it’s a smart move to post it several times. Monitor performance in each channel, looking for content exhaustion — when people stop responding to it. Be aware that it may not be the end for a piece. You may be able to resurrect it a few months in the future and find new life in it, especially if something happens in your industry that relates to it.
Free Content Distribution Opportunities: The Final Word
It may be impossible to use all of the free (or almost free) content distribution methods included in this piece. Try out a few at a time and watch the results. You’ll be able to identify the ones that deliver the highest distribution level for the lowest amount of effort. Those are the ones you should settle on. But don’t be complacent! You never know when a change in a content distribution channel happens and another tactic could take off.
