{3:45 minutes to read} In Part 1, I brought up several questions to ask yourself and any party requesting to share your articles on their blog or website.
Below are some other ways in which your article may be shared that can present additional pitfalls.
Culmination Sites
Culmination sites (like Reddit.com) pull articles from a bunch of different authors on topics and subjects related to a specific industry. That’s fine if you agree with the overall premise of the site and who’s behind it.
Some culmination sites grab content from around the web to throw on their site just to get a lot of traffic. Once they have that traffic, they can sell ads on their site. The content is just an excuse to increase traffic. I would advise you to not let this type of culmination site republish your article if given the choice. You never know what’s going to get placed in your article as an ad. If it’s context driven, it may very well be a competitor that’s advertising knowingly or unknowingly alongside your content, on their website.
Newsletters
If your content will go out in someone else’s newsletter, what type of distribution list will be used? What type of audience, specifically? What type of audience is looking at the website of the newsletter creator? Is the creator an instigator or supporter of your work/industry. What is their web personality?
Syndication
An additional area to pay attention to: How is the person who shared your article going to syndicate and/or promote it? Do they do as we’re doing for you as your phoneBlogger service and promote your content across social media channels and through your newsletter to contacts? Are they taking your content and syndicating it out through multiple channels that they own? Who are they syndicating it to?
When phoneBlogger syndicates (promotes) your content, it’s through channels that you essentially own or are part of. Whether it be a LinkedIn group or a newsletter recipient, these are people that know you, are connected to you, and/or are affiliated with you in some way. You have some connection, even if it’s just a membership to a group on a social media platform.
When your content is on your website and in your newsletter and on your social media channels, you’ve got a certain amount of control over that. When done right, sharing your article expands your brand and reach, but be aware of how it’s being used. Once somebody puts it on their site, you can lose that control. It’s worth your while to take a look around. Understand that it’s your brand and your reputation that’s on the line.
Mark Bullock
Telephone: (631) 754-0800
Email: Mark@phoneBlogger.net
Website:phoneBlogger.net
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