Date
2nd October 2024
Content syndication is one of the B2B marketing industry's best kept secrets. However, in world where content is being produced faster than ever before, content syndication might just be what's missing from your content distribution strategy.
Content syndication for B2B not only allows you to repurpose and distribute your content to new and targeted audiences, it allows you to reach the right people, at the right time.
It's a hugely effective B2B lead generation strategy as well as being a great tool for demand generation.
However, as reported by Performance Marketing World, only 23% of B2B marketers who create their own content are then using content syndication for lead generation.
There are lots of benefits to running content syndication campaigns: we'll tell you our top 5 in this blog, and why they work so well.
But Firstly, Let's Explore: What Is Content Syndication?
Quite simply, it's a content marketing and lead generation strategy that involves hosting and distributing your B2B marketing content to platforms and websites you don't own.
For example, at Headley Media we run content syndication campaigns on behalf of our technology clients, across over portfolio of over 300 content syndication platforms.
What Are the Benefits of Content Syndication Lead Generation?
As specialists in B2B content syndication, we think it's the cleverest, most effective lead generation method out there.
If you're using a supplier (like us!) that hosts your content on its own content libraries, validates each lead before delivery and offers a full range of campaign enhancements to ensure you have high-quality, qualified and engaged leads, it's a no-brainer.
Here's why:
- Guaranteed lead volumes
- Repurposing your content
- Budgeting with confidence
- Reaching the right audiences
- Providing value to your target audience
Let's explore each of these content syndication benefits in more detail.
Content Syndication Benefit #1 - Guaranteed Lead Volumes
The most important benefit of content syndication lead generation is your ability to generate high-quality B2B leads.
Unlike other lead generation tactics, content syndication is predictable.
When you run your content syndication lead generation with a specialist agency, they'll be able to give you a pre-agreed and guaranteed number of qualified leads your campaign will generate. Perfect for planning how you'll manage and nurture your leads when delivered. Take a look at our content syndication lead generation process as an example.
Plus, a reputable content syndication supplier can drip feed your leads, so it's easier for you to manage.
For example, at Headley Media, most of our clients choose to have their leads delivered weekly.
Content Syndication Benefit #2 - Repurposing Your Content
Repurposing content is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways of increasing your marketing visibility.
When you've put a lot of work into a whitepaper, eBook or case study, there's nothing more satisfying than finding a new audience for that piece of content, especially if it's hit the limit in terms of your social media reach.
And with content syndication, you don't even need to edit, tweak or change the content to repurpose it. Instead, you just need to choose which piece(s) of content you want to use and what audiences you want to reach.
If you're thinking, "But where do I host my content to generate high-quality and relevant B2B leads?" - don't worry, you've already come to the right place.
Most commonly, content syndication for lead generation is delivered in partnership with a specialist lead generation supplier. With that in mind, choosing a transparent supplier who can show you where they host your content and how they generate your leads is essential.
A trustworthy supplier will host your content on their websites and share it with their professional audiences, showing you where your content is distributed and who it's distributed to.
Content syndication is kind of our thing here at Headley Media, so to help you choose a reputable content syndication supplier, we've created a Quality Lead Generation Checklist to use when vetting your suppliers.
Content Syndication Benefit #3 - Budget With Confidence
Another key benefit of content syndication campaigns is knowing how far your budget will stretch.
"How can I budget my lead generation with confidence?", we hear you ask.
Well, content syndication campaigns are typically delivered using a fixed cost-per-lead (CPL) approach.
Although other lead generation methods, such as PPC or LinkedIn, allow you to control how much you spend, they can't guarantee how much a lead will cost you or how many leads your campaign will generate.
For example, we syndicate content for our clients to our global audience of senior technology professionals and decision-makers via our six brands.
Our global audience, combined with our years of lead generation experience, enable us to deliver guaranteed lead volumes to our clients based on their objectives. Plus, we always deliver our content syndication campaigns based on a pre-agreed and fixed CPL with our clients.
Taking a fixed CPL approach helps you confidently budget as you'll know the exact number of leads your budget will generate before your campaign begins.
Content Syndication Benefit #4 - Reaching New Audiences
To create demand, you need to reach new audiences. But you also need to reach the right new audiences.
Content syndication enables you to reach new and relevant audiences locally or globally.
When you work with a specialist in content syndication lead generation, they should syndicate your content via websites, channels, or platforms they own, rather than outsourcing it to a mysterious 3rd party. If you aren't sure they do, then ask. They should only promote your content to their relevant, professional audiences.
For example, we run B2B lead generation campaigns for our technology clients across the most relevant of our portfolio of content library websites.
We then promote our clients' content to our global audience of senior business professionals and technology decision-makers across IT, Cybersecurity, HR, Marketing, Finance, and Electronics Engineering.
Of the businesses that use content syndication, 43% use it to reach different or a new set of prospects. Source: Performance Marketing World
A reputable content syndication supplier will help you reach new and relevant audiences.
Plus, they won't outsource your campaigns, the leads they generate will be using 1st party data only, and they will validate your leads before they are delivered.
Content Syndication Benefit #5 - Providing Value to Your Target Audience
Content syndication allows you to provide value to your target audience from your first interaction, wherever they are in the marketing funnel.
As a B2B marketer, you know that coming to a purchase decision takes time. B2B buyers will do a lot of research before contacting suitable solutions, and buying committees are growing bigger than ever before.
Running a content syndication campaign is a great way to provide value to individuals on the buying committee. By sharing relevant content, you have the opportunity to build brand awareness and showcase your company's subject expertise to your target audience, helping to keep your brand front of mind when it's time to buy.
Here's a quick example:Let's say you're a SaaS business in the HR sector. You've just published an eBook called 'Why You Should Migrate Your Recruitment Process to the Cloud' on HRTech Corporate, Headley Media's content hub for decision-makers in HR.
This eBook is read by both the Managing Director and the Senior Sales Officer at Personella.
Personella are one of the companies on your Target Account List, and these two colleagues both use HRTech Corporate as a trusted source for industry news and topical articles. Downloading the eBook means they are eligible to become a lead and gives you a great insight into a topic they might be interested in for follow up, supporting your lead nurturing program.
A few months later, when they're thinking about changing their software supplier, they remember your content and share it with the rest of the buying committee. Your business immediately goes on their shortlist of potential suppliers.
Running a content syndication campaign gives you a great reason to follow up with your prospects. You'll know they've downloaded your content on a specific topic, so you can follow up with a more personalized message.
Finally, it's important to remember that not all readers will become leads. They might not opt-in to be contacted by your company this time, but that doesn't mean you haven't made an impact.
Content syndication is a classic example of demand generation vs. lead generation, because the strategy helps you generate demand and brand awareness, whilst also generating high-quality B2B leads.
All marketers know the importance of brand awareness. And despite the unrealistic hope that every content download will result in a new client instantly, over time the brand awareness you build from your content syndication campaigns will result in new opportunities for your business.
B2B Content Syndication Vendors
Sold on the idea of running content syndication campaigns? Before you confirm your next campaign, it's essential to do your research when choosing a content syndication vendor.
Why? Well, take it from us, the quality of leads generated from content syndication can vary greatly, and you need to work with a supplier you can trust.
When you're looking at new content syndication and lead gen suppliers to work with, ask yourself these important questions. Firstly, a re they transparent about where they host your content? And secondly, do they own the platforms and websites they use to syndicate your content? Knowing where your content is being hosted and trusting the quality of the methods your supplier is using to syndicate your content is crucial.
Chloe Addis, Head of Marketing, Headley Media
There are a lot of benefits to B2B content syndication. However, you'll only get to enjoy them if you choose the right supplier to work with.
To help you choose a trustworthy content syndication vendor, we've put together a Quality Lead Generation Checklist to use when comparing suppliers.
eBook: Enhance Your Content Syndication Using the Buyer's Journey
The buyer's journey model can help you consider the best content to use for your B2B lead generation campaigns. Why? Because understanding where your potential prospects are on their path to becoming a customer will help you create content syndication campaigns that resonate.
Our short eBook walks you through the different stages of the buyer's journey and what content is best at each stage. Plus, you'll discover the key questions to consider to help you select a piece that cuts through the noise and resonates with your target audience.
