Article Syndication

What is Article Syndication?

Article syndication is also called content syndication. It involves sharing your content with a third-party website or platform. It is either by republishing your content in its entirety or by featuring a snippet. It can also be an excerpt with a link to the source. 

The goal is to amplify your reach and engage with a larger audience beyond your blog or website. This practice increases your online visibility by driving more traffic to your site. 

What Are the Benefits of Content Syndication?

These are the expected benefits of a content syndication strategy:

  1. Increased Reach. Web content syndication helps you reach a broader and more diverse audience. It distributes your content across many platforms and websites.
  2. Enhanced SEO. Syndicating your content can lead to valuable backlinks from partners. It can positively impact your site's SEO and search engine rankings.
  3. Referral Traffic. Syndicate content can drive referral traffic back to your own site. It provides a consistent source of visitors.
  4. Brand Authority. Share your expertise on reputable third-party sites. It establishes your brand as an authority in your industry.
  5. Cost-Effective Marketing. Content syndication efforts are a cost-effective way to promote your content. It helps you expand your reach without significant advertising expenses.

Creating a Successful Content Syndication Strategy

Here are a few ways to create a successful strategy:

  1. Identify Relevant Partners. Choose syndication partners that cater to your target audience. Choose those who align with your content goals.
  2. Create High-Quality Content. Make sure your content is valuable and well-written. Tailor content to the interests of your audience.
  3. Craft a Customized Outreach Message. Personalize your pitch. Highlight what value your content can bring to the audience. Apply this when reaching out to potential partners,
  4. Leverage Social Media. Promote your syndicated content on different social media platforms. Use a social media scheduling app to maximize its reach.
  5. Track and Measure Performance. Use analytics tools to track the performance of your syndicated content. Track referral traffic, engagement, and conversions.

Optimizing Your Syndicated Content for SEO

To ensure that your syndicated posts benefit your site, consider the following tips:

  1. Make use of rel canonical tag to identify the original published content.
  2. Include relevant keywords and optimize meta tags and descriptions.
  3. Encourage web content syndication partners to link back to your site when they republish your content.

What Are Some Syndication Platforms and Networks?

Syndication networks are platforms or websites that specialize in the syndication of content. These networks act as intermediaries. They connect content creators with publishers looking for high-quality content. Some networks offer free syndication, while others operate on a paid model.

These are some of the platforms and networks:

  1. LinkedIn. The platform allows you to syndicate your blog posts. It exposes content to a wider audience through your LinkedIn profile.
  2. Medium. Medium is a popular platform for republishing articles and reaching a broader audience.
  3. Business Insider. It often features guest blog posts. It provides an opportunity to syndicate your content on a high-traffic site.
  4. Search Engine Journal. This site offers a platform for syndicating articles. They relate to digital marketing and SEO.

Paid content syndication involves giving a certain fee to syndication platforms. Paid content syndication platforms distribute your content to their network of publishers. These platforms often offer advanced targeting options and analytics to optimize your strategy.

In contrast, free content syndication networks share your content with partners without cost. Choosing free and paid syndication depends on your budget and specific goals.

Is Syndicated Content Categorized as Duplicate Content?

Yes, syndicated content can be categorized as duplicate content. It depends on how it's used and implemented. Without establishing proper attribution or permission, it can result in the same issues.

To avoid duplicated content issues with such content, consider these practices:

  1. Get permission. Ensure you have the rights. Ask permission to syndicate the content from the original source. 
  2. Provide attribution. Credit the source with a link back to the syndicated article or page. It helps search engines understand the source of the content. 
  3. Use canonical tags. If you're syndicating the same content on your website, consider using canonical tags. It will show the preferred version (usually the original).
  4. Add value. Whenever possible, add your unique commentary and insights. Include more information on the syndicated page. This can make your version more valuable to readers and less likely to be duplicated. 
  5. Avoid excessive duplication. Don't overdo the syndication of content. Balance it with your original content to maintain a unique and diverse website. 

Could Article Syndication Have a Negative Impact on My SEO?

Article syndication can potentially hurt your SEO if not executed correctly. It affects your site if it involves practices that violate search engine guidelines. But when done appropriately and ethically, article syndication can actually benefit your SEO.

Ensure that the article syndication journey benefits your SEO rather than harms it. Here are some best practices to follow: 

  1. Syndicate high-quality, informative, and valuable content. 
  2. Use canonical tags or proper attribution. It indicates the original source of the content.  
  3. Choose partners carefully, focusing on relevant and authoritative websites. 
  4. Avoid keyword stuffing and maintain the integrity of your content. 
  5. Check the performance of syndicated posts and make adjustments as needed.