Is twitter just icing on your content cake?

by Julie Burgmeier

A colleague of mine mentioned that twitter is just the icing of the overall content strategy “cake”.  Icing?  Twitter and other social media networks take on several roles in your content plan.

• New channels for promoting your current content (content distribution). 
• Connects you with influencers & customers (networking) . 

Many organizations already have robust content.  However, they are not promoting their current content (aka-content marketing).  

I’m working with a client to create original content that will have a strong viral effect.  Besides creating this new content and managing the content for their blog,  I have spent time integrating systems that will promote their current content. 

Quick checklist for promoting your current content:

• RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
• Social bookmarking sites by using a sharing service such as Add This 
• Uploading articles to social bookmarking sites
• Organic SEO (is there a strategy in place for your current content?)
• Social Media – repurposing the content on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Industry specific podcast directories, etc.
• New Releases using services such as webwire.com, etc (great for building targeted links and getting the word out to bloggers and influencers)
• SEM (Search Enging Marketing) or pay-per-click

Before you start going crazy acquiring new content, think about how you are promoting the content you have.  Then ask yourself “Is my current content strategy cozy with my overall objectives?”  “Does my content help my customers?”