Different digital content marketing approaches thrive in unique ways. Some companies use a ‘push’ method, distributing content via social media. Others adopt a ‘pull’ strategy, creating engaging content on their websites and drawing in audiences with link building and promotions. But which of these methods holds the winning edge in today’s digitally charged landscape?

This article aims to unravel the intricacies of both approaches, offering a comprehensive understanding and helping you find the best plan for your specific content sharing efforts.

What is a Push & Pull Content Strategy?

Imagine a bustling farmers market. On one side, there’s a farmer with a mouthwatering display of juicy, hand-picked strawberries. He’s not shouting or advertising, but the sight and aroma of the ripe berries «pull» customers in. On the other side, there’s an artisan cheese maker who walks around handing out cheese samples, «pushing» his products to anyone willing to taste. This is a lovely depiction of a push and pull content strategy, one of the most effective marketing strategies in the digital age.

The «pull» strategy is all about attracting or «pulling» your audience towards your content. Think of a blog post or an instructional video that lives on your website. The aim is to lure your audience from platforms like Linkedin or Twitter to your owned channels, where they can explore and consume your content. It’s like baiting a hook to snag a fish!

Exhibit: The concept of a push/pull strategy

Source: PauleyCreative

However, sometimes, the strategies are not so easily distinguishable. Take link building, for instance. While posting links on other websites can be perceived as part of a «push» strategy (as shown in the diagram), it is often implemented with SEO objectives in mind, categorizing it under a «pull» strategy. Thus, there can be overlaps and interconnections between the two strategies, making the line between them slightly blurred.

Social Shares and the Rise of the Push Strategy

In recent times, an increasing number of businesses are switching from writing content for their website to creating posts made just for social networks like Linkedin.

The reason behind this shift is simple – the ‘push’ strategy provides immediate exposure to your content, making it visible to your target audience on their social feeds. Content is not waiting to be found; it is delivered right where your audience already is.

Social sharing alone is not an amplification strategy

But there’s a small catch – social shares on their own won’t make your content marketing plan strong. Here’s why.

• Fewer Clicks, More Shares: It’s not uncommon for social media users to share links without clicking on them. As a result, many shared articles do not get the views or the readers they deserve.
• Short-lived Social Posts: The digital world moves at a breakneck speed. If a user misses your tweet or post in the morning, there’s a high chance they’ll never see it again, limiting the reach of your content.
• Declining Shares Over Time: Social sharing tends to decrease swiftly in the days and weeks following the initial publication of content, potentially reducing your content’s lifespan.
• Share Without Reading: An interesting headline or an engaging image might prompt users to share your content without actually reading it, resulting in a lack of meaningful engagement.

Given these constraints, it’s imperative to not rely solely on social shares when drawing an audience to your content.

Content Amplification: Beyond Social Sharing

While the push strategy, epitomized by social sharing, offers quick exposure to your content, it is essential not to overlook the integral role played by Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This strategy aims to attract audiences to your owned channels, giving your content a longer shelf life and fostering genuine engagement. Through keyword optimization, proper tagging, and creating backlinks, SEO can significantly increase your content’s visibility and reach, thereby greatly complementing your content amplification efforts.

Here are some tactics worth considering:

1. Manual Promotion:

Often underestimated, manual promotion is a hands-on approach to harness the power of online communities. By actively participating in communities relevant to your brand, sharing your content and involving yourself in conversations, you can attract interested readers directly to your website.

2. Targeted Mailing:

The potency of email marketing as a method of content promotion cannot be underestimated. Through the design of customized email strategies that cater to the preferences of your audience, you have the capacity to significantly increase visitor rates to your site and sustain elevated audience interaction. Regular newsletters or updates about new content can help retain audience interest and induce recurrent visits to your website.

3. Influencer Endorsement:

Influencers are individuals with a sizeable online following who can sway their follower’s opinions and behaviors. By fostering bonds with these prominent internet influencers within your business sphere, you can broaden your content’s reach. Influencers have the ability to distribute your content among their followers, propelling a surge of traffic to your website directly.

4. Link-building and Search Engine Visibility:

Link-building creation plays a pivotal role in SEO. By earning valuable backlinks from other esteemed websites, you can enhance your website’s exposure on search engine results pages. Also, an improved standing on search engines organically attracts more traffic to your page, thus expanding your content’s outreach.

5. Creating Engaging Content for Enhanced Shares and Links

Craft compelling content that not only captures attention but inspires shares and links. Create authoritative content answering frequently asked questions, present strong opinions in posts, provide insights based on fresh research, leverage trending topics for valuable wisdom, and deliver up-to-date news about product updates.

By leveraging these tactics, you can effectively extend your content’s reach and draw more audiences to your website, thus going beyond the immediate benefits of social sharing.

Blending Push and Pull Strategies for Optimal Engagement

In conclusion, both pull and push marketing strategies hold vital roles in the digital marketing landscape. The ‘push’ strategy enables content to attain immediate visibility and reach your target audience directly. It’s a proactive approach that ensures your content is where your audience already exists, thus increasing chances of engagement and shareability.

On the other hand, the ‘pull’ strategy is more about attracting your audience to your content, which resides on your own platforms. It involves activities like effective link building, keyword optimization, and promotional efforts that pull audiences in, fostering long-term engagement and loyalty.

While each approach has its unique benefits, it’s crucial to realize that a balanced blend of push and pull strategies can yield the most effective results. By combining these approaches, you can ensure immediate visibility for your content and drive viewers to your owned platforms, thus creating an optimal content distribution plan that caters to various consumer behaviors.

Remember, a successful marketing strategy is not about choosing between push and pull strategies, but about implementing a harmonious blend of the two. By embracing this balance, you are sure to build an effective content distribution strategy that maximizes reach, engagement, and ultimately, business growth.