Maximize Your Writing's Reach Through Effective Syndication
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Chapter 1: The Importance of Syndication
Where should you share your written works? This is a dilemma many authors face, and it’s understandable. A lack of visibility can swiftly undermine any literary goals.
Should you share your pieces on your own blog? Utilize publishing platforms (which ones)? Contribute to literary magazines? Post behind a paywall? Use a newsletter? Share on social media or someone else's site?
What if you could do all of that?
Syndication, which involves reposting your published work across various platforms, has consistently been my approach to reaching a broader audience. Without this strategy, I wouldn’t have the luxury of dedicating as much time to my writing. Perhaps it can benefit you as well.
Section 1.1: How to Syndicate Effectively
Syndication is relatively straightforward. You publish a piece of writing in one location and then republish it in other venues.
For example, when I post a new entry on my blog, it is almost immediately distributed through my RSS feed and sent out to my subscribers via Buttondown.
These platforms are somewhat under my control, yet I am already providing multiple avenues for my audience to engage with my work.
Afterward, I share this content on various publishing platforms such as Medium and BuyMeACoffee. Occasionally, I also use Hubpages and Vocal Media. Some writers I know have found success on platforms like Tumblr and BearBlog.
Ultimately, what began as a single blog post on my quiet corner of the internet can now be found across multiple sites, often attracting more readers than I could ever achieve by limiting myself to just one platform.
There’s a quirky acronym associated with this type of syndication: POSSE, which stands for 'Publish on your Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere.' However, you could also flip the process by publishing on a third-party platform first and then sharing it on your own sites.
Subsection 1.1.1: Why Consider Syndicating?
Content Backup: It's essential to keep local backups of your files (refer to the 3–2–1 Rule). However, having multiple online copies can help safeguard your work. It also provides additional pathways for readers to discover your writing if one platform becomes unavailable.
Expand Your Audience: Relying solely on a single platform is risky for various reasons. A broader audience is usually attainable through more established platforms than through a personal website.
Simplicity: Syndicating your content is a low-effort method to grow your readership—no annoying marketing tactics required.
Meet Readers Where They Are: While I prefer following writers via RSS, others might favor newsletters or social media. Syndication allows readers to choose their preferred method for consuming your work.
Section 1.2: Utilizing Canonical Links
Search engines, like Google, can be finicky about duplicate content. If you’re not careful with your syndication, you risk being buried in search results. Therefore, if this matters to you, it's crucial to implement canonical links.
A canonical link serves as a signal to search engines indicating which web page should be prioritized in search results. If you manage your website, you can insert a canonical link within the head section of your HTML document.
Some publishing platforms include built-in options for handling canonical links. For instance, on Medium, you can manage these links by navigating to your story, selecting more settings, and then advanced settings. Just check the box indicating "This story was originally published elsewhere" and provide your URL.
In cases where platforms lack canonical linking features (yet allow republished content), it’s best practice to include a link in your article indicating where it was first published. As for deciding which URL to prioritize, that choice is yours, although I generally recommend using your website.
Chapter 2: Additional Syndication Tips
In the video titled "What's The Best Way to Syndicate My Blog's Content?", you'll discover effective strategies for maximizing your content's reach through syndication.
In another video, "How to Syndicate Content Safely on Medium (Episode 81)," you will learn the best practices for safe content syndication on platforms like Medium.
Automate When Possible: While copying and pasting isn’t particularly challenging, automation can save you time and effort. Consider exploring automated syndication options at indieweb.org.
Know When Not to Syndicate: Not every piece of content needs to be disseminated everywhere. Some posts may be contextually relevant only to specific platforms, so use syndication judiciously.
Ensure Syndication is Appropriate: Some platforms may not be receptive to syndication, especially if they aim to benefit from search engine results. Always respect the efforts of any editors who contributed to your work; the last thing you want to do is undermine their role.
Final Thoughts
Should you embrace syndication? As long as you approach it wisely and utilize canonical links, it’s unlikely to cause harm. In fact, it may very well assist you in attracting your next reader.