--- name: content-distribution description: Promote creative and technical work through strategic content distribution. Covers platform selection, audience building, content repurposing, and engagement strategies without becoming a full-time marketer. Triggers on promotion, audience building, social media strategy, or content marketing requests. license: MIT --- # Content Distribution Get your work seen without becoming a full-time marketer. ## Distribution Philosophy ### The Reality - Great work doesn't promote itself - You don't need millions of followers - Consistency beats virality - Value attracts audience ### The Sustainable Approach | Unsustainable | Sustainable | |---------------|-------------| | Post daily everywhere | Focus on 1-2 platforms | | Chase trends | Build on your expertise | | Optimize for algorithm | Optimize for humans | | Content for content's sake | Share genuine value | --- ## Platform Selection ### Choose Based On 1. **Where is your audience?** 2. **What format fits your work?** 3. **What can you sustain?** ### Platform Strengths | Platform | Best For | Content Type | Effort | |----------|----------|--------------|--------| | Twitter/X | Tech, ideas, discussion | Short-form, threads | Medium | | LinkedIn | Professional, B2B | Articles, updates | Medium | | Instagram | Visual work, creative | Images, reels | High | | YouTube | Tutorials, long-form | Video | Very High | | TikTok | Entertainment, quick tips | Short video | High | | Substack/Newsletter | Deep content, owned audience | Long-form writing | Medium | | Personal Blog | SEO, portfolio | Any | Low | | GitHub | Code, open source | Repositories | Low | ### The 70/20/10 Rule Pick ONE primary platform: - 70% of effort on primary platform - 20% on secondary platform - 10% experimenting --- ## Content Strategy ### Content Pillars Define 3-5 themes you consistently create around: ``` Example for a creative technologist: 1. Technical tutorials (how I built X) 2. Creative process (behind the scenes) 3. Industry commentary (trends, tools) 4. Personal projects (show the work) 5. Career/professional development ``` ### Content Types by Effort | Low Effort | Medium Effort | High Effort | |------------|---------------|-------------| | Retweet + comment | Thread/carousel | Blog post | | Quick tip | Short-form video | YouTube video | | Question | Newsletter | Course/workshop | | Work-in-progress | Case study | Open source project | | Curated links | Tutorial | Research paper | ### The 4-1-1 Rule For every 6 posts: - 4 share value from others (curate) - 1 soft self-promotion - 1 direct self-promotion Or: **Give value 5x for every 1x you ask** --- ## Content Creation ### The Show Your Work Framework From Austin Kleon: 1. **Daily dispatch**: Share process, not just product 2. **Flow, not stock**: Ongoing sharing, not just launches 3. **Become a documentarian**: Capture as you go ### Content Prompts **Process**: - What are you working on today? - What problem did you just solve? - What mistake did you make? - What did you learn this week? **Teaching**: - What do beginners get wrong? - What's a shortcut you discovered? - What tool changed your workflow? - What concept took you too long to understand? **Opinion**: - What's a hot take in your field? - What's underrated/overrated? - What would you tell yourself 5 years ago? - What do you disagree with experts on? ### Writing Formats That Work **Thread/Carousel**: ``` Hook: Surprising claim or question Point 1: [Evidence/example] Point 2: [Evidence/example] Point 3: [Evidence/example] Summary: Key takeaway CTA: Follow for more / Link to resource ``` **Short-form post**: ``` [Hook - first line matters most] [Value - the actual content] [CTA - what to do next] ``` --- ## Repurposing ### The Content Pyramid ``` ┌───────────┐ │ Pillar │ Long-form (blog, video) │ Content │ └─────┬─────┘ │ ┌───────────┼───────────┐ ▼ ▼ ▼ ┌────────┐ ┌────────┐ ┌────────┐ │Thread 1│ │Thread 2│ │Thread 3│ Medium-form └────┬───┘ └────┬───┘ └────┬───┘ │ │ │ ┌────┴────┬─────┴────┬─────┴────┐ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Tweets Quotes Images Clips Micro-content ``` ### Repurposing Workflow One blog post becomes: - Twitter thread - LinkedIn article - 5-10 individual tweets/posts - Newsletter section - Carousel graphics - Video script - Podcast talking points ### Repurposing Rules - Wait between platforms (not same day) - Adapt format to platform norms - Don't just copy/paste - Update with new insights --- ## Engagement Strategy ### Meaningful Engagement **Do**: - Add value to conversations - Ask genuine questions - Share relevant experiences - Credit and amplify others **Don't**: - Generic comments ("Great post!") - Hijack threads for self-promo - Engage only with big accounts - Automate engagement ### Building Relationships 1. **Identify peers**: 20-50 people in your space 2. **Engage consistently**: Comment on their work 3. **Add value first**: Help before asking 4. **Collaborate**: Guest posts, interviews, projects ### Responding to Engagement - Reply to comments within 24 hours - Ask follow-up questions - Thank people who share - DM people who engage consistently --- ## Analytics That Matter ### Vanity vs Valuable Metrics | Vanity | Valuable | |--------|----------| | Follower count | Follower growth rate | | Total likes | Engagement rate | | Impressions | Click-through rate | | Views | Subscribers/email signups | ### What to Track - Which content types perform best? - When does your audience engage? - What topics resonate? - Where do website visitors come from? ### Review Cadence - **Weekly**: Quick check on recent posts - **Monthly**: Content performance review - **Quarterly**: Strategy adjustment --- ## Sustainable Schedule ### Minimum Viable Presence | Platform | Minimum | Ideal | |----------|---------|-------| | Twitter | 3x/week | 1x/day | | LinkedIn | 2x/week | 3-4x/week | | Newsletter | 2x/month | Weekly | | Blog | 2x/month | Weekly | | YouTube | 2x/month | Weekly | ### Batching - **Write day**: Create content in batches - **Schedule ahead**: Use scheduling tools - **Repurpose day**: Transform existing content - **Engagement time**: Daily 15-30 min blocks --- ## Launch Strategy ### For a New Project **Pre-launch** (2-4 weeks before): - Tease what's coming - Share behind-the-scenes - Build email list interest **Launch week**: - Announce on all platforms - Ask friends to share - Engage with every comment - Share social proof **Post-launch**: - Thank supporters - Share results/learnings - Continue creating content --- ## References - `references/platform-guides.md` - Platform-specific tactics - `references/content-calendar.md` - Planning templates - `references/tools-stack.md` - Scheduling and analytics tools