When it comes to appealing to the interests of your target markets, content creation is only half the battle. The rest of the story is getting your content in front of your audiences at the right time, using the right media outlets or channels. That’s easier said than done. Many authors simply don’t know the myriad outlets that exist, or which ones are the best for their content. In addition, they may not have the time or inclination to contact editors. Add to the mix uncertainty about how to approach editors, what to say or how to navigate the complexities of the publishing world, and it can be a daunting task. Here is a short primer on the types of content outlets available.

Content Publication Outlets for B2B Audiences

1. Peer-reviewed journals. These scholarly journals often are university or association-based. In general, they focus on research conducted by the author and report findings. There is no advance acceptance of article topics. Instead, authors invest the time in writing manuscripts without knowing whether a topic is of interest to the publication. Once submitted, a committee of professionals and experts assess and critique articles prior to acceptance. Peer review is a vital part of the quality control mechanism to determine what to publish. Articles that do not meet the journal’s rigorous standards are rejected. Typically, peer reviewers do not know the name of the author to eliminate any potential bias. The peer-review process is arduous and can take six months or longer to complete. 

2. Digital trade publications. Online-only magazines are growing in number to keep up with readers’ content consumption preferences as well as the harsh reality of the economics of producing print magazines. In what might be a surprising figure, 42.4 percent of U.S. adults read at least one digital magazine per month—a number that is steadily increasing. This is partly due to online platforms such as Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited, Magzter and Zinio that allow users to subscribe for unlimited access to a database of online magazines. Digital trade publications focus on niche topics and specific audiences, which allows authors to craft and tailor their content to specialized industry segments.

3. Print trade publications. Print publications sometimes get a bad rap for being “old fashioned,” but readership for printed magazines is still strong. In fact, nearly 63 percent of U.S. adults report actively read print magazines. Some major trade publications in certain industries are available only in print, which helps set them apart from the pack. Even though we are largely reliant on digital outlets, business readers crave a moment to get away from their screens. The sensory experience of print has not lost its charm. “Traditional print media provides consumers with a personal experience, something tangible they can interact with, take with them and go back to at their own leisure,” says Rachel Aldighieri, managing director of the DMA.  Unlike digital publications that need more content faster, print publications might be more discerning and work with longer lead times. In addition, sometimes editors do not have as much flexibility and stick closely to an editorial calendar that might be created during the year prior.

4. New sites. With so much information being shared around the globe, news networks such as Yahoo News, Google News and TechCrunch, focus on news stories that are important to our reading arsenals. News sites can be generic or industry-specific. They enable readers to stay on top of current events, policies and trends that directly affect their businesses. Getting published in these types of outlets can take different forms including bylined articles, op-ed pieces, white papers, videos, etc.

5. Guest blogging. An underutilized strategy, guest blogging involves creating content for blogs that belong to other companies or publications. Similar to articles, guest blogs imply an “endorsement” of your thought leadership and expertise. Guest blogs can generate web traffic, enhance brand awareness, build relationships and expose your brand to entirely new audiences. Companies with blogs produce an average of 67 percent more leads monthly than companies that don’t blog consistently and often.

6. Your website, social media, and email outreach. We would be remiss in our discussion of publishing outlets if we didn’t mention the value of your own company’s website and social media channels. Whether you are publishing content directly to your website through the use of blogs, white papers, articles and news material, or sharing through social media, a multi-channel distribution method ensures your content gets in front of your prospects, clients, stakeholders and employees. Before publishing content published elsewhere, such as bylined articles and guest blogs, obtain permission from the original outlet. While most publications encourage sharing articles with new audiences, they also want to be as recognized as the original publisher. Ask about the media outlet’s copyright rules before repurposing editorial coverage and use their preferred attribution language.

Become a Recognized Expert

Both for your organization and career, it is important to publish in the outlets that your peers, customers, and prospects turn to for expert advice and real-world solutions. In fact, 70 percent of people would rather learn about a company through articles instead of advertisements. Where you publish will make a significant impact on who your content reaches. Ensure time and budget are well spent by knowing what your target markets want to read about and which types of publications reach them best.