Have you ever written a web article and thought, “where exactly am I posting this content?” Maybe not at first, because newer content creators tend to cozy up in one spot, like their blog, or LinkedIn. But as your awareness expands, so should your content marketing reach. And you may wonder: can you post an article on more than one website? Is this even allowed?
The truth is that publishing an article or other type of content online doesn’t have to be an either-or decision. If you’ve spent time creating useful content, there’s no rule that says it can only appear in one place. In fact… you’ll benefit by posting the same article in multiple, be-seen spots on the web.
Oh, but you’ve heard that’s bad practice, and will get you a rap on the knuckles from Google? Not really, not so much if you do it right. Let’s explore the why and how of posting ONE article on several websites and platforms, in detail.
Maximum Article Reach, the Safe and Smart Way
- More Than One Audience
- Don’t Assume Everyone Saw It the First Time
- Dupe Content Penalty
- How to Version Your Article Fast
- From Content Creation to Content Repurposing
- Making One Article Go Far and Wide
- Final Words for Smart Marketers
- What Part Do You Struggle With?
Good Content Deserves More Than One Audience
One of the biggest challenges of content marketing is visibility. You can write a thoughtful article, hit publish, and still have only a fraction of your intended audience see it. That’s not because the content isn’t valuable, but because people consume information in different places and at different times, at their own level of engagement.
- Some users cruise LinkedIn. They choose this high-visibility platform for the trust factor. They’ll stop on an article that speaks to them, then follow or reach out.
- Some wait for your company newsletter. Email-reading time, for them, is the time to digest new ideas, browse for deals, and catch up with what their favorite brands are doing.
- Some readers prefer self-paced research. They hit the search engines ready to scope out true experts, then type in a question or phrase that takes them straight to authority information sources.
So which of these avenues should your content travel? All of them. By publishing on multiple platforms, you increase the chances that the right people will actually find it.
Don’t Assume Everyone Saw It the First Time
If you publish content online, you might feel anxious to move through your latest project; post, and continue on to the next task. It’s easy to think, “I’ve already released that article, and everyone read it.” Online, “everyone” is an awful lot of people.
Maybe you posted your article on LinkedIn. That means LinkedIn users had a chance to see it. But…
- What about people who visit your website?
- What about subscribers who joined your email list last week?
- What about someone searching for that topic three months from now?
Another good question to ask: did my viewers actually READ and absorb, or did they just skim and scroll? The metrics alone show clicks, but as YouTubers will tell you, engagement matters most.
Most content reaches far fewer readers than we imagine. That’s why even after you hit PUBLISH, your article that you worked so hard to create still has a chance to make the go-rounds in different online spaces. Repurposing and republishing help good content circulate long after its original publication date.
Fun fact: web traffic is like a wave. Visibility for a single post rises, surges, peaks, then falls. But the good news is that you can take that one piece of content, like an article, and make this happen over and over, in different publishing areas on the web.
Is the Dupe Content Penalty a Concern?
Will you be penalized if you post the same article on multiple sites? The short answer: not necessarily, and big brands re-post articles all the time. But we do know that search engines famously change their tune from time to time, and the algo can strike down even the most prolific content sharer.
So if the dreaded dupe content penalty is a concern for you, OR if you don’t want to have a “low quality content” label slapped on your brand-new baby blog that you just birthed… then take the necessary precautions. EDIT your article in a few critical spots, before hitting publish.
Okay; so, what about if the same people run into your articles in different online hang-outs?
That’s actually great! Maybe the first time was a quick skim for them; but this time, they’re ready to deep dive into the subject matter, and sign up. NOW they recognize you… wins all around.
And if they think, “Hey, I already read this elsewhere,” that’s okay. In most cases, the practical benefit of reaching a wider audience outweighs concerns about having the article pop up all over the place. But that being said, it’s in your best interest to slow down bit, and make some small but impactful changes, before rushing to cross-post your article.
How to QUICKLY Version One Article for Maximum Social Media Reach
If you’re planning on mass-publishing a single article to appear on multiple platforms and media outlets online, that’s a great practice. But it really is in your best interest to refresh, retool, restructure and refine that article’s content, to match the intended audience.
Think of yourself, wearing different outfits and sporting different styles for different places and occasions. You wouldn’t wear a pencil skirt and cardigan to the beach. Likewise, the content and writing tone in your article should do a costume change before making an appearance in a new place.
Quick tips for revamping an existing article in less than 20 minutes, before sharing it to a new spot online:
- Modify the title. Think keywords as they apply to different audiences. Would Pinterest followers search the same terms as your blog readers?
- Edit the article intro. Ask, how is this relevant to the current audience?
- Add a personal story or two. Again, consider readers on the receiving end. Will they relate?
- Insert specific examples that match the current platform. Choose work stories for LinkedIn, client-focused studies for your freelance blog.
- Update the article’s conclusion. Consider what final words will impress upon THIS group.
- Change the CTA and lead capture destination. Maybe folks on LinkedIn should live on one email list of yours, and Facebookers should live on a different list.
The core message of your article can stay the same while the presentation changes slightly. Think of it as adapting content, not rewriting it.
Shift from Content Creation to Content Repurposing
Many content creators feel pressure to constantly produce something new. The result is often burnout, and a much narrower reach. You want your content to acquaint with a global audience – after all, this is the World Wide Web! But if you only post one article to one online platform, that isn’t likely to happen. So let’s change that, by adopting smart working strategies that take your expert tips and advice, far. (And if not across the world, at least into a neighboring town or state!)
Next time you’re sitting with a single article, wondering what the best online home is for this finished piece, reframe how you think about the content. Ask the big questions:
- How can I make this nugget of wisdom go FAR?
- How can I make sure this content goes DEEP?
The simple answer, is by modifying, tailoring, changing the CTA, and then posting it in more places.
Make ONE Article Show Up Everywhere
Strategize the online spaces where you’d like to increase reach and deepen impact with your content. Plan your approach to publishing and distributing that one article, in many places online. Consider EACH audience. Consider their pain points, their voice, what they’re most likely to respond to, their price range, and anything else that applies to what you wrote or created.
Map out a plan for how this ONE small slice of content goodness can become not just any, but ALL of the following, with a few simple but purposeful modifications. Your article, with slight edits, becomes:
- A LinkedIn feature
- A blog post
- A newsletter
- A social media series
- A downloadable resource
- Part of a larger guide
Final Words for Smart Content Marketers
So, to answer your question about posting one article in more than one place, without penalty…
If you’re wondering whether an article can appear on both LinkedIn and your blog, the answer is generally yes. Your content isn’t restricted to a single platform, and your audience doesn’t only gather in just one place. Rather than limiting your reach, and putting old content out to pasture before its time, think about how that ONE single piece of content can continue working for you, making an impact across multiple channels.
After all, creating quality content takes up your valuable time and mental energy. The farther you push your articles out into circulation, the greater authority you’ll establish for your brand… and the less work it’ll take to accomplish that.
What Part of This Do You Struggle With?
Some of my copywriting clients love to write, but can use help with editing. Some are prolific content producers, but fall flat when it’s time to plan, version and distribute. Dina Gio and team offer professional content marketing services that work to build your niche authority. Contact us for a project quote today.