What is Article Syndication?
Article syndication, or content syndication, is when a third party website publishes an article or post that first appeared on another website. Essentially, it is republishing the exact duplicate content on other websites.
However it is important to note that this isn’t classed as plagarised content, as syndicated content references the original source of the content.
Why is Article Syndication Important?
There are many reasons why content or article syndication is a powerful marketing tactic:
It Generates Referral Traffic
Syndicated content typically mentions the original source of content and often links back to it – either do follow or no-follow. A user who comes across your syndicated content and finds the information useful then may visit your website for further information.
It Helps Build Brand Awareness
By having your content syndicated, you are more likely to reach a larger pool of people. Additionally, when users see authoritative websites with your brand / business name referenced on it, this can increase your brand credibility in their eyes and become a potential and/or loyal customer.
It Can Help Build Backlinks
As mentioned earlier, content syndication typically references the original source of content. This is implemented by adding a hyperlink referencing the original piece of content or a canonical links.
This ultimately helps boost the original page content’s URL rating and thus keyword rankings.
How To Find Article Syndication Opportunities?
Here are a few ways on how to find ways to have your articles/content syndicated online:
There are two key ways to find syndication opportunities on Google, the first one being:
Find Syndicated Content on a Relevant Topic
Most websites that syndicate content mention phrases such as “originally published on” or “originally appeared on” etc. etc.
Use these phrases along with a related topic to find websites that have republished an article or post previously.
Check If Specific Websites Republish Content
If you are already aware of industry leading websites in your industry but are unsure whether they syndicate articles, you can check on Google by putting the following in the Google search bar:
“Originally Appeared On” Site: [insert website’s URL]
Paid Syndication
Paid syndication is where you pay to place your content on large publicist websites. There are a few helpful tool services such as Outbrain and Taboola that act as the ‘middle man’ in paid syndication exchanges.
Self-Syndication
Another option is to self-syndicate or republish your article on platforms such as Linkedin, Reddit, Medium etc. etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does article syndication affect SEO?
Google is pretty smart, and can identify the original source of syndicated content. However there can be issues when syndicated content. outranks the original piece of content. The best way to avoid this is to insert a “rel=canonical” tag that points to the original source of content.
Is syndicated content marked as duplicate content by Google?
While syndicated content is technically duplicated content, it doesn’t have a negative affect on businesses, typically.
When implemented strategically as part of a broader digital marketing strategy, syndicated content sends signals to Google to help it identify the original piece of content to avoid any duplicate/plagarised content penalties.
