Evergreen Content Promotion Checklist

Promote every article like a pro

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The Checklist

Everything to do before and after you hit ‘Publish’

Next time you hit publish on an article, take a few moments and read through this checklist. Then, take a few key steps to promote your great piece of content to your existing audience or grow your authority online.

First, I’ll run through each of the steps, in order. Then, I’ll explain the why and how behind each step.

Pre-Game

Content Promotion: Before You Publish

  • Set up a Click to Tweet URL.
  • Make a list of any brands, authorities, or influencers you mention in the article.
  • Write an ‘Influencer Outreach Email.’
  • Write a ‘VIP Outreach Email.’
  • Write an email to your general list promoting the article.
  • Add a contextual call to action to the end of the article.
  • Extract the actionable parts of the article and turn them into a downloadable guide: a lead magnet.
Go Time

Content Promotion: After You Publish

  • Add the article to the relevant drip / autoresponder on your email list.
  • Send a broadcast email to your list promoting the article, excluding anyone about to receive the article as part of an autoresponder campaign.
  • Tweet at brands or influencers you mention in the article, let them know the article is live and ask them to share it with their audience.
  • Send a short email to brands or influencers you mention in the article, asking if they’d be interested in reading it.
  • Queue the tweet in your social media scheduling tool (bonus points if it’s in a rotating library).
  • If you’ve tagged VIPs (friends or people who frequently comment) in your email service, send them a heads-up.
  • If the article is relevant to a past client or customer, email it to them.
  • If you wrote the article in response to a question online, share the article in that thread.
  • Embed a tweet promoting the article within the article itself.
  • Share the article with relevant online communities that reach the same audience you’re targeting.
The Playbook

Pre-Game: Why You Do It This Way

Set up a Click to Tweet URL

You’ll want an easy, one-click URL to include in your outreach emails that pre-generates a tweet for the recipient to customize and send.

Make a list of brands, authorities, and influencers you mention

By identifying who you want to reach out to before you start outreach, you’ll make it easier on yourself when it comes time to promote.

Write an ‘Influencer Outreach Email’

Draft a short outreach email template for brands, authorities, or influencers to let them know about the article and ask if they’d be interested in seeing it.

Example from my swipe file:

Subject: [Topic] for [Influencer’s Audience]

Hi [Name],

Would your audience be interested in a [description of article]? I thought you’d be interested because [reason]. Let me know if you’d like to see it and I’d be happy to forward it along!

Note well: We aren’t asking them to read an article. We’re asking them if they’d be interested in reading an article. This subtle distinction makes it much more likely you get a response.

Write a ‘VIP Outreach Email’

Draft a short, actionable email to VIPs — friends, colleagues, and people who frequently share your content or comment on your articles.

Unlike the Influencer email, you can be more direct. Let them know the article is live, ask them to take one specific action, and link to the article.

Example:

Subject: New article about [topic]!

Heya [Name],

Just a quick note! I published a new article about [topic] on my site.

You’ve always been so amazing at sharing my articles. Can you do one quick thing for me? (It’ll take less than 60 seconds, I promise.)

Would you please share this article with your audience by clicking this link to tweet about the article? (You’ll be able to customize it before you send the tweet.)

Thanks so much! You can read the full article here: [link].

If you want comments instead of social shares, swap the CTA:

Would you please leave a comment on the article asking a question or sharing a thought?

Note well: We’re asking the recipient to take one specific action. The more actions you ask someone to take, the fewer they’ll actually take.

Write a ‘General Promotion Email’ to your mailing list

You just wrote a great piece of content. The people on your email list signed up specifically to learn about your work. Send them an email about it.

Example:

Subject: [Topic]!

Heya [Name],

Just a quick note! I published a new article about [topic] on my site.

This article will help [audience] overcome [problem].

You can read the full article here: [link].

Note well: One clear call to action — read the article.

Add a contextual call to action

Add a CTA to the end of the article that’s related to the article topic. Compare:

  • “Enter your email to get free updates of new articles in your inbox!”
  • “Enter your email below and get a 10-page guide on [topic] that will help you solve [problem].”

The more relevant the CTA is to the article they just read, the more likely they’ll take action.

Create a lead magnet

Are you sharing something particularly valuable in the article — a checklist, a tutorial, a guide, a bit of code? Extract that thing and turn it into a lead magnet. Pair it with a contextual CTA for maximum benefit.

Post-Publish Playbook

Content Promotion: The Details

Add to your autoresponder

Add the article to any relevant drip campaigns or autoresponders so future subscribers get exposed to the content. In 6 months, when someone new signs up, they’ll slowly be exposed to your best work.

Send a broadcast email

Send to your full list, excluding anyone who’s about to receive the article as part of an autoresponder.

Tweet at brands, influencers, and authorities

Send a quick tweet with a URL to the article. Make the tweet relevant to them.

Example:

@kaisdavis Hey, that article you shared on [topic] was great. Check this out, it’s another take on the topic: [link]

Outreach to influencers and authorities

For authorities you mention in the article (that you have a strong relationship with), send a short email using the Influencer Outreach template above.

Email your VIPs

Drop your VIP segment a quick email letting them know the article is live. By promoting to VIPs first, you’ll ‘seed’ the article with comments and social shares from your most active fans.

Email past clients and customers

If the article is relevant to any of your past clients, send them a quick email using the General Promotion template.

Share the ‘eBomb’

If you wrote the article in response to a question you found in an online community:

  1. Leave a meaty (200–400 word) comment in the thread that answers the question
  2. Include a contextual link within the comment back to your article
  3. Add a clear CTA at the end linking to the article

Make sure you’re adding value to the conversation before including your link.

Embed a tweet within the article

Embedding a tweet promoting the article within the article offers social proof and makes it easy for readers to share.

Share with relevant communities

Specific subreddits. Hacker News. Niche forums. If your audience congregates around specific online watering holes, take the time to share the article there.

Be careful about asking friends to upvote. These sites often have voting ring detection. Play it safe — submit the article, tell one or two friends, and let it find its audience naturally.

Questions?

Have questions about content promotion?

Feel free to get in touch — I’d love to hear from you.