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
- •Where is your audience?
- •What format fits your work?
- •What can you sustain?
Platform Strengths
| Platform | Best For | Content Type | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twitter/X | Tech, ideas, discussion | Short-form, threads | Medium |
| Professional, B2B | Articles, updates | Medium | |
| 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:
code
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:
- •Daily dispatch: Share process, not just product
- •Flow, not stock: Ongoing sharing, not just launches
- •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:
code
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:
code
[Hook - first line matters most] [Value - the actual content] [CTA - what to do next]
Repurposing
The Content Pyramid
code
┌───────────┐
│ 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
- •Identify peers: 20-50 people in your space
- •Engage consistently: Comment on their work
- •Add value first: Help before asking
- •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 |
|---|---|---|
| 3x/week | 1x/day | |
| 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