A Workflow for Syndicating Published Articles

Building smart processes to streamline the workflow can make the work easier and the results more reliable, which keeps my head above water and my clients happy."

~ Mark Mason, Land Surveyor interviewed for Lifehacker 

If you're thinking of writing for high-visibility publications, and you're wondering whether it's a good use of your time, there's one thing you should know: While most high-visibility publications require original content, many allow you to syndicate the published article after a short waiting period (typically 10 to 14 days). 

But what does it mean to syndicate your published articles?
 
When you syndicate an article, you republish the same article to other websites, including those high-visibility publications that accept syndicated content. 
 
Some publications require you to change the title of the original article before publishing it elsewhere. Almost all request that you link back to the original article. Here is a five-step workflow for syndicating published articles:

1. Confirm your right to syndicate the original article.  
 
While most high-visibility publications allow you to syndicate articles you wrote for their platform, not all do. Double-check the guidelines to confirm your rights and the publication’s syndication requirements. 
 
How long do you have to wait before syndicating your published articles? Does the publication recommend using specific language to link to the original article? Can you use the original title, or do you have to change it? Are there any other requirements?
 
Not all high-visibility publications have guidelines. Even those that publish guidelines don’t always address the question of syndication directly. If you have any doubts about the requirements, ask your editor.
 
2. Publish the article to your blog.  
 
Once the waiting period is over, syndicate your published article to your blog. If you want to include an image, you’ll need to find your own. (Just make sure you have the right to use it.) And even if it isn’t required, link back to the original article:

“This article was originally published on [Publication].” 
The words “originally published” link back to the original article, not the publication’s homepage.

Why? Because that link back to the original article helps build credibility with those who visit your website. They not only see what you wrote, which gives them a better sense of how you think about your area of expertise, but they see social proof. Another publication vetted you and published your work because they found it valuable. That tells the visitor that you have something to say that is worth listening to!
 
3. Share the article with your community.  
 
Depending on how you share the article, this step might be categorized as either syndication or distribution. Either way, make sure you share your article with your email subscribers and online communities, including those on your preferred social media platforms. The people you reach through these platforms have already expressed interest in what you have to offer. Sharing your work with them not only builds your relationships, but it just might help them find a path forward.
 
4. Publish the article to third-party platforms.  
 
There are a ton of third-party platforms that allow you to syndicate your published articles. Consider posting your work on Medium. You might also consider researching outlets that syndicate published work, such as Business 2 Community, Thrive Global, or BIZCATALYST 360. If you belong to a membership association, you might also be able to syndicate your article to their blog. Just check with them first!
 
5. Syndicate the article in your LinkedIn Newsletter.  
 
LinkedIn has always allowed you to publish original or syndicated articles on their platform. Now those articles can become a LinkedIn newsletter that you publish on the schedule of your choice. The benefit of LinkedIn newsletters is that your work reaches an entirely different audience than your blog or email newsletter — and because the article is republished in full, the algorithm doesn’t interfere (as much) with your reach. 

If you’re writing articles for a high-visibility publication that allows you to syndicate your content, do it. You’ve already invested time and effort into writing an article for publication. Syndicating the content gets the piece in front of a lot more people for a small amount of effort.
 
And you don’t have to take all these steps — nor do you have to do them all at once. You may publish a new article every two weeks and decide to publish a newsletter on LinkedIn every month. So long as the articles you write are evergreen (remains relevant over time), you can make a plan that fits your schedule and gives you plenty of room to breathe.