Questions? Call Us (800) 462-3183

Skip to content

Article Promotion Playlist: 7 Songs To Help Get the Word Out

by Rolling Stone Culture Council /
This is one of a series of posts on how Rolling Stone Culture Council members can get the most from their publishing benefits. If you’re not a member, find out here if you qualify.

Publishing through the Rolling Stone Culture Council is exciting; you've got great content on a top-tier site. Now it's time to make sure people see it.

Writing an article without an article promotion strategy is like — well, creating anything and not promoting it. Once you've made something, you've got to get the word out.

Here are seven songs that encompass ways to get your content in front of the movers and shakers dominating your industry.

“Y’all Ready for This?” (2 Unlimited, 1991)

Get a promotion plan in place that you can use over and over again. Keep a list of the best ideas (like this article). Each time you publish a post, go down the checklist to make sure you’ve covered all your bases. Your PR team can help with this.

“On Social Media” (Pet Shop Boys, 2019)

When we think about article promotion, social media is usually the first option that comes to mind. It’s a great option, and the more creatively you share, the better your results will be:

  • Prepare social media mentions related to your article for all the platforms you use: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, even Instagram.
  • Schedule multiple mentions over several weeks, andkeep them fresh. Drop a different quote from the article into each mention, or ask followers for responses, like "what do you think is coming next in [trend related to article]?"
  • Use the best snippets from your article as quotes, and link back to the original — but take it up a notch — create quote-over-photo images for Instagram or other platforms. Use Adobe Spark, Canva, or a similar free graphics program.
  • Don't just drop social media posts out there — tag someone! Just make sure you tag someone relevant — like  companies and influencers who are referenced in your article or doing similar work. Don't go overboard; use tagging as a targeted strategy.
  • Use Google Alerts, Mention, or other social media software to keep your eye on mentions and shares of your article posts. Thank the poster, and re-share their post, to start a dialogue.
  • Get active on Reddit, Quora, or other social communities, and share links to your content in response to relevant questions and posts.

“Say My Name” (Destiny’s Child, 1999)

How many dozens of emails do you send out each week? Use those emails to share your article, directly or indirectly:

  • Link your Rolling Stone Culture Council public profile to your name in your email signature (here’s how to edit your sig on Gmail and Outlook), and you'll be sharing your bio, company bio, social connection info, and a list of your articles on RollingStone.com every time you send a note.
  • You could even add a link to your latest article below the contact info in your signature. "Read my latest article on RollingStone.com: [title here]." Every time you send a note, your contact is subtly encouraged to notice and even share your article.
  • Send a personal email to key people in your network with a link to your article. If you value their opinion, ask for feedback. This is a double-win; they might share your article further, and you might learn something to make your next one even better.

“Getting to Know You” (Rodgers & Hammerstein, 1951)

Any time you want to spread the word about something, you’ve got to get others on board. You can build your network and share your content at the same time:

  • Who else is working on and writing about projects similar to yours? Find those folks and build relationships. Hint: This isn’t a one-way street; share their content, follow them, and comment on their posts regularly before asking them to read or share your article.
  • Do you know someone who knows someone? Can you get your piece in front of an influencer who covers topics like yours?
  • Give back. If you've referenced a source or referred to someone else's great work in your piece, send them a link and a thank you!
  • Your peers in the Rolling Stone Culture Council forum may be one of your best audiences; after all, they're working in similar industries and facing similar challenges. Head to the RSCC forum and start a thread about your topic, referencing your recent article.
  • Take it a step further, and create a support group with a few other RSCC members or other colleagues. Support one another and share each other’s content as it gets published.

“This is Me” (Keala Settle, 2017)

Use your published content to let people know who you are. Share your thoughts on industry happenings in [unexpected places].

  • Do you send a company newsletter? Share your article there. It's quality content in your area of expertise, so it's perfect for sending to your customers and leads.
  • If you’re part of a large company, share your articles internally via Slack or a company wiki.
  • Include your articles and Expert Panels in the “Press” or “As Seen On” page of your website.
  • Another great place to include links to your articles is in a special section on your organization’s jobs page. Give future employees a chance to check out your work. Sharing here may not increase your view count much, but it has the potential to weed out job prospects who don't share your vision
  • Use your LinkedIn profile "publications" section to make your articles available to anyone who looks you up. It's super easy  — here's how.

“Moneytalks” (AC/DC, 1990)

  • Give your article a leg up with paid promotion. Search engines, social media platforms, and third-party sites like Outbrain all offer options for lifting your content up to be noticed.

“Baby One More Time” (Britney Spears, 1998)

Your content is only exclusive to RollingStone.com for a certain period of time (ask the concierge). When that time is up, you can repurpose your article content in one (or all!) of the following ways:

  • Republish your article, or excerpts from it, on other sites, including your own website, with a link to the original.
  • Create a PDF of your article and make it available on your website.
  • Try a slide show if your material lends itself to that format. Break up your content, add images, and upload the final product to Slideshare.
  • Make a creative video for Youtube on the same topic as your article, and link to your article in the description.
  • Use your article as a springboard for another post. Choose a detail in your article and expand on it in a blog or social post that refers and links to the original.

The most important strategy for getting your content widely shared is to create content that people want. As in any other discipline — music, art, business — your content has to be in demand. So choose your topics carefully. What are influencers in your industry talking about these days, and how can you contribute to the broader conversation — and in the process, get more visibility for your own leadership?

If you’re a Rolling Stone Culture Council member, head over to your member dashboard to get an article started.

If you’re not yet a member, find out here if you qualify.

Back Cover Book 2

Be More Pirate:
Or How To Take On The World And Win

by Sam Conniff Allende

Also recommended by Lori McKnight, Julian Saipe, and Baham (Rolling Stone Culture Council).