At RebelMouse, we take pride in working with publishers and brands that produce exceptional content. But crafting content is just the first step. Distributing it effectively is equally crucial. It’s why we support clients through strategic guidance partnerships with distribution specialists and native distribution features.
We partner with agencies like Nordot, MediaFeed, and FlatPlan to supercharge your distribution efforts to news aggregators, including revenue-generating and traffic-growth opportunities.
Strategic Support for Content Distribution
Our recommendations below focus on news readers and content aggregators. They’re particularly impactful because they attract users actively seeking and engaging with content.
Not all of them are a fit for every publisher or brand, but we offer advice to enhance our clients’ content strategies to increase their chances of getting published across these channels. Some factors we consider when working with content distributors are the publishing quality and frequency of a client’s site, the type of content they publish, and AI guidelines. It’s also very important that every site has an updated “About Us” page with editorial and contact information listed.
Native Distribution Features
Having the right tools amplifies the impact of content distribution, which is why we equip our clients with RebelMouse’s Custom Feed Builder. This technology allows clients to go beyond their default RSS Feeds. We can fine-tune their feeds to get the most out of the engagement and revenue opportunities available on content platforms.
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Google News
Google News helps publishers reach new audiences. It’s free and relatively easy to configure. It’s also one of the most accessible platforms, thanks to its self-serve dashboard, the Publisher Center. (Unfortunately, that system is now changing. Please see below for more details.)
Here are a few additional reasons to like Google News:
- Wide Reach: The Google News ecosystem reaches just about anyone using Google through search results, the Google News app, or Google Discover.
- Monetization Opportunities: Publishers with paywalls can use Google News with Reader Revenue Manager to simplify subscriptions.
- Detailed Content Performance: See how your content performs through a dedicated Google News tab in Google Search Console.
As mentioned above, publishers used to set up Google News through Google Publisher Center. As of April 25, 2024, Google no longer accepts submissions. It will instead algorithmically surface news content that complies with Google News’ policies.
SmartNews
One of the top mobile news readers in the market is SmartNews. They source content from reputable publishers across both sides of the political spectrum. Its adaptive algorithm sorts millions of articles to deliver a personalized content feed.
Like Google News, SmartNews offers publishers compelling benefits such as reaching a wider audience and unlocking new revenue streams.
SmartNews is free but setting it up requires some technical assistance:
- Plan Your Content Strategy: There’s a list of things you need to prepare to publish to Smart News:
- Site description and URL
- Content/Section to include/exclude
- Analytics tracking code
- Ad tag and sponsored links (optional, but recommended)
- Build a SmartNews-Compliant Feed: Create and manage it through RebelMouse’s Feed Dashboard.
- Submit to SmartNews: Don’t forget to submit the feed along with your publisher information through the SmartNews Partner Program form.
Learn more about how RebelMouse integrates with SmartNews.
MSN
Microsoft News, the same service that powers MSN and Microsoft’s content ecosystem, is typically not easy for publishers to get into. That’s why we partnered with MediaFeed, a studio specializing in MSN syndication and content optimization.
Getting on MSN is a bit more involved:
- Meet With the MediaFeed Team: Discuss MSN requirements and determine compatibility as a publisher or a brand.
- Meet With a RebelMouse Strategist: After signing a contract with MediaFeed, revisit your RSS Feed requirements with your RebelMouse strategist.
- Work on an MSN-Compliant RSS Feed: RebelMouse offers support for various types of feeds, including the regular and text-focused RSS Feeds, gallery RSS Feeds, and video feeds.
Read more about our MSN integration.
Apple News
Apple allows publishers to reach millions of readers using the Apple News app on macOS and iOS devices.
If you’re an existing Apple News publisher, our platform integrates with Apple News easily through your site’s global settings. Here’s how you can configure Apple News on RebelMouse.
If you want to become a publisher, note that Apple News now works exclusively through verified Apple News agencies. That’s why we’ve partnered with FlatPlan to simplify the application process.
Flipboard is another free content discovery and distribution platform for publishers. While they no longer allow publisher accounts, you can still create a regular profile and easily add content through Flipboard’s bookmarklet tool.
Have a Flipboard publisher account? Make the most of it:
- Create well-defined magazines and use RSS Feeds to populate content
- Curate Storyboards focused on a topic or theme (e.g., holidays, or a subset of your section that performs well).
Read our blog post on Flipboard for more expert advice.
NewsBreak
Not all publishers qualify for NewsBreak because it focuses on delivering local news and content. However, for U.S.-based publishers covering local stories, NewsBreak offers a unique opportunity to connect with a highly engaged audience interested in community updates and events.
Visit NewsBreak’s publisher page and click “Apply to be a Partner” to get started.
Yahoo News
Yahoo News recently launched a creator program that allows publishers to distribute and monetize their content on its platform.
Since the program is fairly new, we partnered with Nordot to screen and onboard publishers and brands.
Here’s how to get started:
- Get in touch with a RebelMouse strategist.
- Then, continue the discussion with Nordot. To check if you’re a good fit, you’ll be asked to provide details about your organization and publication, including editorial focus and strategy, publishing frequency, quality control, use of generative AI, and affiliate content.
Newsletters
RebelMouse has a native integration with popular newsletter service providers, such as Mailchimp.
Explore our best practices for newsletter growth.
Social Media
Automatically share articles to social media upon publication. Our Entry Editor’s distribution tab has all of the fields you need to optimize your social media presence.
YouTube
Don’t forget YouTube videos as a part of your distribution strategy. Read YouTube’s best practices guide to learn more.
Want to discover more about our comprehensive approach to content distribution? Request a demo of RebelMouse today and let’s start working together.
