While many of Newstex’s clients use content to populate information databases, some use it within content marketplaces such as Industry Dive. But what exactly is a content marketplace?

A content marketplace is a venue for offering licensed content to companies or brands. Many companies are looking to improve their outreach but they don’t necessarily have the resources to create all of the content themselves. Content marketplaces are a great way for them to build trust, increase SEO rankings, and earn new customers without having to handle everything in-house.

Imagine that Bob writes about personal finance. Because he syndicates his content with Newstex, his content is available to content marketplaces. First National Bank is looking for personal finance content to flesh out their customer-facing blog, so they make arrangements to feature Bob’s content on their site. The content is clearly attributed to Bob, and it ensures that his insights are seen by a wider audience. If people like what they see of Bob’s writing, they might become dedicated readers of his website. Whether you’re an avid amateur or a seasoned professional, placing your content in content marketplaces can be a great way to improve your content’s reach.

If you’re interested in placing your content in content marketplaces, it’s important that you give Newstex permission to use your content on open sites. It’s also helpful to sign the cosmetic editing and translation rights agreements, as this will make your content more accessible. The cosmetic editing agreement only allows content marketplaces to make minor edits to your content. For example, they might replace specific product names with generic ones (e.g., replacing ‘Zoom’ with ‘video conferencing software’), or they might get rid of time references that make the content seem dated (e.g., removing a reference to a product being released ‘last week’). You can rest assured that the content marketplaces won’t make any changes that would alter the substance of your content.

So what kind of content are content marketplaces looking for? In general terms, evergreen content is best, so highly topical, niche content won’t necessarily be a good fit. Content aimed at a professional audience is also a plus since many companies come to content marketplaces in search of B2B content. Here are some examples of how companies might use material from content marketplaces:

• A biopharmaceutical company might want general healthcare-related content as well as content that discusses the experience of living with a chronic disease.
• A fruit vendor might need material about diet and exercise.
• An insurance company might seek content involving science, math, and finance.
• A hotel chain might use content about travel, arts, entertainment, sports and food.

Content marketplaces are a great way for you to broaden your content’s reach. If you want to reap the rewards, be sure to allow the use of your content on open sites when you sign up for syndication.