Photo by Lisa H on Unsplash
Part of my job as a content strategist is negotiating content partnerships — or distribution plays — for my clients. These can be loosely defined as arrangements between a business and a publication that provide exposure to a sizable audience that is saturated with that business’s target customers.
Please excuse the long-winded definition. I tried to shorten it, but it just wasn’t possible. :)
The concept of content partnerships is not new, but it is evolving.
The concept of content partnerships is not new, but it is evolving. Businesses are getting smarter about how they spend their marketing dollars. Publications are getting smarter about how they work with businesses to create content of value for their audiences.
And so, here is a mini history on digital advertising, followed by a written illustration of some of the “new” ways to spend money with digital pubs.
Digital advertising deals — done right — are about working smarter, not harder.
Five years ago in the old world (yes, you did sense sarcasm), most digital advertising deals were impression-based. Brands gave publications chunks of their marketing budgets in exchange for a fixed number of impressions. So maybe a consumer products business looking to reach a male demographic spent $10,000 at a CPM of $10 for 1 million impressions on ESPN.com.
And that seems like a good deal.
Publications are getting smarter about how they work with brands and businesses to create content of value for their audiences.
But raw impressions are really just the chance that a web surfing human scrolling past your logo might actually see your logo. Or your ad. And honestly, the odds that one of your target human customers will click on your ad are beyond slim. Let’s call that chance .002%.
Of course conversion rates differ widely based on a number of variables… and impression-based advertising is still in play across digital media, but chances of lead conversions on impression-based ad campaigns are slim, and everyone knows that.
From impression-based advertising stemmed branded content.
Branded content is a form of advertising that feels more like a partnership between a business and a publication. And the word partnership feels nice, doesn't it?
It works like this.
A business seeking to access a broad audience with their product or service agrees to pay for the production of a series of content that is in line with their goals — articles, video, social posts or a combo of the three. This means that they are actively aligning their business with content that has a high likelihood of actually reaching their target customers. Because they are aligning with content that their target customers actually want to read!
The content they are “branding” makes sense for them. And this type of partnership can really resonate with readers. Seeing a relevant logo beside a written column that is a must-read for a niche industry eliminates waste. It siphons out the irrelevant eyeballs and goes for the ones that count.
Seeing a relevant logo beside a written column that is a must-read for a niche industry eliminates waste. It siphons out the irrelevant eyeballs and goes for the ones that count.
Why spread your logo or ad across an entire website if you can strategically place it within only the content that matters to your target customer-base?
If you are the developer of a sports betting app that is set to transform the way fans place their wagers, wouldn’t it make sense to place your logo beside content-of-value to your target audience? Perhaps a column that covers the beat on legalized sports betting?
Yes, that would make sense.
Would it make sense to put your ad into a rotation of other unrelated ads across YahooSports.com?
Well, I’m sure there is some value in that, but it’s not strategic, and so, there is going to be a good amount of “waste” that comes out of the spend.
Smart publications are planning their partnerships in advance.
Many of the newer digital publications popping up across the globe have built their entire business models around sponsored and branded content. No longer are they hiring digital sales teams to go out and 'pitch deck' the agencies on Madison Avenue as in years passed. Now, they are calling on businesses with content in mind.
I guess you could say they are calling on businesses with an open mind.
Smart digital publications and media companies are asking businesses what type of content works for them. Then, after gathering information, they go forth and produce content for and with that business with the shared goal of reaching the right audience. It’s a win-win, when it is done thoughtfully.
Content partnerships are win-win, when done thoughtfully.
Some businesses have been able to bill the development of entire mobile applications to a branded content partner. Think Verizon and the NFL Mobile app. Deals like this can be created in advance of “digital ground breaking.”
Imagine, a sponsor for an app that hasn’t been developed yet?
That’s music to a digital marketer's ears. And that is what I strive to help my clients achieve with their media partners.
Work smarter, not harder... remember?
Native content makes digital advertising even more efficient.
The newcomer to the digital advertising marketplace is native content. And personally, native holds a sweet spot in my heart. It is possibly the most effective way to get your target customer to interact with the human side of your business, but it does take some thought to get it right.
Native is all about collaborating with a publication to create something of value for the reader base that matches the tone of the publication.
Native is all about collaborating with a publication to create something of value for the reader base that matches the tone of the publication. This is not to be mistaken for an advertorial, although it is understandable why it could be confusing. Native content is a fresh kind of placement — a modern twist on the advertorial ad that requires a strategic approach.
Information-forward articles are probably the simplest way to conceptualize the native ad type.
Imagine, for example, a lighting company places an article in a digital publication that showcases impressive upgrades to a sports and entertainment facility. The audience of this publication would expect content like this, and the lighting company supplies the story, subtly pushing their agenda — but not so much that they scare readers away.
What we're trying to avoid here is the, "Oh, for a second I thought I was reading the news... now I see that this is an ad..." (minimize browser window, feel cheated.)
What we are trying to achieve is the, "Oh, this is a creative way to promote energy-efficient lighting, and I see that it is sponsored by X brand. I'll keep them in mind."
Photo by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash
I think that pretty much sums it up for branded and native advertising, but before I move on I have to mention one thing about these two formats...
The struggle over editorial control is real.
Before I wrap this up, it's important to discuss the logistical process of placing branded or native content. And it can be somewhat challenging to wrap one's brain around it at first. Some days, I can't pull the two ideas apart — native or branded — and I end up googling it to find helpful articles like this one from the Content Marketing Institute.
But I digress.
The question I'm getting at is: who actually produces the content in a branded/native advertising play?
Who ultimately has the final say on what words and visuals go to press in a branded or native campaign largely depends on the media outlet, but in my experience, digital news publishers that possess solid editorial integrity will always run content through their journalists before hitting publish. If a brand chooses to contribute a native article, they will have some control over the content, but it will be subject to edits, and so, it’s key that brands are well-educated on the nuances of these ad types before embarking on the journey of buying them.
What I don't like to see as a content strategist is 'post-buy confusion.'
To that end, I always recommend setting clear expectations up front. Because what I don't like to see as a content strategist is 'post-buy confusion.' This is what happens when businesses think they are getting total control over a piece of branded content when in reality they are going to be edited to death by the writing staff. And no one likes surprises.
So, it's key to take the time to educate.
Choosing the right content partnership for your business.
Now that you're versed on these modern advertising formats, it's time to put the thinking cap on and determine which media outlets might fit your brand. Which outlets are reaching your target demographic with content that you could envision adding value for your customers?
The options available to you in this digital marketplace are alive and well, and so, now is a great time to begin.
Once you land on a list of pubs - and don't forget all of the digital native outlets that are popping up everywhere - begin to think about what kind of content you could contribute or align with as part of a strategic branding play. Which writers might resonate with your target customer-base? Which forms of content? Maybe there is a news outlet that is laser-focused on Instagram stories that you might be able to tap into for a broader content play...
It's possible!
The options available to you in this digital marketplace are alive and well, and so, now is a great time to begin. Hopefully this article gave you a little nudge down the path toward striking a killer content partnership for your business. And of course, keep me in mind if you need an extra push.
Thanks for reading!
For more tips and tricks on how to build content that serves your business and your customers, sign up for my mailing list. If you're interested in learning how my process of building businesses through strategic content works, take a peek at my free guide to creating content that sells!
Amie Sheridan is a content strategist serving the sports industry. Follow her on LinkedIn.
In case you missed it… Catch the last post in the series: Building content off the news: what it means and why you should be doing it.
