If you've researched modern content marketing at all, you've surely come across a growing trend known as a "sponsored editorial", but what you might not know is how to properly create one.
This guide won't apply to everyone or respond to every specific need, but it should help any entry to mid-level marketing executive understand the basics of what makes a sponsored editorial campaign work. Here I will elaborate on the fundamental steps that need to be considered to ensure success.
Content marketing is just the first step to good marketing.
There's no denying that content marketing is quickly becoming more effective than traditional marketing in today's digital world. It is the #1 way to promote your business in a fresh and exciting way. The thing is, if you are unfamiliar with the process, or have no idea what this type of campaign includes, it’s like playing an unfamiliar card game for the first time. Assessing the key components will help you get the most out of your content marketing strategy and make sure it brings you the results you're looking for.
The goal of your Sponsored Editorial campaign.
Sponsored Editorial campaigns are a great way to amplify your current advertising efforts in your content marketing strategy. But before that can happen, we often encourage businesses to think up and organize unusual and remarkable experiences to offer their clients' customers.
Millennials love unique stuff.
Why? Because it’s much easier to get people interested in your business if there’s something out of the ordinary to talk about. For example, let’s say your business is a restaurant called Bunny Burger and you want to sell more burgers (makes sense): Chances are, you’ll start by looking at your advertising channel options instead of considering the creative process. But ask yourself, "What would really capture the attention of my target consumer?" Is it something rainbow-coloured? Something extremely luxurious? Some kind of franken-dish combining two great things into one amazing thing? Something FREE (which, by the way, millennials also love)? That’s where the magic happens. Once you’ve answered that question, it's time to spread the word. Welcome to content marketing 101 - focus on the content!
Facts tell, stories sell.
So you’ve chosen a suitable publisher or marketing company, and you expect them to relay every single aspect of your business ...and why shouldn’t you? You’re proud of it and you want to share that feeling with everyone. But it takes more to get the average consumer to care or engage with your business. This is where the narrative becomes so important in shaping why people should be interested and how content can make your product relevant to your audience. Content marketing publishers generally have a good idea of exactly how to create engagement, so trust their expertise in presenting the subject and avoid thinking in journalistic terms, especially when trying to reach today’s generation.
No emotions = big 0 in conversion
The reality is, millennials simply won’t bother reading more than 15 seconds of your sponsored editorial if they don’t or can’t relate. Your story needs to be funny, exciting, intriguing or inspiring (ideally all 4) in some way to not only catch attention but to retain it - what we call "engagement". Our goal as publishers is to drive traffic to your business in an accessible and approachable way. Focus on great storytelling that’s easily digestible and looks great, instead of solely trying to sell the specs of your product.
Going viral
Yes, there are chances your sponsored editorial will blow up and be shared like wildfire, but it's just not that simple. There are literally millions of pieces of content published every day, and going viral is a combination of many variables.
You should be focused instead on distributing your content to the people that matter most: those who have a vested interest in your product or service. I’ll put it this way, 5,000 reads from highly-targeted personas are worth a lot more and will create more conversions than 50,000 reads from a very broad audience. Think small, generate big.
At the end of the day, the publisher you select should be experienced in speaking to your target audience, which is exactly why you’ve decided to do Sponsored Content in the first place. So let them. A good publisher will work with you to make sure your brand, message and mission are respected, but it will require that you trust they know what works best and how to present your business in this ever-growing realm of content marketing.
Narcity Media specializes in relevant and engaging Sponsored Content. Contact us to learn more.