Audiences aren\u2019t usually moved by ads.<\/p>\n
But they are by branded content.<\/p>\n
In this guide, we\u2019ll look at what branded content is, why it matters, and some great examples of branded content. Plus, how you can leverage it to your company\u2019s advantage.<\/p>\n
Branded content is content you create in partnership with a publisher or advertiser to convey your company’s values and ideas in ways that connect with audiences. Which can increase brand awareness.<\/p>\n
Like this example from technology company Lenovo:<\/p>\n
Branded content is different from conventional marketing approaches.<\/p>\n
Why?<\/p>\n
Because instead of only delivering product- or service-focused information, it inspires emotion and makes people think. And avoids blasting the viewer with pushy sales tactics.<\/p>\n
In other words, it makes people feel like they aren\u2019t being sold to at all.<\/p>\n
So, viewers are more likely to share and interact with the content.<\/p>\n
Branded content can also be defined by some of its core features. And it:<\/p>\n
Based on what we just went over above, you can see that branded content takes a nuanced approach to marketing.<\/p>\n
That means branded content isn\u2019t focused on products and services. And brand content marketing doesn\u2019t typically take the form of:<\/p>\n
Branded content differs from product placement, content marketing, and conventional advertising in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s explore the distinctions.<\/p>\n
Product placement doesn\u2019t tell a story the way branded content does.<\/p>\n
While a product might be featured in a storytelling vehicle like a TV show or movie, the story really isn\u2019t about the product in any way.<\/p>\n
And product placement makes the product obvious by putting it front and center. Some branded content doesn\u2019t feature the product clearly. Or even at all.<\/p>\n
Content marketing<\/a>\u00a0is an umbrella term that covers creating all types of content (like the examples shown below) and distributing it to drive awareness and interest for your brand.<\/p>\n Branded content could be one component of a brand\u2019s larger content marketing plan.<\/p>\n Traditional advertising aims to directly promote a product or service through banners, pop-up ads, TV spots, and other methods.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of traditional advertising:<\/p>\n But branded content may not even mention the product or service. And instead focus on a story, idea, or value that customers will eventually associate with the product or service.<\/p>\n Branded content marketing matters because it\u2019s a long-term investment in your brand\u2019s future. And done right, it strengthens customer loyalty, inspires word-of-mouth marketing, and generates leads.<\/p>\n Branding content has the power to change people\u2019s perceptions of a company.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at an example.<\/p>\n A pet food company called Bark & Meow partners with a filmmaker to create a series of short videos about pet adoption from local shelters. And includes interviews with pet owners and shelter volunteers talking about the impact adopting makes.<\/p>\n Bark & Meow shares these videos on their social media accounts. And encourages viewers to engage and comment with their own adoption stories.<\/p>\n Now, when people hear the name Bark & Meow, they have positive impressions of a brand that cares about shelter pets.<\/p>\n When customers connect with a message like this, they become loyal to the brand. And talk to others about it.<\/p>\n The next time those customers are ready to make a purchase, they\u2019re more likely to return to that brand. Because they already believe in it.<\/p>\n You must understand your audience to create relevant and impactful branded content.<\/p>\n This involves analyzing:<\/p>\n For example, HP\u2019s Generation Impact series of short videos does a great job of homing in on what the brand\u2019s audience cares about.<\/p>\n Each episode of Generation Impact highlights a young person who\u2019s \u201cusing technology to make the world a better place.\u201d HP speaks directly to the people who purchase their products: tech users, students, and young professionals.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not sure where to start, use\u00a0Market Explorer<\/a>\u00a0to start gaining insights on your target audience.<\/p>\n Open the tool and select the \u201cAnalyze Category<\/strong>\u201d tab.<\/p>\n Then, select your category and click \u201cResearch a market<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2019ll first see an overview report that provides a high-level look at your market.<\/p>\n Next, click the \u201cAudience<\/strong>\u201d tab.<\/p>\n You can now see information about this audience\u2019s demographics, socioeconomics, interests, and more.<\/p>\n With this information, you can begin brainstorming branded content concepts that are equally aligned to your customers and your brand goals.<\/p>\n Learn About Your Traffic Statistics<\/p>\n with the Market Explorer Tool<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Here\u2019s a step-by-step guide that can help you begin creating branded content that helps you connect with audiences and\u00a0build your brand identity<\/a>:<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to nail down exactly what your brand is and what it stands for. Because it informs the themes and messaging you\u2019ll use in the content your brand creates.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t state your brand\u2019s values, tone, and identity with conviction, it\u2019s time to go back to the drawing board.<\/p>\n To identify what your brand wants to say, here are some questions to get the ball rolling:<\/p>\n If you have clearly defined personas (like the one below), you can reference them to help answer some of these questions.<\/p>\n Defining what you want to say clearly at the beginning will put you on a path to reaching your goals.<\/p>\n Good branded content puts the customer first by relying on authenticity and emotional appeal. Because that\u2019s what resonates with customers and prospective customers.<\/p>\n Traditional advertising methods say, \u201cHere\u2019s my product. Like it and buy it.\u201d<\/p>\n Branded content says, \u201cI care about you. Let\u2019s talk.\u201d<\/p>\n But to really connect and build trust with people, you actually need to stand behind the values your campaign promotes.<\/p>\n We can look again at the Bark & Meow pet food brand example from above.<\/p>\n Through its video series, the company positioned its brand as a supporter of shelter adoptions. Let\u2019s say that customers also saw Bark & Meow donating food to local shelters and giving money to animal rescue organizations.<\/p>\n This would fully align with the brand values.<\/p>\n But what if the brand struck a business deal with a puppy mill? Or partnered with a farm that violated animal cruelty laws?<\/p>\n This would undermine the reputation Bark & Meow worked to cultivate.<\/p>\n The takeaway is that branded content should speak to the audience on an emotional level. But also speak authentically.<\/p>\n Your branded content should tell a story.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because a story is memorable and often teaches you something. And a story is something you\u2019ll want to share with others.<\/p>\n Branded content is all about\u00a0perfecting the art of brand storytelling<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like any good narrative, your branded content should have:<\/p>\n Think about the Generation Impact example we talked about above.<\/p>\n Episode One featured Jay Jay Patton. She and her father founded Unlock Academy\u2014a training program to help youth learn to code.<\/p>\n She\u2019s a hero to cheer for. And someone who inspires action.<\/p>\n This example can inspire you to tell your own story.<\/p>\n Collaboration gives you the means to reach a wider audience than your brand could on its own.<\/p>\n Partnering with an influencer, company, advertiser, or publisher has a lot of advantages. But you need to make sure you select the right collaborators to work with.<\/p>\n When working with influencers, choose partnerships that meet these criteria:<\/p>\n When working with publishers and advertisers, it\u2019s also important to partner with companies that share your brand\u2019s values. Or at least aren\u2019t associated with opposing values.<\/p>\n Looking at a publisher or advertiser\u2019s past work can help determine if they\u2019re a good match for your brand.<\/p>\n Exploring social media is a good place to start searching for partnerships.<\/p>\n Influencer Analytics<\/a>\u00a0is a great tool for this.<\/p>\n Open the app, go to the \u201cInfluencers Discovery<\/strong>\u201d tab, and select a social media platform.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll then see a long list of influencers. That you can narrow with filters based on subscriber count, language, country, and much more.<\/p>\n You can then click into individual profiles to learn more about them. And decide whether you want to partner with them.<\/p>\n Before you dive into creating branded content, make sure you\u2019re steering clear of some of the biggest pitfalls.<\/p>\n You want your branded content to be focused and effective. So it connects with the audiences.<\/p>\n Here are a few things to avoid.<\/p>\n And finally,\u00a0don\u2019t<\/strong>\u00a0make the mistake ofthinking that branded content will increase company revenue overnight.<\/p>\n Remember, this is an investment in your brand\u2019s future. And it may take time to see measurable results.<\/p>\n So, think of branded content as an ongoing way to support your company\u2019s\u00a0brand visibility<\/a>.<\/p>\n Your branded content shouldn\u2019t be a single-channel effort. By using a variety of channels and mediums, you can reach a wider audience.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to focus solely on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, etc. And branded content on Instagram is one of the main ways companies tell their stories today.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t ignore other channels like:<\/p>\n And don\u2019t forget about repurposing content to meet different channels\u2019 needs. This way, you can recycle one topic into a variety of formats.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to evaluate performance to determine whether your branded content is successful.<\/p>\n When analyzing the success of your branded content strategy, look to some reliable metrics (which will differ depending on the format):<\/p>\n All of this data can be used to inform and optimize future content strategies.<\/p>\n You can use\u00a0Google Analytics 4<\/a>\u00a0to track overall traffic and user behavior. To give you insight into how audiences are engaging with your branded content.<\/p>\n And\u00a0Medienbeobachtung<\/a>\u00a0lets you keep track of what people are saying about your brand online.<\/p>\n See What People Are Saying About Your Brand<\/p>\n with Media Monitoring<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Check out these branded content examples for some inspiration.<\/p>\n Agricultural machinery company John Deere partnered with Executive Producer Al Roker to produce this 2023 documentary about Black land ownership in the United States.<\/p>\n The film\u2019s title is linked to John Deere\u2019s \u201cGain Ground\u201d campaign, a marketing campaign with slogans that encourage farmers to \u201cGain Ground on your operation.\u201d<\/p>\n And it was an extension of John Deere\u2019s LEAP Coalition, an initiative started by the company in 2020 to support Black farmers.<\/p>\n To promote the Mercedes-Benz GLS SUV, the automaker partnered with Instagram celebrity Loki the Wolfdog (@Loki_The_Wolfdog) and his human companion Kelly Lund.<\/p>\n Hashtags like #journey and #roadtrip were paired with pictures of the dog-wolf hybrid exploring the mountains. And they used that Mercedes vehicle to get there.<\/p>\nBranded Content vs. Traditional Advertising<\/h4>\n
Why Is Branded Content Important?<\/h2>\n
Why Knowing Your Audience Is Key to Effective Branded Content<\/h2>\n
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How to Create Engaging Branded Content<\/h2>\n
1. Identify What Your Brand Wants to Say<\/h3>\n
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2. Create Content that Speaks Directly to People<\/h3>\n
3. Tell a Story<\/h3>\n
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4. Collaborate with the Right People<\/h3>\n
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5. Know What to Avoid<\/h3>\n
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Ways to Distribute Your Branded Content<\/h2>\n
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Analyze Your Branded Content\u2019s Impact<\/h2>\n
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Good Branded Content Examples<\/h2>\n
Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land Documentary from John Deere<\/h3>\n
Loki the Wolfdog Collaboration from Mercedes-Benz<\/h3>\n