What Is Business Branded Content?
Branded content for business is a marketing technique that involves creating content that is directly focused on a brands values, story or promise rather than on the specific products or services that it offers.
Branded content for business generates added value for your ideal customers. Instead of looking for a direct sale, lead or conversion, branded content is more focused on creating content that your ideal customer actually wants to consume. This added value generally comes from your knowledge, experience and understanding of your ideal customer.
Business branded content does not contain information about why your brand is better than the competition, but instead to connect with the audience on a more intimate level such as their needs for a product, or how a specific product or service will make them feel.
This type of content can be presented through multiple formats and channels such as video, explainers, videos, events, or even combine several of them to tell the history of the brand. Similarly, there are many different ways to spread this content, from apps and social networks directly to your own website.
Content can also be co-created. It is very common for brands to collaborate with other renowned professionals to create their content. A great example of this is podcasting, interviews, video or via influencers.
Using testimonials or reviews is a great way to create content as it allows your ideal customer to tell their stories about the brand and get involved while providing content about your brand.
In short…
Branded content does not focus on products and services. That doesn’t mean products can’t appear in the content, it just means they are not the main focus nor are they directly talked about. Instead, the focus on more about the values and brand story of the business.
Branded content is not invasive. Television adverts, radio spots or digital formats such as banners and pop-ups are used to grab the user’s attention rather than allowing your ideal customer to consume your branded content voluntarily – and therefore building a natural relationship with you.
Pro’s of Branded Content
Not invasive
Conventional digital advertising, including banners that hinder navigation, generate more disapproval among users. Instead, branded content seeks to attract them naturally and make them want to get involved.
Generates emotion
The best-branded content is capable of telling stories that excite the audience. This emotion gets associated with the brand, making users remember it for a long time.
Improves brand positioning
Branded content tells a story that represents the values we want to associate with the brand. These positive message become associated with a brand and register in the minds of your audience.
Generates loyalty
Branded content seeks to provoke a response from your ideal customer. This way, they engage with the brand at a much deeper level and eventually integrates it as part of their customer identity.
Save money
Branded content can save you so much money compared to traditional advertising such as print, promotional, TV, radio and large ad campaigns. If you are prepared to invest in doing it in-house, this will get the whole company understanding the brand, values and story as well as your ideal customer. A win, win all round.
Con’s of Branded Content
Copy Cats
We have seen it many times before, your brand story is yours alone. You can’t copy other competitors content as it wont work. It won’t differentiate you – you will simply become the same brand in the eyes of your ideal customer.
Time
Creating content that is focused on your ideal customer will take more time than posting a picture of a product with words saying ‘buy now’.
No guarantees
It is not a quick fix to generate money. Branded content does not create quick wins.
Doesn’t happen overnight
Content branding results don’t happen overnight. If you have been doing it correctly, results can start to appear between 3-5 months, but this can depend on your ideal customer, the content you are putting out and the landing pages you are sending them to.
Don’t lie
You can’t be someone you are not. Outline your brand story, values and offerings and make sure your content is focused on that – not what everyone else is doing around you.
It might not be right for you
It is that simple. Branded content might not be the right path for your brand. If your business is working well with traditional marketing methods, and you are happy to continue on that path, then stick with it.
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