Sponsored content is a great tool to use when you’re looking to engage with a particular audience to showcase your business or product. However, if your content doesn’t fit the tone or the audience of the digital publication you’re utilizing, you could quickly lose readers attention, and even deter them from doing any potential future business with your company.
When determining whether sponsored content is a good choice for your business, there are some key things to take into consideration:
Does the audience of the online publication match your product/business?
For example, if you’re selling life insurance and looking to advertise with an online publication whose readers consist of millennials, your article will most likely result in low return. No matter how compelling your article may be, they are not in the stage in their life to prioritize insurance and won’t likely be interested in what your company is offering.
What’s in it for the reader?
As much as your intention is to relay your message about your company or product, an article centered entirely around your product or company may cause the reader to “check out” from your article. For example, a local accounting firm may want an article focused on the services that they provide, but writing an article focused on “10 Tips to Save Money on Your Next Tax Return“ aligns with what a reader may be interested in. This approach also showcases your qualifications without a hard sell and increase pageviews that can provide qualified conversions.
What about verticals?
If there are vertical pages on the online publication that has a niche audience that aligns with your business, it may be best to showcase your article here instead. For example, a local real estate will garner more qualified readers by showcasing their article on a business vertical of a publication.
Delve deeper than the media kit
When looking into a media kit, many publications tend to include their monthly traction for their website and the average number of pageviews for articles may not necessarily be what you’re looking for. This number could include the average number of pageviews for both organic and paid articles. Since organic articles tend to get higher traction as it includes news articles, your expected results may be quite lower than anticipated. This is an area we often request clarification on from our media partners.
Reach out for help
Although an account manager at any reputable company will provide you with alternative options on their website if a sponsored content isn’t a good fit, we recommend reaching out to a media company like ourselves. The key reason is that media planners like ourselves have vast experience with working with various publishers, so our team is able to provide you with far more reliable options than a direct contact could. Since their sole responsibility is to help you utilize your budget in the best means possible on their website, there are key channels that they won’t have access to. In comparison, we’ll be able to navigate you towards other publishers if they are a better fit, as well as provide you with other media options such as paid social, programmatic, or even traditional media. Plus, we’re able to work with publishers directly to get a well-written advertorial posted for you, while cutting down confusion, as well as have the buying power with publishers to potentially get a reduced rate for your company.
With these in mind, you’ll be fully ready to determine whether sponsored content is right for your business, and if so, what digital media company you should utilize, and the right questions to ask.