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The Media Buyer's Guide to Branded Content
- 1. PRESENTED BY The Media Buyerâs Guide to Branded Content
- 2. We come with it. Margaret Atwood âYouâre never going to kill storytelling because itâs built into the human plan.
- 3. Media buying is not a simple job. With the growing amount of new advertising and media products being introduced into the marketing mix and the increasing pressure to continually deliver more value to clients, it can be difficult to stay on top of everything. Branded content is one of those newer media products that is seeing a massive surge in popularity among advertising agencies and their clients â but like any new industry, it can be a bit like the Wild West out there. Thatâs why we created this complete guide to branded content with media buyers in mind. From ideation to execution, the information and insights within this guide will help you navigate every step of a branded content campaign and allow you to provide the most value to your clients. Pressboard is a story marketplace. We make it easy for brands to collaborate with hundreds of media publishers to create branded content â instead of ads. In that same collaborative spirit, we created this guide to combine the wisdom of the greatest content minds and turn those insights into actionable advice that media buyers can all apply to their own portfolios of advertisers. We cannot wait to see the stories that you will tell. Jerrid Grimm Co-Founder, Pressboard Pressboard would like to thank 3 Foreword
- 4. Chapter 1 â Getting Started Defining Branded Content Why Branded Content Getting Brand Buy-in Finding A Partner Case Study: Finding The Right Partner Chapter 2 â Contracts Pricing Add-on Purchases Terms & Conditions Chapter 3 â The Story Choosing Your Content Formats Case Study: Experimenting With Formats Coming Up With Story Ideas Inserting Your Brand into The Story Case Study: Trusting Your Partners Revisions Chapter 4 â Distribution Distribution Summary Homepage Social Media â Organic vs. Paid Facebook Case Study: Shareable Branded Content Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Snapchat E-Newsletter Case Study: Utilizing Newsletters For Branded Content Syndication Native Advertising Chapter 5 â Measurement What To Measure Impressions Clicks Reads Views Attention Case Study: Measuring Activing Reading Time Social Engagement Conversions Case Study: Branded Content That Converts A Word Of Thanks Case Studies: Inspiring Branded Content Partnerships Case Studies: Pressboard Branded Content Partnerships About Pressboard 7 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 33 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 57 59 Table of Contents 4
- 5. Jerrid Grimm Co-Founder, Pressboard Neil Malik Director of Content Strategy, Pressboard Trevor Fellows Former Head of Global Media Sales, Wall Street Journal Eric Korsh Director, Mashable Studios Matt Crenshaw Vice President of Product Marketing, Outbrain Our Esteemed Experts Ryan Holmes Founder and CEO, Hootsuite Tiam Korki Co-founder & CTO, Pressboard Britt Fero Principal, PB& Diana Walter Group Director, Digital Media, OMD Canada Nicola Eliot Head of Content APAC, BBC StoryWorks Jason Gee Digital Media Specialist, Best Buy Canada Courtney Dalton Senior Digital Planner, Horizon Media Bobby Miller Senior Strategist, The Media Kitchen Anna Fertel Associate Director, The Media Kitchen Fara Warner Global Content Director, WSJ Custom Studios Ryan Galloway Founder and Chief Creative, 18|Orion Media Former Director of Branded Content Services, Contently Ali Daniels VP of Marketing, Visit Seattle Lajja Sheth Associate Director, Digital Investment, Mindshare World Taryn Crouthers Head of Sales & Brand Partnerships, ATTN: Oren Katzeff Head of Programming, Tastemade Michael Monroe VP of Marketing / Head of Re:think, The Atlantic Former VP of Marketing and Head of Forbes Brand Productions Sam Sheffer Creative Producer, Mashable Dan Greenberg CEO & Co-Founder, Sharethrough Paul Josephsen Vice President, The CoLab @ Thrillist Media Group Joe Fullman VP of Marketing, Onion Inc. Stephanie Singer Senior VP of Communications, National Association of Realtors 5 Renata Andersen Senior Media Manager, Puma
- 6. Whatâs Inside This Guide 6 Great content doesn't just happen. Find out how to plan properly to achieve a strong ROI. Chapter 1: Getting Started The right contract can make or break a partnership. Learn what to look out for to maximize value for your clients. Chapter 2: Contracts Storytellers from the world's top media publishers share their secrets to success and expert media buyers help you navigate client approvals. Chapter 3: The Story See how the pros get their content in front of the right audiences by using various platforms. Chapter 4: Distribution We break down the true metrics of success in branded content and demonstrate what success looks like. Chapter 5: Measurement
- 8. to be consumed. Jerrid Grimm Co-Founder, Pressboard âAdvertising was designed to be interruptive. Content is created
- 9. Defining Branded Content 9 Content marketing is one of the most effective and fastest growing forms of marketing today, yet many remain unclear as to how to define it. This new kind of marketing is known by a variety of names, but not all of these titles are synonymous. While terms like âbranded content,â âcorporate storytelling,â âcustom publishing,â âcustom contentâ and ânative advertisingâ are commonly used interchangeably with content marketing, itâs important to understand the distinction. These titles are all forms of content marketing, which is an umbrella term used to describe marketing materials that provide valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience. Branded content could take the form of written content, infographics, web pages, podcasts, videos, books or other forms of published media, so long as a brand has a hand in producing the content. In this guide, we focus on a specific type of branded content â branded content partnerships. Branded content partnerships are collaborations on content, typically between brands and media publishers. This type of content is often labelled as âsponsoredâ, âcustomâ, or âpartneredâ content on media publishersâ sites. The ultimate goal of branded content partnerships is to provide audiences with valuable content that cleverly incorporates a brand and influences the consumer. Cocainenomics, an award-winning piece created by The Wall Street Journal and Netflix is a great example of a branded content partnership.
- 10. Since starting Pressboard almost three years ago, weâve worked with over 200 brands and digital publishers across North America to create hundreds of branded stories that have been read by millions. This means weâre constantly receiving tons of data that gives us exclusive insights into how branded content is consumed and why it is so powerful for advertisers. Using data pulled from over 900 stories created by brands and publishers through Pressboardâs platform, weâve compiled a benchmarks report that shows just how valuable branded content is to media buyers and their clients. Branded content is about telling a great story, so itâs no wonder that readers are engaging with this type of content more than with other forms of advertising. This infographic breaks down a few of the key insights we found: Why Branded Content Jerrid Grimm Co-Founder, Pressboard 10 Click infographic to see more
- 11. â â It can be [tough to convince clients] for a variety of reasons â obviously cost is a big factor, flexibility around language. Everyone wants to maintain their own voice, so if you canât come to a good compromise, then itâs probably not the right fit. If a brand has contextual sensitivities and a partner canât guarantee theyâll place your traffic drivers in appropriate environments, then thatâs an issue. You just need to maintain really open lines of communication with your client and publisher partners, [and] be honest about why youâre saying no to things to set everyone up for stronger partnerships. Anna Fertel Associate Director, The Media Kitchen No one needs to see another ad, but they do crave entertainment, information and ideas. Great branded content actually delivers value to someoneâŚnot just delivering value for a brand to talk about what they have. Great content leads to greater engagement and actual attentiveness that a traditional ad just canât ignite. Britt Fero Principal, PB& Stephanie Singer Senior VP of Communications, National Association of Realtors Getting Brand Buy-in â On the power of branded content: We believe very strongly in the power of story to entertain our audience while demonstrating our brand values. We aim to build a connection with people through our shared beliefs, attitude and personality, and content has been an important part of our communications mix to do so. On recommending branded content to clients: On clients that might be hesitant about branded content: 11
- 12. â â Anita Kapadia Partnerships Director, Pressboard Much has already been written weighing the pros and cons of creating and publishing your content versus partnering with a publisher, but at Pressboard, we believe that a well-rounded content marketing plan contains both. Media buyers need to begin to see their clients as media outlets themselves, while also leveraging the expertise of seasoned publishers that have spent years mastering the craft. Great partnerships are a blend of two entities. In the best cases, this blend creates something new and exciting that is more interesting, powerful and valuable than the sum of itâs parts. QUIZ: Do I need a partner? Do I have the resources to create the content? YES NO Do I have the authority to speak on this subject? YES NO Do I have the audience I want to reach? YES NO What are you waiting for? Go make great content! No worries, letâs get you partnered up! Most publishers that media publishers have pre-established trust in the content that they release to their users, that's why we engage them. We also always review the publishersâ content mix to see what their balance is between editorial content and paid content. We also analyze their social channels. I don't just look at their following either, I like to see what their organic reach is compared to their paid reach. What do your followers look like? Diana Walter Group Director, Digital Media, OMD Canada Finding A Partner On why they work with media publishers: 12
- 13. Huawei is looking forward to a world âbeyond borders, barriers and limitsâ and believes that exploration is what will take us there, so partnering with the BBCâs forward- thinking science, health and technology brand was a great fit. This collection of short films celebrating present-day âexplorersâ is inspiring and really gives you the feeling that humanity is on the verge of something big. Case Study Finding The Right Partner My best piece of advice would be to really take the time to listen to what publishers have to say about their audience, and the type of content that works best on their platforms. One of the key advantages that publishers have in this area is their extensive knowledge of and relationship with their readers. This knowledge can help shape your content strategy on their platform to achieve maximum results. A good example of this is our recent Huawei campaign âThe Explorersâ, where we looked at key top performing people, themes and stories across our site to help source the story pillars and influencers we knew our audience was already eagerly consuming. Our client gave us the freedom to choose the right topics and people that we knew would work for our readers whilst trusting that their brand objectives were at the core of that selection, resulting in content that was truly valuable to both brands and audiences alike. Nicola Eliot Head of Content APAC, BBC StoryWorks The Explorers â BBC Future + Huawei 13 On finding the right partner:
- 15. donât force it. âKnow your deal-breakers â if the partnership isnât right, Anna Fertel Associate Director, The Media Kitchen
- 16. â Pressboard surveyed over 160 North American publishers about how they price branded content and found that just over 91% are based on a flat fee or impressions-based model. This is in stark contrast to what the media buyers had to say about how they would prefer to buy branded content from publishers. 75% of media buyers interviewed for this guide said that they would prefer to buy branded content on a cost per view/read basis. While there is still a big disconnect between buyer and seller, many media buyers we spoke with mentioned that they have started to see a change in pricing models and a willingness on the part of publishers to commit to results-based pricing. Jason Gee Digital Media Specialist, Best Buy Canada At Best Buy Canada, depending on the content, we would prefer to buy branded content based on views/reads as long as they arenât capped. This model helps us to set expectations for the dollars invested as the primary goal is to get as many people as possible to engage with it. The next preferred method would be a flat fee, as it allows more flexibility for the content. The flat fee model allows the advertiser to negotiate custom details that could potentially increase the chances of something turning viral. However, the downside is during the planning stage itâs difficult to predict how many views you will be attaining, and there isnât a structure in place to guarantee views, which means there is less incentive to push the content beyond the contractual amount. Pricing How Publishers Price Branded Content 9% Cost per View/Read 91% Flat Fee or Impressions 16
- 17. â â On pricing and add-on purchases: Courtney Dalton Senior Digital Planner, Horizon Media Work closely with publishers and their content / editorial teams to fully understand the goals and products / message, but allow freedom to create content that fits the audience and platform. Make sure your buying method / contract aligns with your goals and KPIs. Organic social media posts Display / House Ads Paid social media Native ad units Email newsletters Retargeting Rich media executions Print media Influencer marketing Experiential activations Potential Add On Purchases Add-on Purchases Preferably, we would want to purchase on an engagement-based model - page views, video views, whatever the KPI is for that program. We want to be sure that the value is behind engagement with the actual program piece rather than surrounding media or promotional drivers, as that is really the objective behind these dollars. Though of course surrounding media and promotion is important, ideally these would be included as added value contingent on the spend associated with the branded content program. Renata Andersen Senior Media Manager, Puma 17
- 18. â Anna Fertel Associate Director, The Media Kitchen On negotiating a branded content buy: Even seasoned media buyers should take a close look at the fine print of branded content programs. Every client is unique and has different needs, and there will be different terms and conditions that are important to each. In order to best represent your clients, itâs important to ensure that where needed, the contract contains provisions for items such as; timelines, publishing deadlines, performance goals, copyrights, subsidiary rights, payment terms, licencing, warrants and indemnities, cancellation clauses, and licensing and republication rights. Bobby Miller Senior Strategist, The Media Kitchen [Iâd prefer to spend based on] time spent with content. The real value of branded content is in getting people to spend quality time reading/engaging with that content. Itâs one thing to put together a robust promotional package to drive traffic to your content, as well as counting how many people viewed your content, but that doesnât really qualify if anyone is engaging and getting the takeaway we want. Terms & Conditions Ask a million questions â no matter how often a publisher says theyâve done something, every branded content activation is unique and requires very specific conversations to make sure it lives up to a clientâs expectation. Youâre paying for the partnership and deserve to have maximum transparency around all elements of the partnership â where/how your content will be distributed, how many people you can expect to see it, how people can engage, nuances with video players (is it a YouTube embed, do they have a native player), what metrics youâll receive afterwards, etc. Know your deal-breakers â if the partnership isnât right, donât force it. On how heâd prefer to pay for content: 18
- 20. pulled in, not pushed through. âGive them content thatâs worth their time. Remember, loyalty is built from being Jason Gee Digital Media Specialist, Best Buy Canada
- 21. An important part of a media buyerâs job is choosing the right formats for your clientâs media mix. Choices should be made based on available resources, your target audienceâs values and ROI. The time and budget you can allocate towards content are major variables that will immediately narrow the options. Consider your target audienceâs needs and preferred formats. What formats work well in their industry? Are there any identifiable gaps in the content being created? After youâve had some experience buying different types of content, look back and see what provided the best ROI and then recommend inserting more of that into your clientâs media mix. Source: CopyBlogger A Guide to Creating Content in the Formats Your Audience Loves Which Content Marketing Formats Are Most Effective 105 Types of Content to Fill Up Your Editorial Calendar Further Reading Content Marketing Media Matrix This matrix from PRWeb shows how different types of content require varying levels of resources. Choosing Your Content Formats On content formats: 21
- 22. Morgan Stanleyâs partnership with WSJ Custom Studios tells four stories about the companies and technologies theyâve invested in that are making global improvements in sustainability and mobility. What stands out about this partnership is how they document those changes through three awesome VR films that even take you to outer space for a truly global perspective. If you donât have a VR headset, you can still enjoy the standard short films they made for each subject. I think the biggest challenge for our team was making certain we had compelling stories to tell in 360°. It canât simply be the ânewnessâ of any technology that makes you use it. It has to be used to its best advantage and in collaboration with other tools that we have traditionally used such as traditional video, long-form storytelling and data visualizations. One of the challenges for the team was marrying the immersive nature of 360° video storytelling within a custom digital experience that also included traditional video and text. We needed to find an easy way for our audience to navigate between all of the elements so they could explore all the pieces, not just the 360° video. We worked with Morgan Stanley to create a compelling digital experience that is easy to navigate and makes certain that all the storytelling elements come together in one seamless integration. Fara Warner Global Content Director, WSJ Custom Studios Case Study Experimenting With Formats Capital Creates Change â The Wall Street Journal + Morgan Stanley What challenges does VR present for branded content campaigns compared to standard video? 22
- 23. Click on the image or the link below it to download a full copy of The Media Buyerâs Guide to Branded Content Download The Rest Of The Guide http://get.pressboardmedia.com/media-buyers-guide-branded-content Thereâs still another 40 pages!