Al Chen's presentation from the 2016 PRSA International Conference in Indianapolis. It’s a new world of PR pitching as sponsored content takes a bigger portion of a brand’s marketing goals. Learn how to integrate sponsored content into the very beginning of your campaigns. Explore issues such as working with the client to get a retainer, updating the media budget and utilizing the right tools to monitor effectiveness on earned and paid content strategies. ---Understand how marketers and PR firms are working together to ensure that there is no miscommunication throughout the campaign. ---Discover when sponsored content is the right strategy for a client, depending on their goals. ---Gain insight into the tools and platforms digital marketers and PR firms use to help facilitate sponsored content and earned media.

1. Sponsored
Content 2.0
Integrating Content &
Distribution From Day
One
By Al Chen

2. Key Takeaways
- Sponsored content becoming largest revenue source for news outlets ($8B
industry)
- Differences between Sponsored Content & Branded Content
- When to use Sponsored Content: 1) Timeframe 2) Re-purpose 3) Call-to-action
- Reach across the aisle to your marketing colleagues; define message and
goals early on
- Sponsored content can go wrong, see the Atlantic’s story on Scientology
- Working with influencers requires a human touch
- Sponsored Content still has trust issues: 50% of people believe sponsor
influenced story

3. What is Sponsored Content?
Sponsored content takes the form
of it’s environment, from newspaper
articles, blogs, social media
platforms etc.
Approx. $8 BILLION
will be spent on native
advertising/sponsored content
this year

4. Top Sponsored Content Trends
#1 Infographic not dead #2 Humor is big in B2B #3 Employees “native”
voices

5. Sponsored Content Vs. Branded Content
- Exists on properties not
owned by the brand
(influencer social profiles,
newspapers, magazines, etc.)
- Paid
- Authentic, third-party brand
representation
- Reaches the publisher’s
audience
- Exists on properties owned by
the brand, such as the brand
website
- Unpaid
- Biased
- Reaches brand audience
- Dove Real Beauty

6. When to use Sponsored Content
- Need a story guaranteed within a
certain timeframe
- Need to work with influencers to tell
a brand’s story
- Need content to re-purpose and
share across brand social accounts
- Typically includes a call-to-action
(whitepapers, e-mail collection,
social promotion, etc.)

7. Sponsored Content: PR or Marketing?
- MARKETING, but marketers need to use PR to get the story
- Requires a budget beyond the retainer

8. Influencer Marketing
Allows brands to tell their story in
an authentic, personal way to
highly targeted and engaged
audiences.
More influencers are requiring
payment in exchange for posts,
gifts only get you so far.
Use influencer discovery
platforms to identify the right
influencers.

9. How to Start a Campaign With Your Client
MEET WITH YOUR MARKETING TEAM! This allows them to understand your
goal as PR professionals, and you to understand their goals as a marketing
team.
Get your goals aligned.
Identify and contact influencers. NOTE: The way you communicate with
influencers is different from traditional journalists.

10. Successful Sponsored Content
H&R Block’s sponsored story on
satirical news website, “The
Onion” was successful because it
wasn’t a blatant ad, employed
humor and was relatable, which
resulted in brand awareness.
Sponsored Content isn’t about
direct sales, but generating
AWARENESS and ENGAGING
the audience!

11. Successful Sponsored Content
Publisher Harper Collins created
this sponsored post on Buzzfeed
- Timeliness (posted during
grad season
- Based on a viral topic
- Fits seamlessly into
Buzzfeed’s gif/listicle format
- Soft sell

12. Sponsored Content Nightmare
The Atlantic’s sponsored post about
Scientology had no disclosure and
wasn’t distinguishable from the
website’s organic content. Readers of
the publication felt tricked and that the
post was blatant propaganda.

13. Sponsored Content Nightmare
Copy and pasted the PR
professionals’ instructions
into the Instagram caption.

14. Content/Influencer Tools & Tips
Sponsored content does nothing for a brand until it is seen and shared! Make sure
you make expectations on social sharing clear with the influencer before making a
deal.
Branded Content Studios/Blogs – Conversion pixels, Paid Social, Page Views
vs. Read
Video – Links within video, Pay for feature on YouTube channel, Retargeting

15. Trust Issues

16. Working With Influencers: Best Practices
Embrace the human element!
Influencers will do more/better work
if you have a mutually beneficial
relationship with them. Do your
research before pitching them.
Set expectations on quality and
social sharing.

17. Thank you!