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These days, you can’t just post a few branded content messages and call it a day.
Brands and marketers of all kinds are competing for consumer attention. That means if you’re employing branded content marketing strategies, they had better be good.
The good news is that, done right, branded content can improve your audience’s perception of your brand, build loyalty and drive measurable results.
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to create authentic stories that engage your audience, target their pain points, and showcase your brand as the best possible choice.
Whether you’re a startup, agency, or enterprise, these tips will help you launch an elevated, effective branded content marketing strategy like a pro.
Then, try the best-in-class Originality.ai Content Optimizer, AI Checker, and Plagiarism Checker to complement your content marketing strategy.
Before we jump into the strategies, let’s take a moment to understand what branded content marketing truly is.
Branded content marketing involves creating and distributing content that aligns with your brand’s core messaging and values without being overly promotional.
It differs from similar approaches like ads because it's content that you create and host on the channels you control, rather than sponsored content on a third-party site.
Branded content is meant to integrate and flow seamlessly with the channel it’s placed on, whether that’s social media, editorial articles, or email content.
The goal is to focus on offering value first and prioritizing audience interests over the direct sales pitch.
Branded content marketing typically weaves together interesting stories that engage users on an emotional level while aligning the tone, style, and brand voice across different channels.
So now that you know what branded content is, how do you make it happen for your own brand?
The first step, as with any good content strategy, is to be clear about your goals and KPIs.
Assign measurable KPIs to each to help you plan and analyze.
After you’re clear about goals and expectations, it’s time to turn your attention to your audience. The best branded content speaks to them and resonates with them.
That means considering what’s driving them to seek out information, such as solving a specific challenge or launching a new product.
Use both qualitative and quantitative surveys to dial in your audience personas. The more precise you can be, the better your branded content will perform.
Notice that we don’t even think about the brand until the third and final stage of the process. That’s how important it is to zero in on your goals and know your audience first and foremost.
When creating your brand narrative, think about the unique story behind it.
Turn those into a central “framework” that you can draw upon when creating your content..
To get the most out of your branded content marketing efforts, it’s important to create a solid foundation of pillar content.
First, highlight all of the major themes that your content will revolve around.
For example, a sustainable fashion brand might create pillars like:
Take the time to brainstorm possible ideas. At this stage in the process, we’re casting a wide net and collecting as many concepts as possible.
Depending on your brand and product/service, you could include things like:
Choose the options that most closely match your audience, available resources, and business goals to narrow down content ideas.
Next, assign each month or quarter to a specific focus that ties back to a pillar. Mix up different types of content, including long-form assets like a free guide or whitepaper, or bite-sized formats like a reel or infographic.
Make sure that each piece you create is aligned with the strengths of its respective distribution channel.
For instance, a video interview could be repurposed into a blog post, a podcast, or a series of LinkedIn carousel graphics.
In this way, production is not only much more efficient, but you create a more united brand experience for your users.
Learn about how to repurpose content across the marketing funnel.
Now we come to the core of the branded content marketing question — which type(s) of content formats work best?
The good news is that nearly every type of content can be put to use and resonate with your audience, depending on what stage of the funnel they’re in.
It’s also a good idea to consistently encourage users to share content featuring the brand — whether it’s reviews, photos or videos, to help build social proof, authenticity and credibility around the core values you’re looking to promote.
Once you have your goals, audience, content calendar, and content types, it’s time to create the content!
This turns bland, forgettable brand messages into experiences that users can relate to.
The Hero’s Journey, for example, introduces the audience to a common challenge or goal that they have, while positioning your brand as the best solution.
Then, showcase the transformation that happens as a result (such as with a customer success story). It’s a simple narrative flow, as old as storytelling itself — but it works.
Nothing falls flatter than branded content marketing that sounds robotic.
Branded content is a prime opportunity to connect with your audience and customers. That means featuring real employees or customers (such as through case studies or customer success stories).
It also means giving a sneak peek into your team’s creative process and everyday operations.
You already know the importance of creating a branded theme for your marketing, including an aesthetic set of colors, typography and styles.
But what about sound?
Audio is often thought of as an afterthought, but think about it — a signature musical motif, sound logo or even voiceover talent can be the edge your brand needs to stand out above the noise.
Remember that the best branded content marketing shouldn’t just be viewed as an “advertising strategy.”
It needs to be an interwoven part of your brand’s development — something that continues to build meaningful, lasting relationships by focusing on value first.
By defining clear goals, having a deep understanding of your audience, and creating powerful stories, you’ll be able to hook your ideal audience’s attention despite competitors pulling them in a million different directions.
Keep in mind that branded content marketing is an ongoing process, like many marketing initiatives, and isn’t something you can do once and check off a list.
Staying ahead of the curve means being willing to experiment and test to see what works, and shelving what doesn’t.
By focusing on creating the kind of content that informs, entertains and inspires, you’re building a lasting brand story that works across all touchpoints and distribution channels.
Get a patented content quality toolkit to streamline content marketing projects with the Originality.ai Content Optimizer, AI Checker, and Plagiarism Checker.
Then, learn more about content marketing:
