Jaw-dropping stats to convince your boss, your team, and yourself why you need to be running Branded Content
We have to fully understand why Branded Content is important before we can efficiently sell it and make compelling campaigns for our advertisers.
Despite everything happening in the world today, budgets for Branded Content are still in play. As businesses work to come out of COVID-19, communication with their audience is key. These businesses need a way to tell people how they’re keeping people safe, how they’re creating inclusive environments, and new services and options available to their customers.
Trying to tell all of this in a 30-second spot or a banner ad is tough. Content-driven campaigns are very effective right now. Compared to other advertising techniques, Branded Content isn’t seeing that same dip in spending.
The Branded Content Guide from the Local Media Association (LMA) is a must-have comprehensive guide to understanding Branded Content. Plus, it’s free!) Julia Campbell, the Branded Content Project Lead at the LMA, joined us to share nine important reasons you need to make sure you’re prioritizing Branded Content:
Branded Content is 22x more engaging than display ads
Banner blindness is real and click-through-rates are low right now. You need to be engaging and become what people are interested in and not something that’s distracting them.
Branded Content drives higher brand recall than pre-roll ads
Video is powerful, yet Branded Content is outperforming pre-roll ads. Nielsen Reports found that Branded Content resulted in 86% higher brand recall than the 65% for pre-roll ads.
Branded Content drives consumer intention and interest
Someone that is engaging with you at this level is much more significant than someone who sees a banner ad. IPG Media Lab reports users are 14% more likely to seek additional content from an advertiser after interacting with the first piece of content.
“Not only were they engaged with the first piece of content, but they were 14% more likely to go back and find more information about that business.”
Brand recall is 59% higher for Branded Content than other digital ads
Whether you have a client looking to roll out a new product or an advertiser struggling to explain a complicated process, content may be the solution where traditional display ad won’t cut it.
Branded Content distributed through premium publishers sees 50% higher brand lift
This is a huge opportunity for your media company. Julia says, “It’s all about trust. It’s about positioning your client with an important brand in your community… The most important influencer in your market.”
90% of media groups expect their Branded Content revenue to increase over the next 12 months
With everything happening in the world right now, your advertisers have many new stories to tell. Now is the time to position yourself for this big Branded Content opportunity that’s coming.
Native Advertising is predicted to exceed $402 billion by 2025
Due to COVID-19, we actually expect that Branded Content – also known as Native Advertising – will likely exceed this $402 billion even sooner. This longer-form advertising is much more important than it was just a few months ago.
74.5% of communications professionals include Branded Content in their campaigns
No matter how effective Branded Content is, it should still be an element of an even more comprehensive campaign. When you create a powerful multi-media campaign, you can drive huge revenue.
“67% of companies selling Branded Content expect their clients to spend even more with them next year.”
More consumers trust premium publishers than trust news content on Facebook and Twitter
While social media is great, local media publishers have spent their lifetime building trust with their audience. When you share content from your clients, your audience knows they can trust you.
Have you, your team, or your boss questioned whether Branded Content fits your company’s initiatives? Armed with these statistics, you can clearly make your case for investing in a Branded Content strategy.
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Liz is the Senior Director of Customer Success and has an extensive background in media. She is a huge advocate of the power of promotions for every department within an organization, including sales, marketing, audience development, and editorial.