To increase interest in its products and trust in its brand, Chase has developed a stable of 10 freelance journalists and marketers who create articles and videos for the bank’s website. The stories give advice on financial issues and usually link to information about a Chase product. In addition, the company exchanges content placement with sites such as Business Insider, Time Inc., and theSkimm to ensure a rotation of interesting, valuable content.
Will readers trust digital content and Advice from brands?
With all the online news outlets available today, keeping your customers engaged can require some creative thinking. Making the decision to develop specific content for your site helps you present the information you want your customers to see, but you do have to take action to ensure what you post is trustworthy. It’s certainly not a bad idea to include branded content as part of your arsenal, whether you combine it with native advertising or not. The challenge is to avoid losing readers’ trust with content that could seem self-serving.
The solution is to provide quality, authentic content. Make sure any information provided on your site is accurate and supported by strong sources to protect your credibility. A 2014 study by Kentico Software found that 49 percent of consumers fact-checked information from a brand against other sources, so always avoid sharing information you can’t verify.
Memorable branded content tells instead of sells
Creating natural relationships with customers — involves more than useful advice or accurate reporting. To keep your readers coming back, make sure content puts audience need and interest at the forefront rather than relating dry facts or parading a series of possible products or solutions before the reader. The best way to deepen relationships and build connections is to address an issue that’s currently on consumer minds. Know your target demographics and the topics they’re grappling with right now.
If you do decide to include news articles and videos on your site, have a clear goal in mind. Chase’s goal is to build more interest by supplying strong, accurate reporting on its niche. Branded content works best when it evokes the reader’s emotions in some way. Useful advice that produces a feeling of “they know what I’m going through” is likely to result in a response to a call to action.
What type of branded content do you think is move effectively in cultivating interest and trust in the reader?
Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at vahe@stateofdigitalpublishing.com.