According to some Content Marketing enthusiasts, talking about your own brand on the Internet has become a very delicate approach, an almost taboo practice that risks offending users. However, experts constantly remind us of the importance that today’s consumer places on the values of the companies they choose to trust. This search for a relationship of trust and a feeling of belonging proves that the brand itself plays a key role in the purchasing decision. This is where the notion of Brand Content comes in, which, used wisely, can and must be part of any digital strategy. We take stock.
Brand Content, what is it?
branded content, or Brand Content, is part of a marketing strategy that consists of placing the brand itself at the center of your communication efforts. Unlike Content Marketing, which aims to create and publish content whose added value is based on what it brings to your audience, Brand Content speaks directly to your business.
Your ideals, your history, the topicality of your brand, the emotions it arouses and everything that makes it unique are the primary focus of this approach. Through content designed to put you forward in a subtle but effective way, Brand Content allows you to use your branding to cultivate a relationship of trust with your prospects. You then become your own selling point!
Note that Brand Content and Content Marketing are not enemy strategies. Instead, they can be combined to bring you emotionally closer to your consumers while delivering content that has value independent of your brand.
To make your Brand Content campaign a success, familiarize yourself with the principles and rules that characterize this method. Contrary to what it might suggest, it is clearly different from traditional advertising, designed to give pride of place to the product, and focuses instead on your image.
Storytelling: the foundation of Brand Content
Telling the story of your brand is a great way to challenge your audience, to welcome them by sharing something strong with them, and to invite them to identify themselves. A good storytelling requires a very precise narrative angle which is determined according to the message you want to convey. Draw on the strong moments that punctuated your progress and on your key values to build a powerful and inspiring story.
On a practical level, the possibilities are numerous. Whether you choose to share your story on your own site or on social networks, you can combine various formats (images + text + video, for example), play on the interactivity of your content, express yourself all at once or little by little. small in the form of successive mini publications, etc. The trick is to establish consistency between the storytelling itself and the way you communicate.
Emotional connection: the cement of your strategy
The difference between an inspiring and convincing storytelling and a factual statement lies in a simple lever to understand, but difficult to activate: emotion. To “touch” and arouse in your customers a sense of belonging, an authentic closeness, you have to know how to find the words and images capable of transmitting the values sought. Of course, these must be based on your own way of apprehending the world, but also on the ideals of the people you are targeting. When the job is done well, the two are in perfect harmony. This is why, in order to choose the right angle of approach, you should fully identify your targets.
Widely used in the context of B2B Content Marketing, for example, Buyer Personas are the theoretical representatives of your perfect audience. Age, gender, socio-professional category, consumption habits, family situation… it is a question of drawing up a robot portrait as faithful as possible, which will allow you to better understand the motivations of your prospects and to contact people who are more likely to be receptive to your message.
Authenticity as an anchor point
Knowing and understanding your targets will allow you to adapt your Brand Content approach to better highlight your values. For example, there is no question for you of “selling clothes” or “offering computer equipment”. Instead, you “clothe a generation” or “accompany innovation”. It’s not about manipulating your audience, but rather aligning your speech with your intrinsic mission and emphasizing the way you do things, rather than the things themselves.
The agility of a connected brand
By planning to broadcast your Brand Content campaign on multiple media, you will extend the reach of your message while diversifying your means of expression. Don’t just create a series of videos that you will only share on YouTube. Also decline your content in the form of posts and videos for social networks, podcasts, and even on or off-line events, video games, films, etc.
This approach will increase the number of potential targets you can hit and allow you to occupy virtual space more effectively. No need to “fill” for as much. Be intentional to make sure you retain full control of your content and never sacrifice quality.
The exchange that creates links
To forge strong links with your consumers, nothing beats real collaboration made possible by social networks. Delighted to be asked to give their opinion, your customers can be the spokespersons of your brand with a community in search of meaning and quality. The influence that your own customers can bring you is really Brand Content at its best! Getting closer to people who trust you and cultivating real and solid ties with them will increase your conversion rate and your notoriety on the web.
Brand Content is a high-potential marketing approach that deserves to be fully understood. When accompanied by an authentic approach, it allows brands to become their own selling point: unstoppable against the competition. And you, is Brand Content part of your digital strategy?