3 Tips for Trustworthy Sponsored Content
For publishers and lifestyle websites that target moms, sponsored content can be a powerful marketing tool. Its form can range from quick articles to total site takeovers, and it allows consumer brands to tap into the audience of well-known publishers. Sponsored content has a unique advantage over other types of partnerships. It can be useful to the publisher’s established audience, as well as appealing to the wider audience held by both the publisher and the consumer brand.
However, publishers may run into resistance among readers when they take on sponsored content partnerships. In recent findings, 54% of surveyed internet users say they don’t usually trust sponsored content. Most of the remainder only trusts sponsored content if they already trust the publication it runs on (19%) or they already trust the consumer brand (23%).
Even if the sponsored content is well-integrated into the publisher’s typical format, readers tend to consume it very differently than they do non-sponsored content. Chartbeat’s analytics suggest that two-thirds of readers spend 15 seconds or more with editorial content on average, while only one third of readers spend that much time on sponsored content articles.
As a publisher, how do you ensure that readers will trust and value this sponsored content? When your main audience is made up of moms, it’s crucial that the sponsored content is relevant and appealing to this discerning group. Here are 3 tips to succeed with sponsored content among moms:
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Do more than just promote: Especially with sponsored content articles, it’s important that they don’t read as one big advertisement. Certainly make sure the consume brand is clearly mentioned, but also include information or tips that your readers will appreciate. As stated in the facts above, readers are already wary of sponsored content. Give them a reason to trust in yours, and see successful results. The sponsored content should seamlessly blend into typical site content, not stand out as an advertisement.
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Make sure it’s a good fit: Your readers shouldn’t be caught off guard by sponsored content on your site. When they come across it, the consumer brand should be such a good fit for the publisher’s audience that they will accept it without question. For example, readers of Parents.com wouldn’t be surprised to see sponsored content from a diaper brand, but content from an outdoor apparel brand may be confusing. The sponsored content should align with the publisher’s audience and what they expect to see on the site.
- Maintain high standards: When it comes to sponsored content, quality is key. The content should not only promote the consumer brand, but also do it in a way that is on par with the publisher’s non-sponsored content. A publisher that targets the mom demographic will not succeed with poor quality sponsored content. They will find it untrustworthy and not worth their time – and will surely pass this opinion on to their peers. Ensure that every piece of sponsored content is up to your standards, from banner ads to in-depth articles.
As you create or review sponsored content for your site, keep these 3 key factors in mind to effectively reach moms. For other tips on how brands can create outstanding content for moms, download our free white paper.
Posted by Amie Reardon