What do Nike, Intel, and Marriott all have in common? They’re using branded journalism to promote their brands. What do you have in common with these brands? You can easily take the same approach and make your company succeed.
You may assume that setting aside the bulk of your marketing budget for content will drive your company’s success. And you’re right, but it’s important to think bigger. As more companies utilize digital marketing, they understand the value of content and how they’ll quickly be left behind if they don’t integrate it into their website or social media platforms.
However, if you want to increase your competitive edge and have some skin in the game, it’s necessary to use other avenues and approaches when utilizing content. You can’t simply stick to posting a weekly blog on your website if you want more significant results. Although this isn’t a bad approach, it’s also not everything. That’s where branded journalism comes in.
Although the newspaper industry has been declining recently (with two newspapers closing each week in the U.S.), journalism is still alive and well. Some of the top journalists throughout the country have simply moved on to the freelance community. They are easy to find on a freelancer platform like PowerPublish as they’ve sought new and rewarding writing jobs. These writing professionals continue to utilize their skills and expertise to contribute to the success of many Fortune 500 companies in different industries.
What is Brand Journalism?
Although blogs and web copy are easy enough to understand, many people struggle to grasp branded journalism and what it offers. Fortunately, it’s easy to learn because it’s just as simple as effective — it’s considered a new form of journalism. It involves gathering information, assessing the facts, and creating content. It has the same SEO-friendly headlines readers are used to seeing with news stories and is useful because it ropes the reader in with skilled writing.
Although sales-based content puts your goods or services in the best light, brand journalism is unbiased and highly informative. It follows the evidence instead of the narrative. It’s a way to keep your readers informed about specific topics related to their lives. Plain and simple: brand journalism tells the truth and sticks to the facts. It’s not full of fluff and won’t tell the reader they look like they’ve lost weight. All of the flattery is removed, but at the end of the day, the content still promotes brand likability.
Brand journalism has a high level of appeal because it can take on many forms. It can be formatted in a variety of ways to meet the evolving needs of companies and adapt to changes in the industry.
What are the Best Uses of Brand Journalists?
All humans are wired to desire and seek human connection: in their homes, work, and even in the marketplace. You can fill your customers’ needs with compelling storytelling that engages your readers and makes a connection. A brand journalist has the skills and creativity to translate facts and data and make it entertaining. The content will draw the reader back to your brand as they continue to seek out another story to read.
You can also rely on brand journalists for:
- Earning and keeping the audience’s attention
- Humanizing your brand
- Creating meaningful relationships with customers
- Restoring authenticity
- Building affinity and awareness
- Speaking to your buyer personas
Brand journalists will provide your readers with a story they continue to think about while driving to work or cooking dinner. It’s the replacement of a cheesy sales pitch and shows more respect to consumers. Brand journalism doesn’t tell them what they want to hear — it tells them something they didn’t know.
How a Writer/Editor with a “Journalism” Background Can Help Your Brand
One of the main reasons companies like General Electric and Starbucks utilize brand journalism and are abandoning brand-speak is because it’s one of the most effective ways to establish credibility. Whether you’re a start-up or have a brand that has been successful for several decades, credibility is a must-have if you plan to have a future.
Brand journalism can allow your company to have a powerful niche or offer insights that establish your leadership among the competition. Sharing your expertise with people seeking your goods or services to solve problems proves you’re qualified to earn their business. It shows you care and aren’t in the business of only promoting sales-focused content.
Hiring a freelance writer or editor with a journalism background is an effective strategy centered around information and a more modern marketing approach instead of sticking to traditional content.
With brand journalism, you can hire a writer and bypass PR firms without compromising your exposure in the industry. Brand journalism can become your primary marketing vehicle to reach the masses and establish your brand as a professional writer without having to mention what you’re selling.
Find Journalists on an Easy-to-Use Platform
Fortunately, you don’t have to build an in-house team of brand journalists to obtain quality content. You also don’t have to worry about teaching your marketing team how to write and report like a seasoned journalist and then crossing your fingers that they deliver professional content. You can immediately access everything you need through PowerPublish, where top brand journalists are vetted and ready to start working for you. The simplicity of the platform will prove to make it easy to hire a writer or managed editor in minutes.
When you outsource your brand journalism content, you can access compelling content by utilizing a freelance writer. You can hire a writer who adheres to journalistic ethics and principles to ensure you obtain unbiased content that provides your customers with educated and informative material.
Although it may seem easier to hire a professional writer from any old writing platform or content mill, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll obtain quality content that offers long-term readership. PowerPublish has a team of reputable and professional brand journalists who can help you achieve your long-term needs and acquire consistent content that becomes one of the main driving forces of your company’s success.
Forget about building a studio or hiring a camera crew. You can have access to a real journalist through PowerPublish. Likewise, your marketing plan can evolve from managing a corporate blog to offering a news service to your customers as you boost your brand awareness or create a new image for your company.