How to organize your Brand Content strategy?

In the previous article we returned to the origins of Brand Content. Far from being recent, it has been built slowly to reach a form of maturity today. However, if on paper all this makes you want to do it, it is much less obvious to embark on the Brand Content adventure. It is necessary to develop a specific communication strategy for Brand Content. In this article we will analyze all the components of Brand Content and see how to integrate it into your overall communication.

What is POE?

Before we start with the strategic aspect of Brand Content, I would like to help you understand its different components. These components are grouped under the acronyms POE (Paid, Earned, Owned Media) or POEM (same thing). In French, we detail these three types of visibility sources:

Paid media : this is traditional advertising, visibility that you pay for. Television, radio or press advertising, street posters, but also online advertising (banners), Google AdWords, advertising on social networks, sponsorships, etc.

Owned media : these are the publications that belong to the company. We find the website, the blog, the social network pages (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.), the newsletter, a magazine, etc. Celebrity endorsements also fall into this category.

Earned Media : this is the content not committed by the brand, what escapes you a little, are the others who talk about you. Word of mouth, buzz, discussions on forums or social networks, SEO, an article in a newspaper or magazine, a radio interview, etc.

Strengths and weaknesses

Paid media : Its main disadvantage is that it is often expensive. However, it is often the trigger for a campaign that works. Don’t be fooled by beautiful campaigns supposedly broadcast only on social networks and by word of mouth. Everyone, I mean everyone, has relied on paid media at one time or another: buying keywords, advertising on Facebook or Twitter, placing on supermarket shelves, etc. The main advantage of paid media is mass distribution, huge impact and very rapid fallout. Although I often say that it loses credibility (people no longer believe in advertising and politics in times of crisis), it remains an essential tool.

Owned media : Corporate media offer the possibility of perfect control of content and target. You can target the niche that seems most attractive to you. The costs are also lower than paid media. Also maintain the relationship with your customers or potential customers with this type of media. But does the public believe a company publication? It’s up to you to use the right tone, maintain relationships with customers, be as authentic as possible so they trust you. Owned Media are an element that has been difficult to do without since the advent of the Internet and social networks, even if they are not always easy to produce and require many internal or external resources.

Earned Media : It’s always good to know yourself… It still has to be good. We are here in the part over which the company has less control but we cannot do without it. Hence the importance of having a good Community Manager! However, that’s where consumers bring the most credibility: word of mouth! As I said recently in another article, I no longer make a purchase on the internet without asking users’ opinions. Earned media plays a key role in the purchasing process. All companies therefore try to create a positive buzz! It is then up to you to lead this discussion and be present where people talk about you.

A strategy to bring them all together!

Why distinguish them? Why use paid media, which is often expensive, when other types of media exist? Very simply use each of its means with its particularities, its strengths and its weaknesses, in order to obtain the expected return. If you act differently on these three types of media, if there are three different levers, it is quite obvious that it is a global strategy that must be imagined. Furthermore, some have interactions with others.

We must therefore integrate these three elements into a global strategy. First research the story you want to tell, then develop how to integrate each of these media into the story. Whether we are talking about television, radio, internet, social networks, press, testimonials or anything else, it is good to try to produce a different experience on each channel. Rather than producing a TV commercial, then available on YouTube and social networks, why not try to enrich the experience through the interactivity offered by online media.

We tell the same story, but we give each media a specific role. It’s fast, has an immediate impact and therefore allows the media you own to take on meaning and be known. These two have a single objective: to generate discussion, word of mouth, recognition. Also include what the consumer brings to the conversation. Consumer comments will provide feedback and organize possible adjustments to your strategy.

In short, avoid divisions in your strategy, unite the media to enrich your story.

Take care of your content

Of course, this instruction is certainly very obvious to everyone, but when we see what we see, then when we hear what we feel, we are right to think what we think (thanks Coluche!) As a matter of fact, all attempts at branded content are far from exciting.

Don’t talk too much about yourself. This seems difficult given that this is branded content, but it is essential. You risk giving a presumptuous image of your brand and, therefore, providing tasteless content that consumers will end up rejecting. Focus on originality, emotion and consumer interest. We’ll talk about it in more depth in future articles on storytelling, but play on sensoriality, talk about who brings the brand to life from the inside (who we rarely talk about), talk to the consumer, about his needs, his desires, his inventiveness in using your product for example, his creativity, so you put him to work, fueling the buzz.

In this Apple commercial we follow Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor and composer, in his creative process. Let’s find out how the melody is born, how he enriches it and finally the final work in this clip (using Apple tools, and the iPad in particular, of course). On the Apple website we can learn more about the musician’s writing process, how he works with the tablet, the applications he uses, etc. The advertising is well done. It’s compelling, tells a story, and makes you want to know more.

Laundry detergent maker Ariel also realized that brand content and earned media could be important. Turning his back on comparative advertising and detergent that washes whiter than white, he embarks on a new path, that of the safe branding of his product and of serenity.

Champomy, the drink that imitates champagne for children (a shame for me, originally from Champenois!), has launched the site Stratégies-de-maman.fr where, in the form of a blog, mothers’ ideas for organizing memorable birthday parties for little cherubs are collected.

When it comes to endorsements, always choose a personality that matches your brand. If you take a stranger or a certain personality wasthe effect may be opposite to what you intended, and if so, it is best to use an unknown actor to represent you. On the contrary, don’t take an icon that is too important for your brand, it will be bad for both you and your personality. We still wonder what Scarlett Johansson was doing in this not very well done commercial for SodaStream. Likewise, Optic 2000, by choosing Johnny Hallyday as its representative, had chosen too important a personality who ended up ruining the brand.

Not everyone can say they can use Brad Pitt or George Clooney elegantly in one of their ads. The balance of power must be equivalent or done intelligently.

Start slow!

If the goal is to produce quality content, aim for that first rather than quantity. You are not subject to the frenetic pace and editorial constraints of a media outlet! It is better to produce less and do well than the opposite. Whether it’s entertaining or educational, don’t get caught up in the pace of massive content production. You would produce boring and tasteless material. Make a good impression from the start with good content and keep it that way.

Plan your communication

Be organized and don’t go anywhere. Here are the steps to follow:

• What strategy? Take the time to ask yourself the question. What impact do you want to achieve, what effects on your brand image, what positioning do you want to demonstrate, etc.?
• What contents? What story will you tell to enhance your message? Turn to professionals if you don’t have in-house teams for this! These first two steps should not be overlooked!
• Which platforms? Budget comes into play in this equation. Not everyone has the means to invade television. Be creative based on the size of your business and its geographic reach. If you are a local association or business, don’t hesitate to collaborate with surrounding businesses, for example with a somewhat enigmatic campaign. Don’t jump into the web right away, there may be better options to start with, either way the web will definitely be part of your planning.
• Production and execution. Now it’s time to shoot your video, write your articles, create graphic content, etc. Find the right people around you to help you and build an interesting and professional campaign together with you.
• What results? Take stock. Have you achieved the expected results? Did you hit the right goals? Should you change your approach? There are many tools to measure your impact on the web and social networks, the way people talk about you, etc. Use them and draw appropriate conclusions.