Let’s get this out of the way.
“These are unprecedented times … we’re all in this together … as we transition to the new normal …”
We have all heard these phrases used by marketers in an effort to bring us together during the COVID-19 pandemic. And even though these phrases started as a way to build a community around a shared experience, at this point, they have become more of a punchline.
Now that the shock of the past two months is starting to lift and it is time to start looking for marketing solutions for our advertisers, we need to focus on building a message that will help our clients tell their stories and begin actively creating effective communication points for local businesses.
But how do we help?
And when is the right time to communicate?
During times of crisis, it is crucial that advertising messages are authentic and showcase how businesses can help their customers, solve their problems, partner with them through the tough times. Branded content solutions check these boxes and position brands in the best possible light during the darkest hours. The best path forward during uncertainty is to look to the experts.
We discovered three facts that prove branded content will be the solution for many local businesses looking to inform, educate, and engage … and the right time is now.
Back in mid-March, before the world changed for all of us, Jared Merves from Wundervue and I presented to the crowd at Borrell Miami, the opportunities that were growing with branded content. The growth was significant. In fact, it was looking like the significance was heading towards $412 billion by 2021.
And just back in February, Technavio reported that the global content marketing market was expected to grow by $269.24 billion during 2020-2024, mostly due to increased use of social media.
But what about in our current coronavirus-focused world?
FACT 1 – Content sponsorships and content adjacencies are expected to grow.
According to IAB, local news organizations are creating unique offerings to help advertisers position themselves and their brands with content opportunities. These types of opportunities are perfectly matched with content marketing messages and are an enormous opportunity for local media organizations to build the right content options for advertisers who need to position themselves around, inside, and as a partner with quality content.