Break competition with branded content  

Every company has a story to tell. Our team from Navingo can help you shape your story and can bring it to the right audience. We do this with branded content. This form of advertising comes in many forms, whereas we specialize in the form that uses journalistic principles. This means that the story is leading, not the company or product. With this objective approach, the content and, therefore your company / products generate more credibility and value. Next to that, through our platforms, Offshore Energy, Offshore Wind and Dredging Today we connect you with the audience that is relevant to your business.

As marketing strategies constantly evolve, competition becomes tough for brands to stand out. Consumers are confronted with a ton of information per day, from small to more complex forms of advertisements.

To break from the competition, businesses must find creative ways to communicate their message. Branded content is an effective marketing strategy in capturing the audience’s attention.

Branded content exceeds traditional forms of advertising, because it does not try to sell you a product or service. At least not directly. This type of content can entail an article, a video, a podcast, a presentation; anything your creativity can generate.

The idea behind branded content is to produce a valuable (for the audience) piece of content, which can be educational, entertaining, informative (or all of the above). By giving your audience real value, they will less likely ignore the commercial part. Branded content has been proven successful, because of the personal connection built between the consumer and the brand.

This article will explore ways to connect with your audience through branded content. The ‘what, how and where’ will give more insight into the benefits of this type of marketing strategy.

What? It uses storytelling. Storytelling is a great way to spark engagement. The best way to connect with your audience is by talking to them, as people interact the most with a story when they follow a narrative and can empathize with the characters.

A story follows a structure as such: the protagonist (related to the target audience), the problem they are dealing with, the solution to the problem (which is connected to the service/product you offer) – all these perfectly combined in a well-structured narrative.

The story can be about a project you are currently working on, an innovation, a client’s path.  It can be related to the company, product or service you are offering but it should not try to sell it. Instead, the focus of the story should reflect the company’s values and principles.

For instance, in the offshore energy industry people are always looking for solutions and ways that can lead to a more streamlined production process. Preferably, let a client tell the story about a problem they faced and how your company provided a solution. Similarly, you can discuss your product/ service in a broader context. Think about its role in a wider context/trend. In this way, you bring these innovations to the attention of a wider audience.

How?

• Use interesting and clear headlines. For any piece of branded content,keep the headlines clear but with some room for mystery. In good headlines, there must be an information gap to spark curiosity. So, share an interesting fact but don’t reveal all the secrets yet. Write just enough to want to click and find out more.
• Effective communication. Developing a brand voice is crucial to appeal to the right audience. After all, the brand language is how you present your brand and how you wished to be perceived. It requires practice to be consistent in your brand language. A general tip is to always have the reader or listener in mind. Ask yourself if what you have communicated is interesting and makes sense to the targeted audience.

Where? Connect with the right audience through the right platforms.

Where to connect with the desired audience? Communicating with a specific group will bring you the desired amount of interest and engagement. Therefore, spreading your content must be smart and well-targeted. Communicating on as many platforms as possible will often not yield the desired results and can end up too costly. Instead, choose the right platform(s) relevant to your business. Remember that not everyone can be your audience.

Conclusion

In a competitive market, finding creative ways to build long-term and trustworthy relationships with your customer is crucial. Branded content can be a great addition to your marketing strategy. The marketing technique goes beyond traditional forms of advertisement, because it focuses more on the long-term relationship between the business and the consumer and is not as persuasive as regular commercials.

Share your story on the Offshore Energy platform / OffshoreWIND.biz platform / DredgingToday.com platform.

Do you want to invest in branded content but don’t have the workforce and inspiration for original content? Our platforms offer various opportunities to showcase your brand and share your story, such as through a webinar, industry contribution, Navingo Career Podcast and more. Moreover, you will benefit from our large international reach of offshore industry professionals. Check out our Branded Content page where you can find multiple ways to share knowledge and expertise, inspire the industry and build on your long-term brand. Our team of editors will assist you in the entire process from choosing the topic to ensuring a qualitative final product. Reach out to our Sales Team at [email protected] for any questions.