How effective is sponsored content as a marketing strategy?

Sponsored content: paid content that advertises in a somewhat hidden way. Sponsored content comes in all sorts of forms, but how effective is it? Is it worthwhile to invest money, time and effort in sponsored content, and if so, when will you apply it?

The power of sponsored content

Whatever form of sponsored content you are considering or using, the same principle will almost always apply: the reader preferably does not realize that he is reading advertisements. For example, think of an informative blog post about washing machines, where a certain brand or type of machine is casually promoted. Once the reader realizes that the entire blog is actually a paid advertising campaign from the manufacturer of that washing machine, he will feel misled, or at least irritated. The time when companies got away with 'We from toilet duck ...' has already passed.

Good sponsored content therefore requires a good copywriter who focuses on the target group that needs to be addressed and who, in addition to promoting a brand or product, also knows how to write an informative piece. Sponsored content must be relevant reading material for the target group, otherwise the desired effect will not be achieved. The exact effect is difficult to measure. It is difficult to indicate in euros what sponsored content yields. Research in this area shows that sponsored content is in any case more effective than 'old-fashioned' banners. Of great influence are where and how the content is published; a big announcement with 'sponsored story'above your advertorial, for example, does not really help. The quality of the content and the period in which the piece is online are also influential factors. When considering the use of sponsored content, these are important things to coordinate or negotiate in advance.

Three reasons for choosing sponsored content

1. You add value for your readers. Classic (online) advertising revolves around fleeting messages, fast incentives and tight one-liners. Nice and nice, but consumers are becoming increasingly insensitive to that. Sponsored content offers the possibility to really inform readers in depth about a product, event or brand. It is as if you are ringing for a sales pitch with the guarantee that you will not get a door in your face.
2. You become read. Old-fashioned online marketing is simply being ignored, so anyone who wants to be seen and read must look for new forms of advertising. How often you are read depends entirely on the quality and location of your content, but there is no doubt that you are seen more often than any banner.
3. Finally, not unimportantly: you build on you image. Good sponsored content ensures that the reader subsequently has a positive feeling about your product, brand or event. That good image is more permanent than any effect you would have achieved with an old-fashioned advertisement.