7 Key Rules for Creating a Winner
In marketing circles you’ll keep hearing about “content marketing.”
And you’ll hear about “native advertising.”
What’s the difference between “content marketing” and “native advertising”?
When you create native advertising, it’s hosted on an independent website or publication or both.
For example, I just saw a long, powerful article – a sales article – in the Wall Street Journal and its website. It was informative and persuasive. And my guess is few realized it really was an ad.
In content marketing, you own the media because it’s your own website or publication site. It’s your asset you control. It’s really free.
With native advertising, you are paying someone else to distribute and ultimately own your content.
Advertorials have been popular and successful overtime. Twenty years ago, they were looked down upon by the media.
An advertorial is really native advertising, but accepted by most media today.
Unfortunately most marketers just don’t do native advertising…or content advertising…right and suffer from mediocre results.
Here are 7 key rules to creating a winning campaign:
- With both native advertising and content marketing, you are giving details, specifics and valuable information. This follows our VIVA formula – Valuable Information Value Added. The prospect learns what they are interested in. You are a credible source of valuable information.
- Use direct response copy, not editorial copy, not advertising copy. Direct response copy (see 6 direct response copy formula video briefing here) means a “you” orientation. Features are turned into benefits. Its conversational and personal. And, test all the copy on the KF test.
- Work hard on the headlines. 75% of the success will be on the powerful headline.
- Have the article be long enough to tell your story and sell, no longer. Short copy kills sales. Long copy… well the more you tell, the more you sell.
- Keep the lead powerful… and short words, short sentences – something dramatic, surprising or intriguing.
- Have a strong close, overcoming objections (see 10 deal killers that will cripple or destroy your response video brief).
- Drive the prospect to your landing page for remarketing, lead collection and sales. The landing page should be separate, designed for the article.
Done right, native advertising – and content marketing – can create leads and sales in a powerful, profitable campaign.
I’d love to help you create powerful native or content advertising. Email me at [email protected] or call me at 310-212-5727.
And, take a look at my Barry Kaye and Assoc. case study, here. Over 40% of the effort was in native advertising.
