Sponsored Content Needs More Than Good Storytelling, It Needs a Good Story

Sponsored content doesn’t have to be an oxymoron. As publishers and marketers double down on their commitment to providing deeper branded experiences, instead of traditional advertising, the rules of the road are becoming clearer on both sides. And more so than just four or five years ago; conventions for doing it right have emerged. In talking to a range of publishers of various sizes and categories, we found that the practices ensuring sponsored content maintains a publisher’s voice and integrity take remarkably similar form. Getting it right, making sponsored content serve the interests of readers, publishers and their clients remains a complex process that starts with basic organization and goal setting but also lends itself to certain content formats, as well as execution and measurement regimen.    Think like editors In talking to sources, the consensus seems to be that creating authentic sponsored content starts with how the operation is organized and connected to the editorial team.  “We are a full-service, one-stop shop,” says Adam Ochman, senior VP, creative and strategy at Leaf Group, whose brand portfolio includes Hunker, LiveStrong.com and Well+Good. A full staff of writers focus solely on branded content, with little outsourcing, he says. That keeps the branded content team in day-to-day contact with the company's editors and processes to ensure its brand voices are ingrained. “We operate more like an editorial enterprise,” says Outside's Sam Moulton, who... Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-03-05 17:34:24 UTC ]
News tagged with: #social distribution #key metric #user experience

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The Best Brand Content of 2013

The “brands are publishers now” line has become so ubiquitous in digital media that it risks becoming a cliché. While it is often true that companies are increasingly creating their own content, not all that’s published is created equal. Here’s to the brands that took the time and money to... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #created equal


Good Enterprises Gets Extension, Finds Some Assets

The bankruptcy judge overseeing the Chapter 7 proceedings of Good Enterprises has granted the company an extension until January 13 to file various statements and schedules. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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French a laureate for good fun reading

If Jackie French gets her way the nation's children's books will be a lot stickier and messier.     Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Personalised audio for SourceBooks' Put Me in the Story app

Sourcebooks' Put Me in the Story personalised-book series has launched a new 'universal... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Exprima Talks: Peter Meyers, Content Innovation at Citia

In this debut of the Exprima Interview series, Corey Pressman talks with Peter Meyers of Citia about the future of ebooks and how digital storytelling might evolve. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #exprima talks #content innovation #digital storytelling


Pocket Reveals Top Stories, Publishers of 2013

The save-it-for-later software service Pocket has released a list of the "best" content from 2013. Pocket's 10 million users saved more than 450 million items (from articles and videos to memes and gifs) from across the Web this year, and Pocket looked at which were saved most, as well as which... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomberg News Pays Reporters More If Their Stories Move Markets

Bloomberg News has an unusual practice of paying some of its reporters explicitly for publishing "market-moving" stories. This is one of many metrics that is factored into reporters' annual bonuses. Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bloomberg news


Good Books Parent Files for Chapter 7

Good Enterprises, whose holdings include the cookbook publisher Good Books, filed voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy December 10 and is preparing to liquidate the company. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good enterprises


Amazon's new imprint StoryFront will publish short stories

The new imprint of the online bookseller has already released works by authors including William Lashner and Rebecca Adams Wright. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online bookseller


Bezos in contention for TIME accolade

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been named as one of 10 contenders for TIME magazine’s Person... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Anjelica Huston discusses her memoir, 'A Story Lately Told'

As a member of Hollywood royalty, a fashion icon and an Academy Award-winning actress, Anjelica Huston has led a full life -- so much so that she's taking two books to tell her story.As a member of Hollywood royalty, a fashion icon and an Academy Award-winning actress, Anjelica Huston has led a... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fashion icon #anjelica huston #teen years


Where Branded Content Dollars Are Going

Marketers continue to be in love with their own content. Spending on branded content is set to reach $1.8 million this year, or 37 percent of marketers’ ad budgets, up from $1.7 million in 2012, per a Custom Content Council survey. The lion’s share of that is going into print. Spending on... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine ads #tv advertising #direct mail #big question #magazine publishers #ad agencies


You're a Good Citizen, Charlie Brown

Regnery's children's publishing program has acquired a five-year license with Peanuts Worldwide, and will feature Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang in books about American history, heroes, government, and civics. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #charlie brown #publishing program #peanuts worldwide #peanuts gang #american history


Amazon launches short story imprint

Amazon Publishing has launched a new digital short story imprint in the US called StoryFront.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon publishing


Virgin buys inside story of Minecraft

Virgin Books has bought a book that goes behind the scenes of the digital gaming phenomenon... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Montgomery's vision of local journalism's future: 'skimming online content'

Local World's chairman, David Montgomery, has revealed his vision of the future role for journalists employed by his regional newspaper group.According to a Press Gazette report based on a sight of Monty's mission statement, a single journalist will fill a weekly paper by "skimming online... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Aurum signs Wiedermann's story

Aurum Press has signed a book on cyclist Dieter Wiedermann, an East German sports star who... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is an X Factor for novelists a good idea?

A literary talent show is about to be aired in Italy, but is television the right place to nurture literary talent?Jonny Geller, agent and joint CEO, Curtis BrownAn X Factor for books is about to launch on Italian TV – it had to be Italian, didn't it? – and you can imagine the literati running... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #vice versa


Catching Up with Kobo’s Michael Tamblyn on New Content, Tablets

Michael Tamblyn, the Chief Content Officer at Kobo, offers an update on the ebookseller's magazine store, kids shop and international expansion. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marrying Companies and Content

On Thursday, Contently, a hot little company, held a buzzy conference at the Bowery Hotel on a very of-the-moment topic. The conference, the Brand Publishing Summit, included clients, agencies and publishers, with a lot of chatter about brands goi ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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