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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10 Viral Content Creators Who Electrify Fans by the Millions

Going viral used to be a digital equivalent of winning the lottery, but today's hottest content creators have cracked the code for bringing fans back again and again. For some, this consistent success has opened up brand opportunities, book deals and other new avenues for growth. For others,... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2015-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Good Habits Can Make You Happier

The newest book from Gretchen Rubin, best-selling author of The Happiness Project, examines how we can change our habits. Continue reading at Knowledge@Wharton

[ Knowledge@Wharton | 2015-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PP Call for Stories: Leadership, Europe, Asia and Frankfurt

We're actively seeking great stories about leadership, European and Asian publishing, rights, education and any tied to the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair. The post PP Call for Stories: Leadership, Europe, Asia and Frankfurt appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Yellow Jersey buys Fifa story

Yellow Jersey editor Frances Jessop has bought The Fall of the House of Fifa by Guardian columnist David Conn, to publish in spring 2017. Jessop acquired world all language rights from Bill Hamilton at A M Heath. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Asks: Is This A Good Era for New Fiction

Is this a good time to be a new fiction fanatic? Is great fiction of all kinds being written by new authors? PW wants to know what you think. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Virago to publish Aiken’s Armitage stories

Virago Modern Classics will this August publish a collection of the Armitage Family stories by Joan Aiken. The Complete Armitage Family Stories will be the first collection of the stories ever printed, and will be published in paperback on the 8th August (£8.99). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Good to meet you… Jade Moulds

When she’s not busy hula-hooping this Londoner reads Hadley Freeman and follows Guardian style on TwitterI was born in London and lived here until I was 18, when I moved to Cambridge to study English. I stayed on to do an MA in creative writing, then spent the next two years trying to persuade... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Good to meet you… Sarah Perry

The Guardian was Sarah’s window to the world outside when she was undergoing cancer treatmentLast year, on 17 July, I was a 33-year-old woman living and working in Leicester. I’d moved here from Birmingham 15 years earlier, to study at Leicester University, and then never left. I love it here,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seven Stories to host Foreman exhibition

Children’s book centre Seven Stories will this July open an exhibition dedicated to illustrator Michael Foreman.   ‘Painting with Rainbows – a Michael Foreman Exhibition’ will open on 19th July and will stay at the Seven Stories centre in Newcastle for a year, before going on tour around the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What Scribd’s Growing Pains Mean for the Future of Digital Content Subscription Models

Netflix earned more than $5 billion in 2014. No wonder companies want to be “the Netflix of” other kinds of digital media — ebooks, magazines, music.   That’s not easy to pull off when you don’t ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British children's stories startup Lost My Name tells a $9m funding tale

After 600k personalised picture-book sales, London firm secures investment from Silicon Valley firms Google Ventures and GreycroftChildren’s storytelling startup Lost My Name raised its first $100k of funding in 2014 on TV show Dragon’s Den. Now the London-based firm is turning to Silicon Valley... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Short story writers lament profile problem

Short stories are gaining ground in the UK, but authors working within the format are finding it more difficult to break into the public consciousness than novelists, writers have told The Bookseller. Awards that cover all forms of fiction such as The Folio Prize, won in 2014 by George... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Narcissism works really well': Why Time magazine created a site for its interactive stories

For better or for worse, news sites’ most popular digital offerings have been interactive games and quizzes. Now Time magazine has created a new home for its interactive stories -- like its quiz to see how much time you wasted on Facebook -- which have been the site’s most popular for the past... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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True stories inspire book prize wins

Real-life historical adventures inspire both winners of this years CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway medals, Tanya Landman and William Grill. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What’s the Holy Grail of Content Marketing? A Book

The CEO of Greenleaf Book Group argues a book can be your strongest marketing tool and outlines four points to consider before committing to writing one. The post What’s the Holy Grail of Content Marketing? A Book appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hawkins and Nesbo shortlisted on Dead Good Reader Awards

Paula Hawkins, Steve Cavanagh, Clare Mackintosh and Jo Nesbo are among the writers who have picked up two shortlistings apiece for the inaugural Dead Good Reader Awards. The awards, nominated and voted for by readers, will be presented in Harrogate this July at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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And Other Stories accepts Shamsie challenge

Independent publisher And Other Stories will only publish books by female writers in 2018, in response to a call for a Year of Publishing Women by the author Kamila Shamsie. The initiative, to be held in 2018 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of women getting the vote in the UK, would help... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reuters Makes Some Content Free, Citing ‘Unprecedented’ Shift

Reuters, citing "the unprecedented shift to digital publishing and online news consumption," is making some of its original news content—text, pictures, video and multimedia packages—available for free to publishers, the c ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Black Mirror Is Almost as Smart as a Good Sci-Fi Book

In the latest episode of the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast the panel discusses why Black Mirror is better than most other sci-fi TV. The post Black Mirror Is Almost as Smart as a Good Sci-Fi Book appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comics Retailer Survey: Good Sales Get Better in 2015

Sales of periodical comics and graphic novels may not have been as robust throughout 2014 as they were in recent years, but an exceptional holiday shopping season ended the year on a high note for comics retailers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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