What is a main topic of conversation among marketers, public relations practitioners and communications professionals today? It’s content, content and more content.
At WordWrite, we’re all about content creation. We also have strong opinions on the right way to produce it. Therefore, it was nice to see a recent study reinforce our core beliefs when it comes to what defines quality content. 
Even as the digital age bombards the masses with countless options to view and digest information, Americans value an independent third-party’s assessment more than any type of paid placement.
According to a new Nielsen study commissioned by inPowered, when measured against branded content, earned media is overwhelmingly more effective across all three phases of the buying process: purchase consideration, affinity and familiarity.
Specifically, earned media was 80 percent more effective during the purchase consideration and affinity stages, and 38 percent more effective during the familiarity stage.
“In other words, brands that actively engage in media outreach will probably see greater consumer impact at all stages than that of brands relying primarily on content marketing,” Chad Pollitt wrote in an article for Ragan.com.
Other key findings from the study:
- 85 percent of consumers regularly or occasionally seek trusted expert content—credible, third-party articles and reviews—when considering a purchase.
- 67 percent of consumers agree that an endorsement from an unbiased expert makes them more likely to consider purchasing.
“Overall, the research showed that earned media coverage—articles from credible journalists—was the only content type to exhibit a strong boost at all three phases of the purchase cycle,” Pollitt concluded.
As an agency that believes your business “Story” with a capital “S” trumps the name of your brand, we’ve always held strongly to the view that “thought leadership” marketing is paramount in demonstrating trust and credibility for any business in any industry.
We certainly agree with the Nielson data’s conclusions on earned media value and emphasize the value of “third-party validation” during all our front-end discussions with potential clients.
However, as we evolve as an agency, we also have come to realize that expert content takes many forms and provides value to an organization’s key target audiences across multiple platforms, not just articles from reporters.
Highlighting your experts and sharing their views across the right platforms in the right spaces matters most, whether it’s blogs, op-eds or case studies relevant to decision-makers in your business sector.
Know the type of media your targets care about and consume.
Just as important as earning media is what you do with it after you get it. Who sees an article is as valuable as the real estate of the placement itself. Get them the content in the spaces they look for information.
Quality (not quantity) matters most, as I recently wrote in this space.
Yes, experts need to dominate the landscape of your content to give you the best chance of reaching and influencing those who make purchasing decisions in your key target areas. But what are you saying that provides a solution and demonstrates value to ideal clients or customers?
The best path to achieving your goals is authenticity and credibility built through thought leadership. Highlight your experts and share their views in the most appropriate content platforms as often as possible.
Or to put it another way, if your clients or customers choose you for your expertise, remember to dance with the ones who brought you to the ball in the first place.