Photo credit: Cari Ann Wayman
As a journalism major, you can imagine how difficult it was coming to terms with the state of the industry upon graduation. Marketing became the next viable option for my career. However, the state of marketing has changed considerably in the past couple years, as well. Now, marketing is PR, Journalism and SEO. Though all of these industries are different, they prove that brands need elements of each to survive in modern marketing. Brand journalism is the best way brands can get the most out of their online presence.
What is brand journalism?
Also called content marketing, brand journalism is simply a brand’s response to shrinking news outlets. Instead of relying on crowded newsrooms to provide content for them, brands have decided to take it into their own hands and create material for their audiences. This can be in the form of social posts, blogs and even emails. Brands have even begun to include users in what’s now called user-generated content. In fact, 71 percent of adults online claim reviews from family members or friends hold a fair amount of influence over their purchases.
Why is it important?
Consumers are highly irritated by a constant barrage of ads, sales pitches, etc. Brand journalism allows brands to provide their own consumers with useful information pertaining to their product or service. The best way to convey this is to provide readers with information they can use, with or without the brand’s product or service. Thus allowing the consumer to get a subtle advertisement. This could result in the consumer considering the brand a great resource and will most likely interact again.
Think PR, Journalism and SEO are dead? Think again! Brand journalism allows brands to interact and build relationships with their customers using elements from each industry.
What do you see in the future for brand journalism? Tell us in the comments below!
