A branded content creator produces and shares content on behalf of a brand in exchange for money or something of value. If it sounds similar to an influencer, that’s because it is. Branded content creators and influencers are essentially the same thing. Both collaborate with brands to generate engaging content that customers find relatable.
What does branded content do for a brand and its audience?
Branded content isn’t new, but with so much changing in the marketing world, a refresher on this type of content can be helpful. Here’s why marketing teams like branded content and what audiences get from it.
Branded content focuses more on brand awareness than sales
Branded content highlights a brand’s values or persona with gentle mentions of a product or service. The content is meant to feel authentic, like something you’d naturally find in your social media feed.
Advertising is the opposite of branded content. Its purpose is to push products blatantly.
Branded content connects with emotions
If you can connect with customers’ emotions, you have a better chance of converting them. Branded content allows marketers to tap into the art of storytelling, which in turn, taps into emotions.
Let’s say a meal kit brand works with a branded content creator to promote new dinner kits. Rather than watching a mom whip up a recipe, you see a mom of four picking her kids up from school, running to soccer practice, and giving her kids a bath. Now, she has to make dinner, but she’s exhausted. Luckily she has the company’s new dinner kit on hand and can get a healthy meal on the table quickly.
Customers, especially moms, relate to it. They know exactly how tired that mom is, and as a result, customers think positively of the meal kit brand.
Branded content generates a buzz
As a brand, you want people talking about your company and its products. Branded content can create a buzz, especially when several creators participate in a campaign. If a handful of influencers generate branded content and release it simultaneously, suddenly, it’s the talk of the social town.
How do you find branded content creators?
If you’re interested in working with branded content creators but aren’t sure how to find them, here’s where to start:
Look at your top contributors on social
Your customers can make great brand creators. Take a look at your most popular social channel and look at your top five contributors. What are they saying about your brand? If they’re brand advocates, look at their social profiles to see if they’re a good match.
Make a list of customers that could lend themselves to the role of branded content creator.
Search industry-related terms on social media
Which industry is your brand in? Beauty? Retail? Food and beverage? Search for your industry and add “influencer” or “creator” to your search terms. A list of relevant influencers should pop up.
You can refine your search terms, too, to narrow the field. For example, you might want a local influencer, so rather than “fashion influencer,” search for “Chicago fashion influencer.”
Add additional descriptions to your search too. For example, “Luxury fashion influencer based in Chicago” could trim your results.
Use a content creator platform
Rather than scour social media profiles, why not use a creator database? Go to The Creator Marketplace®, where you can search for creators in your industry and narrow your results with filters like location, audience demographics, follower count, or preferred social platform.
Aside from helping you find creators, platforms like this can also help you mobilize your campaign. You can reach out to creators, share files, and hire influencers right on the platform.
If you’d rather have creators come to you, create a listing. In the Marketplace, you can describe your ideal creator and explain the collaboration in a Casting Call. Once posted, creators can submit a pitch for consideration.
With Casting Calls, finding creators is simplified. Your marketing team simply reviews the pitches and picks the best matches. Branded content creators can help you authentically connect with your audience. If you’re new to branded content but are interested in finding a creator to work with, IZEA can help. With its suite of influencer marketing solutions, you can begin your search through The Creator Marketplace, but grow into more robust tools like IZEA Flex when ready.
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Marketers:
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