![\"A](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/branded-content-marketing-opportunity.webp\")
<\/p>\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.20.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.20.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Introduction” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
As publishers and other media companies look to diversify and create new profit streams, branded content marketing is emerging as a low-hanging revenue fruit.<\/p>\n
After all, the strategy is predicated on what news organizations already do well: create high-quality content for the audiences they serve. The key difference being that it\u2019s a sales-led initiative, rather than editorially driven.<\/p>\n
A study last year by the Meta Branded Content Project (MBCP) and Borrell Associates found the majority of small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) engaged in, and invested, approximately $80 billion into content marketing efforts including branded content marketing. That\u2019s $20 billion more than what they spent on content marketing in 2020.<\/p>\n
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Caption: A slide from a recent Vendasta webinar referring to Borrell Associates data, which shows 2 out of 3 local businesses use content marketing.<\/em><\/p>\n But why is branded content marketing taking off? Simply put, it\u2019s effective. Very effective, as highlighted by Pressboard and IPG Media Lab research<\/a> findings. The research found that branded content is 22 times more engaging than display ads and drives a 59-percent uplift in brand recall relative to other digital ads.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is massive revenue potential on the table for media companies in the world of branded content marketing. At the end of the day, branded content, like editorial content, is a form of storytelling that educates, empowers, or informs consumers,\u201d says Julia Campbell,<\/a> General Manager of MBCP.<\/p>\n She continues, \u201cThe good news for publishers and other media companies is that investment in branded content marketing is growing. SMBs are seeing competitors get results through branded content, so more of them are jumping onto the train and spending higher amounts.\u201d<\/p>\n [et_pb_section global_module=\"112902 \"][\/et_pb_section]<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”How to implement an effective branded content marketing strategy? Chicago Reader and Editor & Publisher share their views” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Any media organization can adopt a branded content strategy<\/a> without completely overhauling their processes, strategies, or human resources, according to Campbell. However, she strongly suggests that media organizations need the right mental model to make this strategy work.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to build products that will connect your advertisers to your audience. You are using content and storytelling as a means of achieving that. You\u2019re not selling content pieces in the hope somebody wants to buy them. You\u2019re selling your audience,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Caption: A slide from a recent Vendasta webinar, which<\/em> Julia Campbell<\/span><\/em><\/a> referred to, stating that publishers must focus on selling their audience first<\/em><\/p>\n One example of a publication that has found success in the world of branded content marketing is Chicago Reader<\/em><\/a>, a non-profit weekly newspaper focussed on arts, culture and politics, which gets over 800,000 monthly website hits and distributes 60,000 magazines biweekly.<\/p>\n The Reader\u2019s <\/em>Senior VP of Growth & Strategy, Amber Nettles<\/a>, has scaled its branded content offering since 2020 and now handles 30 branded projects annually.<\/p>\n Caption: A slide from a recent Vendasta webinar, which Amber Nettles spoke to in reference to the <\/em>Reader\u2019s branded content strategy experiencing a 200% increase in revenue<\/em><\/p>\n Despite having only around 40 employees, mostly in editorial, the Reader <\/em>was able to successfully implement a branded content strategy. Aside from Nettles and a full-time VP of Sales, most of its sales reps are part time or on commission.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we began our branded content journey, we borrowed a part-time writer from the editorial team and eventually added 10 hours of work to her plate,\u201d Nettles says.<\/p>\n \u201cShe manages the process, and creates and edits the branded content, so we didn\u2019t really hire any new resources. We used an existing writer and gave them more hours once we got to the point where the revenue justified that higher spend.\u201d<\/p>\n At a recent Vendasta webinar, Nettles shared several examples of branded content marketing campaigns along with pricing details.<\/p>\n One project was with the Logan Center for the Arts. It was secured by the Reader\u2019s <\/em>VP of Sales, who pitched a sponsored branded content package focused on the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project. The series\u2019 title, known as \u201cIn Motion,\u201d was priced at $35,000 and involved profiling 12 dance organizations to boost awareness and excite readers about Chicago\u2019s thriving local artistry scene.<\/p>\n Caption: The <\/em>Reader\u2019s print layout of its \u201cIn Motion\u201d branded content marketing campaign<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe Reader<\/em> also works with many freelance writers in Chicago. What\u2019s nice about this is that we went out into the community, and we have writers who are getting compensated for their work and who are more embedded in that community and who have an arts background. It\u2019s nice to be able to incorporate more voices for the benefit of our partners and readers,\u201d Nettles says.<\/p>\n Another project was with The Dill Pickle Food Co-op and was designed to educate readers about the values co-op stores operate under. The project was priced at $10,000.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was a combo campaign that included branded content as well as an enter-to-win contest. I really enjoyed doing this one because I love incorporating different elements to achieve different goals,\u201d Nettles says.<\/p>\n Caption: The <\/em>Reader\u2019s print layout of its branded content marketing campaign for the Dill Pickle Food Co-op<\/em><\/p>\n Nettles explained that the Chicago Reader<\/em> offers branded content services that fall into three typical categories:<\/p>\n \u201cI use our standard rate card and a branded content fee or writing fee, if necessary, depending on whether it is supplied or partner content. For us, the base rate is $500 for up to 750 words online only, and that lasts for up to one year. When it comes to sponsored content, then it becomes much more tailored,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n For publications trying to find their feet on pricing, Nettles suggests sales leaders conduct market research and a competitor analysis in their local area, look at their own costs, and look at advertisers\u2019 propensity to pay.<\/p>\n Mike Blinder<\/a>, Publisher of Editor & Publisher<\/em><\/a>, recognizes the unique ability of branded content to captivate audiences and has invested significant effort into integrating it into his sales team’s process<\/a>.<\/p>\n When he took over the publication just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Blinder quickly realized that branded content marketing provided far better returns for advertisers and could be tailored specifically for them, as opposed to selling vanilla advertising products such as inserts and display ads in isolation.<\/p>\n He emphasizes the importance of “borrowed trust” by using customer testimonials to promote advertisers\u2019 products or services. To achieve this, publishers should blend the brand of the publication and the advertiser to create articles that showcase the advertiser’s business and how it helps their customers.<\/p>\n The biggest mistake in creating branded or sponsored content is making it sound like a sales pitch, which can turn off the audience. Instead, the focus should be on emphasizing the advertiser\u2019s story, educating consumers, or showing how it can help them.<\/p>\n Blinder identifies two initiatives that have been particularly successful for branded content at Editor & Publisher:<\/em><\/p>\n “I’m surprised more companies don’t do this. The advertiser gets a list of engaged prospects from the webinar; it\u2019s lead generation on steroids. The top categories to target right now are health, home improvement, financial services, and real estate,\u201d he told sales leaders who attended the Vendasta Media Summit earlier this year.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Other tips to succeed in branded content marketing” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Campbell and Nettles suggest that publications can implement a branded content strategy if they have a clear plan and are willing to reorganize their resources, but they may face “Church and State issues with editorial” or lack advertiser buy-in.<\/p>\n To avoid any confusion between editorial content and branded content, managers of both departments must collaborate to ensure that branded content is clearly labeled as such.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to make sure you\u2019re very transparent about where the content is coming from and have your disclosure statements,\u201d Campbell says.<\/p>\n When it comes to creating successful branded content campaigns, it’s important to have a solid proposition for advertisers and a strategy that ensures continuous visibility to readers. Nettles stresses that campaigns must have multiple elements, such as digital display, social media<\/a>, and print advertising, and someone must oversee project management, writing, and editing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe always make sure our advertisers understand that we won\u2019t create content and let it just sit there. It will be reviewed, edited, and continuously promoted,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Finally, all three of our experts agree that sales leaders and teams should educate advertisers that branded content marketing success can be measured in more ways than just website traffic numbers.<\/p>\n For Campbell, it’s about achieving better connections and brand recall between advertisers and their audiences. \u201cSMBs who are investing in branded content are discovering it\u2019s a better way to drive a connection between advertisers and audiences compared to other marketing strategies,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n For Blinder, a key factor is the number of registrants or leads generated from a webinar done in collaboration with an advertiser or an increase in calls.<\/p>\n For Nettles, beyond conveying great stories, it\u2019s also about ensuring a smooth working process with partners. \u201cThat to me is as important as the numbers themselves and a key reason around why we\u2019ve refined and honed our strategy so much around the client experience,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Valuable resources for you to use” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Check out the replay of the recent webinar which featured Julia and Amber for more insights and examples of branded content marketing.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_code admin_label=”Video – Code” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nHow to implement an effective branded content marketing strategy? Chicago Reader<\/em> and Editor & Publisher<\/em> share their views<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"A](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/branded-content-marketing-reader.webp\")
<\/p>\nExamples of Reader <\/em>branded content marketing campaigns<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nHow the Reader <\/em>prices branded content marketing campaigns<\/h3>\n
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Why branded content marketing is King for Editor & Publisher<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Other tips to succeed in branded content marketing<\/h2>\n
How to measure the success of branded content campaigns<\/h3>\n
Valuable resources for you to use<\/h2>\n
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