THE POWER OF BRAND CONTENT
CONTENT DELIVERED ON YOUR OWN CHANNELS AND TO YOUR OWN AUDIENCES.
Consumers have high expectations of brand content, says Group Content Director of MEDIUM RARE CONTENT AGENCY, NICK SMITH, with new research revealing how it’s become a powerful tool in the decision-making process.
Over the past seven years at Medium Rare, we’ve seen content become an essential part of the marketing mix, allowing brands to speak directly to their customers on their own channels, their social media pages and through paid amplification on third-party media.
Businesses and associations of all sizes and persuasions have driven engagement, sales and loyalty attribution by producing their own magazines, searchable website content, Youtube channels, socially-led videos and even podcasts.
Why? Well, content allows brands to engage their audiences directly, create conversations, promote advocacy and engender loyalty – by informing and inspiring their customers based on their needs and interests. In this respect, brands have come to understand the power of operating as publishers.
The marketing spend on content continues to increase – accelerated during Covid-19 as brands found it more difficult to rely on marketing product and price – as its value, measured by engagement and action
– is generally understood.
What hasn’t been well understood by brands, however, is the role content plays in consumers’ everyday lives: what do people understand and expect of brand content? How do they value it? What long-term benefits does it generate for brands? What is the cultural ROI?
To answer these questions, and to give more confidence to brands investing in their own audience growth and content, Medium Rare partnered with global cultural insights and strategy consultancy Crowd DNA to uncover the powerful human stories and statistics that demonstrate how content brings the purpose and value of brands to life for everyday consumers.
The ‘Power of Brand Content’ research study reveals that awareness of brand content and engagement is high, with 73 percent of consumers surveyed engaging with brand content at least weekly (43 percent daily), rising to 90 percent for 18 to 24 year-olds. Content is also driving brand preference, with three in four consumers feeling more positively towards brands that provide them with valuable content.
The study found that demand for brand content can be put down to the rapid and recent shifts in consumer expectations. In a post-covid world, exploring new ideas and experiences has never been more important, and brand content is becoming key to facilitating new discoveries.
In fact, brand content now sits at the very centre of what the research defines as a new purchase cycle, with the ability to consistently connect a consumer to a brand.
Content is the key entry point to a brand’s ecosystem for 70 percent of consumers. And two in three agree that brand content makes it easier to decide what brands/products to buy.
Importantly, 84 percent took some form of action (buy, share, follow, save) – and 34 percent purchased a product – after engaging with a recent piece of brand content.
But content’s influence on the purchase cycle does not stop there. The research finds
that brand content can drive advocacy, with 48 percent feeling proud to share a great piece of content that comes from a brand they like. It also aids brand loyalty, facilitating an ongoing emotional connection and affinity with brands. Six in 10 look forward to receiving content from brands they like.
One in two consumers believe staying connected to a brand through its content makes them feel part of a community. One in five say that brand content adds value to their everyday life, and 70 percent are proud to support a brand that aligns to their values and beliefs.
However, only 34 percent of consumers surveyed believe brands are truly meeting their content needs – opening up a huge opportunity for brands and content marketers to improve their offering.
The ‘Power of Brand Content’ research, conducted by Crowd DNA, consisted of three phases: cultural landscaping to uncover social conversations around brand content, remote mission-based research to uncover the role of brand content in consumers’ everyday lives, and a quantitative study of 1,000 consumers to substantiate the findings.
To learn more about the study, contact nick.smith@mediumrarecontent.com
MEDIUM RARE CONTENT AGENCY
Medium Rare is a full-service content marketing, creative and campaign agency based in Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne. The agency produces award-winning multi-platform and multi-media content for leading brands such as AMP, Auckland Council, Bunnings, David Jones and Microsoft.
To learn how content can work for your brand, visit us at mediumrarecontent.co.nz