Every day, there is a rise in the number of people using the internet worldwide. This has made it easier for brands to advertise more efficiently than traditional means of advertising. This increase in internet users has also seen a steep increase in people using ad blockers to avoid the numerous and sometimes annoying advert pop-ups.
The rise of social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter has seen more brands use Sponsored Content and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to reach their intended markets better. Sponsored content has a unique way of engaging people in a more exciting and less intrusive manner, thus increasing the chances of success.
While many companies and brands reap from sponsored content and SEO, it is essential to understand its dynamics. This article discusses six major myths people may have about sponsored content and SEO in online marketing.
Social Media Marketing by Webology
At Webology, we have extensive experience in this field, and this article will provide your brand or organization with a better insight into sponsored content and SEO. Before debunking some of these myths, it is essential to understand some of the FAQs in this field.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sponsored Content?
Sponsored content refers to premium content that a sponsor pays a creator to promote a brand. This content offers valuable information for the appropriate context and is usually very persuasive to the target audience.
Is Sponsored Content Effective?
Sponsored content is very effective, mainly because it utilizes online where most people spend their time online. Sponsored content also effectively promotes both the creator and the sponsor in getting the audience. Furthermore, the content adopts different formats, such as video, audio, or written content, thus covering a wider audience.
What is the Purpose of it?
Sponsored is used by brands to increase sales, attract new customers, educate customers on new products, engage deeper with customers, and provide brand exposure. Sponsored content also builds the creators by offering resources that a creator may not have.
Is branded content the same as sponsored content?
Branded content thrives on the brand’s owned properties, while sponsored content blends and integrates on the creator’s platform. The brand or company also undertakes branded content, while sponsored content is made and published by the identified creator.
Examples of Sponsored Content in Marketing
There are many examples of such content online today. Many videos on YouTube show how to use different products, such as hair products, mobile phones, electronics, etc. An excellent example of sponsored content is the Taco bell Snapchat filter, allowing users to alter their faces or backgrounds. The filter markets Taco Bell while also improving the user experience on Snapchat.
Although the effectiveness of this content and SEO is not questioned, there are several myths that you are likely to encounter.
Six common Myths About Sponsored Content and SEO
Sponsored Content and SEO do Not Work.
Many people will tell you it does not work in dealing with sponsored content and SEO. This myth is because most brands do not apply sponsored content and SEO techniques correctly.
This is one of the most common SEO myths that has prevented many companies from benefiting from this content and SEO. Sponsored content works, and many companies get quality leads from sponsored content. Google has invested heavily in SEO resources to ensure your content is available to the target audience. In addition, sponsored content on platforms such as YouTube has greatly benefited from the inter-sharing of content across social media networks.
In other words, we have seen a sponsored post on Facebook attract reactions on TikTok and YouTube. If the right resources and the content is of good quality, it is possible to reach a massive audience within a short time. Sponsored content is also engaging and not irritating like the usual ads. Most audiences can engage with the content without even realizing the content is for advertising purposes.
It Is a One-Time Thing
One of the most common sponsored content marketing myths we encounter concerning sponsored content is that people assume it is a one-time thing. Most publishers and creators will tell you that all you need is a single piece of content, and the impacts will be permanent. From our research, this is usually not the case.
Sponsored content requires continuous effort and engagement with different creators to achieve the best result. Search engine algorithms will most likely pick new content through the enhanced SEO by Google. Content on numerous platforms is likely to be seen by more audiences. Sponsored content reaches the creators’ audiences, and due to their influence, a brand can get quality leads.
The brand will become more established with an emphasis on consistency and continuity. We have also observed that companies that have successfully employed sponsored content consistently work with different creators. Notably, the first attempt using this content may not be successful, but you will likely attract the right audience by doing that often.
Sponsored Content and SEO are Cheap
Many brands assume that sponsored content is a cheaper alternative to other traditional ways of marketing. Nothing can be further from the truth. The content has a good return regarding leads and customer growth, but a good investment must be made to get the best results.
Content creators are currently asking for huge figures to create premium-worthy content. Equally, many SEO experts who assist brands craft exceptional strategies are rare and charge significant figures. Sponsored content heavily relies on social-media marketing through videos, photography, application add-ons, etc.
To create content, providing enough financial resources to the creator will ensure the content you get is of the best quality and will engage the target audience well. Also, the content has to be well integrated by the publisher to prevent people from skipping through the content while browsing their social media pages. Therefore, we would advise that before venturing into sponsored content, set aside enough funds to facilitate the creators and hire a good SEO agency to improve the google indexing and your visibility on the search engines.
Sponsored Content is not Genuine, and it is Just for Advertising
Many people and brands believe that supported content does not carry any value and is all fake. Sponsored content is purposely for advertising, but it goes beyond traditional advertising.
Sponsored content takes a practical approach to advertise by educating the audience on a product or entity and illustrating realistically how a particular brand works. Sponsored content does not only promote a brand. It engagingly informs the audience by showing how a brand is solving the targeted audience’s needs.
The modern-day consumer is well-informed. Thus, if you intend to adopt sponsored marketing content, you must be realistic and factual. Social media marketing allows space engagement; therefore, if the content is not genuine, the audience will raise such issues, which will work to the detriment of the brand.
Making genuine and helpful sponsored content will improve your brand’s ratings and benefit through SEO. For sponsored content, we advise that your brand remain transparent to generate the required trust and stay relevant to the audience.
Only big and Established Brands Invest in it.
It is fascinating that many marketing departments still believe that only big brands invest in sponsored content and SEO. It is perceived that big brands have the resources and funds to explore such marketing techniques.
This myth is fueled by the fact that many publishers and creators work with established brands and leave very little room for upcoming businesses. Notably, creators and publishers sometimes charge exorbitant fees, which cripples the efforts of small, less established brands.
However, sponsored content works for small brands, and some startups have grown exponentially through the careful use of sponsored marketing content. With the help of a good Search Engine Optimization agent, small brands can achieve the visibility of their range within their limited resources. Notably, your brand will gain more visibility and credibility by promoting the content on various social media platforms.
For example, you can create a good video and share it across YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Small brands can also incorporate new and upcoming creators who will charge reasonable rates while offering a vast potential for quality leads. Check out this recent post for more info on beating tough competition.
The More the Content, the Better the Results
It is a popular misconception that the more content you create better visibility will be achieved. As a result, many brands create multiple content with the hope of receiving interactions and engagement with the targeted audience.
Sponsored content requires extensive research to develop quality content that will not be boring and annoying to the audiences. While you must consistently create content, the content should be valuable and explore the different aspects of your brand. Notably, low quality suffers a lack of visibility as SEO is set to consider such content as spam. Your content has to be amazing, but it doesn’t necessarily require a whole lot of research. Pick topics you’re knowledgeable on and you’ll find that writing content for your media outreach is actually easier than you think.
Quality content is likely to trend and gain from extensive viewership giving a good return on investment. The content should also be understandable and illustrate how your brand solves customer needs. If the content is quality and receives good feedback through interactions, the content will also improve in the SEO indexing.
Hire Webology to Manage Your Sponsored Content
Sponsored content is a proven way to market your brand on modern social media platforms. Creating content alone is not enough to meet your marketing needs, but with the help of SEO, brands can quickly achieve their online visibility.
At Webology, we have extensive experience as an SEO agency helping your brand get the best out of your online marketing campaigns. We are among the list of Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in the US, and we offer to assist you in getting the best visibility through SEO.
While sponsored content is faced with numerous myths, we have debunked some of the most common, and it is through this understanding we develop our strategy. We develop custom strategies for every campaign, and your content is visible to exceptional levels through SEO.
