Moving into 2011, content marketing is poised to be a top priority among brands. A recent partnership between television network HGTV and Examiner.com reveals that seeding social sites with branded, locally targeted content pays off.
As MediaPost reports, HGTV partnered with Examiner.com a few months ago to draw on the content engine's exclusive writing. The source reports that HGTV execs gave Examiner writers leeway to report on the network's television programs however they saw fit.
HGTV saw hundreds of articles about its program, Property Virgins, popping up around the web as Examiner writers posted their work for search engines to find and pushed the content through social channels. The writers continue to create locally targeted content that references the show – such as the Las Vegas Property Virgins info or the content that caters to Boston Property Virgins.
HGTV is reportedly getting two to three times the impressions from this content than paid ad campaigns.
Jonah Spegman, a spokesperson for HGTV, told MediaPost, "Traffic to the show page also tripled after launching the campaign. The show had other advertising drivers behind it, but we were excited to see a double-digit growth in ratings."
Property Virgins' campaign success may be a lesson to content marketing virgins – exclusive content that is brand-centric and delivered via websites and social channels can pay off. HGTV's success supports Brafton's report that social content marketing may be key to catching clicks in 2011.
The content from Examiner.com is not only centered on the show Property Virgins, but it also considers current real estate developments. Cross-industry businesses may find that they can not only generate buzz about their companies, but also develop trust in their brands if they use custom news marketing to offer exclusive news tailored to their clientele. As Brafton has reported, 75 percent of Americans look for news online and nearly one-third of consumers favor brands affiliated with news.
