Branded Content Gains Traction [INFOGRAPHIC]

Nearly 4 in 5 marketers are increasing their focus on branded content, according to a study by the Custom Content Council.

The council partnered with Readable Content to produce an infographic on the findings, revealing that branded content spending has increased by 13 percent over the past two years.

Between 66 and 74 percent of the content created was used in social media efforts, and “the average total branded content outsourcing spending was a record $371,364.”

In a time when many companies are focusing on branded content, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd.

Susan Gunelius of Forbes says that this year, brands will be communicating accountability, making sure that consumers trust them, creating an experience through storytelling, crowdsourcing, and putting out visuals.

In the past year, she says, “we saw a proliferation of branded content that had little focus and lacked clear strategy. Brand marketers who develop focused content plans with clear objectives in 2013 will reap the rewards that content marketing can deliver for many years to come.”

Mary Gail Pezzimenti of ClickZ says that in the coming year, the brands that will distinguish themselves will be those that are becoming thought leaders in their field and know “how to use content effectively to add value beyond the promises of their product or service.”

She says, “Measuring the value of producing and sharing high-quality content for a brand has got to ladder back to tangible results for the brand: expressions (via what your audience is saying/evangelizing), increasing brand awareness, attracting a new audience, an acquisition tool, moving product, or breaking down sales resistance.”

Image courtesy of kentoh/shutterstock

An infographic by the team at Readable Content