Content marketing has always been an excellent tool for advertisers to reach their target market—whether it’s through an article, a blog post, or simply a testimonial. Content marketing succeeds in connecting a consumer with the product without “selling” it.
One of the most effective and favored types of content marketing is through the blogger channel. Many consumers have blogs they read on a daily basis. There are now numerous blogs out there and on countless topics—shopping, food, art, entertainment and more. These blogs have hundreds, thousands—and sometimes millions—of readers they reach every day. Most importantly, they have influence.
If your favorite food blogger writes about a local restaurant he or she loves, you must go. If the fashion bloggers you follow post pictures of their outfits or this season’s must-have item, that item sells out online the same day.
You follow these blogs because they speak to you and have your same taste. They engage you with the things you want and like and show you things you may have never seen before. Everything they write about is an advertisement in disguise—whether a company asked them to write about something, or whether they are just writing about it because they choose to.
They write, you listen—and then you click to possibly buy the item because you trust them.
This trust that bloggers build with their readers is almost priceless when it comes to advertising. Through blogs, you connect with people; they are your virtual friends and when they talk about something, you are compelled to listen.
Keep this in mind when building relationships with your publishers in your affiliate network channels. Of course, the big shopping and coupon sites do bring in sales, but it’s the relationships you build with the bloggers that will be important to the brand you are pushing. They have the power to influence the way people see and interact with that brand.
Now that’s something that all your clients will want in their marketing arsenal.
Natalie Afsha is account manager and affiliate marketing coordinator Direct Agents.
