Category: Contributor Blogs

Audiences are finely tuned to advertising. They can scroll, skip and block ads on their way to enjoying their favorite content. But what stops someone from scrolling—and starting to engage? Content that interests them and breaks through the noise. One increasingly popular method for brands to get their message across is the use of branded content. Rather than an obvious product placement, think of different types of content like sponsored blog posts, short form videos or influencer marketing. This kind of content has emerged as a way for brands to cultivate a more engaging experience.

So how do brands start creating impactful branded content?

Provide value 

The power of branded content is its ability to integrate seamlessly into the consumer experience—while simultaneously acting as another vehicle for brands to create content the audience actually cares about. Imagine a simple cocktail recipe using the newest hard seltzer brand, or a DIY home improvement tutorial video. Lots of times it’s a celebrity or athlete candidly showing us how to make the recipe or using their favorite product in the tutorial. And when it comes to this “How-To” genre of branded content, Nieslen found that, on average, 83% of target audiences felt brands paired well with the content—inherently creating trust between the brand/advertiser and consumer.

Find the right fit 

Where branded content really shines is its organic and personalized approach. By finding the right blog, social platform or influencer, brands can best engage and bond with their target consumers by relating to their real lives. This fit is more important than ever today—given how conscientious consumers are about the need for real-life brands to reflect their own personal brand and values. In fact, 90%of Americans express favorability toward companies that prioritize well-being in their messaging. And recent Nielsen branded content studies show that, on average, 72% of audiences felt that the talent, like an influencer, was a good fit with the brand. However, only one-third felt that the content was authentic. Branded content doesn’t end with matching the right promoters to your brand, it must also come across as genuine. 

Consistency, consistency, consistency 

The way you grow die-hard brand loyalists is by establishing your brand purpose—and consistently demonstrating that promise. Branded content is widely popular on social media platforms. As these platforms give brands unlimited touchpoints with consumers, consistency is key for staying top of mind in the crowded content space. We found that, on average, only 71% of audiences could recall the brand featured in the content without prompting. If audiences aren’t first recalling content, how can we expect them to grow into brand advocates?

Measure impact

Like all marketing, the only way to know if your branded content is actually working is to measure its performance. You may think your messaging inspires feelings of trustworthiness, innovation, or excitement—but how do you know if you’ve missed the mark? The only way to know for sure is through measurement of top funnel brand KPIs like awareness, familiarity and favorability.

When branded content is built into marketing strategies and supported by real consumer voices, brands and audiences alike can enjoy more authentic and lasting interactions.

No one was prepared for what the world has experienced over the past 18+ months. Globally, the pandemic is far from over and continues to influence much of our everyday lives. Given its impact, the ripple effects, many of which are economic and financial in nature, will be felt for years to come. 

Even after living with COVID-19 for almost two years, the widespread disruption continues to alter Australian consumers’ financial situations, which has resulted in seismic shifts in spending behaviors across the country. In addition to what consumers are buying and where they are spending their money, consumers are also approaching their payment preferences differently than they did pre-pandemic. 

Given financial strain and concerns about hefty interest rates amid economic uncertainty, more than 1 million Australians have cancelled their credits over the past year. But they didn’t do so without having an appealing alternative to turn to. Notably, the allure of digital payment systems offering interest-free payment installments has sparked interest and adoption at a time when many consumers are focused on frugality and looking for more practical offerings from their financial service providers. 

Buy now, pay later services aren’t new financial options for consumers, but their appeal among Australians has been on the rise since entering the market in 2015. That rise then increased notably when the effects of the pandemic set in, bolstered by the flexibility and convenience of interest-free payment plan options—a  dramatically different alternative to traditional credit cards. 

On the ground, adoption over the last year has risen quickly, as the Reserve Bank of Australia reported in March of 2020 that buy now, pay later transactional values had risen by 55%. In its national survey, Australian research consultancy DBM Atlas reported in June 2021 that approximately 14% of Australian adults had made a purchase using a buy now, pay later service in the past four weeks—up from 11% a year earlier.

While adults of all ages are using buy now, pay later services, younger consumers are driving much of the growth—and will continue to do so into the future. Nielsen research shows that almost two-thirds of Australians who have used buy now, pay later payment methods are aged 18-44.

An array of sectors have benefitted from the increased adoption of these payment services, but the upside for clothing, fashion, mobile phone and tablet retailers has been particularly bright, especially when you consider the effects of the pandemic on non-essential shopping trends. Research from Nielsen and DBM Atlas has found that these payment services have opened the door to a new generation of consumers, while improving sales potential for both online and in-store across a wider buyer base. In some retail categories, the adoption has led to bigger basket sizes and has even incentivised customers to spend more than they initially intended.

With connectivity and online engagement well above norms during much of 2020, Nielsen expects that the shift in spending patterns will remain as consumers begin to resume some—or all—of their pre-pandemic activities.

Additional insight into the growth of buy now, pay later services is available in a new joint Nielsen-DBM Atlas report. Additional information about the report and purchase options can be found here.