Brand journalism: the future of our industry
As the print media continues to shrink and decline, brand journalism is the buzzword on our industry's lips as content marketing evolves into engaging newsroom-style messaging.
The term "brand journalism" has existed for close to a decade, with Larry Light using the term in 2004. At the time, he was chief marketing officer at McDonald's and claimed that mass marketing no longer worked, introducing brand journalism as a method of recording "what happens to a brand in the world".
The term "brand journalism" has existed for close to a decade, with Larry Light using the term in 2004. At the time, he was chief marketing officer at McDonald's and claimed that mass marketing no longer worked, introducing brand journalism as a method of recording "what happens to a brand in the world".
So what is brand journalism exactly? Brand journalism transcends traditional marketing staples such as competitions, product launches, eDMs and brochures. According to Forbes, it involves marketers using the tools of digital publishing and social media to speak directly to consumers. As axes continue to swing in traditional newsrooms, this area of media and communications industry is slowly growing and will shake up decades of journalism as we know it.
In today's vast digital landscape, the future belongs to businesses that self-publish and become the media, creating content by covering their organisation and industry like a news reporter.
Here's how you can begin implementing a brand journalism communications strategy in your business:
1. Hire a journalist! Seasoned journalists know where it's at - they are knowledgeable and experienced, with a background of using engaging hooks and emotive language to entice consumers into reading on. Media professionals are continuing to cross over to corporates and consultancies as media organisations buckle and fold - it would be silly to overlook their storytelling experience and interpersonal skills.
2. Tell meaningful stories. Brand journalism is not about the hard sell - it's about narrating the business's story using the credibility and influence of news to tell a corporate tale. Taking on the established principles of traditional journalism and good storytelling helps your business stand out from the pack and achieve competitive differentiation from its competitors.
3. Balance is key. Don't just paint a cheerful story of your business and its success - share its challenges and you're continuing to deal with them. If there is an industry-wide issue which is giving you a headache, talk to consumers about it. Open the back door and let them see the inner workings of your business.
4. Respond swiftly. If a big news event or current affairs story related to your industry breaks, don't wait - act straightaway. Timeliness is key, which is where your brand journalist comes in. They'll have years of experience dashing to breaking news events and filing stories against the clock on a daily basis.
5. Initiate two-way conversations. After putting your brand story out, engage with your consumers and potential clients on social media - there's a full range of platforms for businesses to invite engagement by being in the palms of their consumers' hands. Social media is no longer an option; it's a must.
─ Eliza Sum
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comments ( 3 )
Joseph
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Amir Aldean
18 Apr 2013Brand journalism is a topic that interests me a lot and I believe this blog post highlights the very important steps in utilising it for the benefit of your company.
ReplyHowever I would suggest that it is important to not only focus on the upcoming trend of brand journalism, but also to understand its roots. This will help in staying ahead of the game next time the rules of marketing are flipped on its head.
I personally believe that brand journalism is not a new discipline, but a combination of traditional marketing, public relations and internal and external communications.
Then when I thought about it a step further, I thought: "what is the glue that stuck all these disciplines together?" The answer is simple: the digital age has arrived and is snowballing down a beautiful and scary path.
The rise of the internet and consumer accessible technology means that communication has never been faster or easier. Whilst this has its benefits for companies in terms of advertising and marketing campaigns, it also brings with it a lot of threat. If an organisation "slips up" in todays world, it does so publicly, and the public are not a very forgiving audience.
So I think it is clear that although technology can be harvested for its benefits, it is also something that needs to be watched by every company. The next time there is a leap in technology, organisations could find themselves drowning in a new world with new rules and as everyone knows in the business world, its sink or swim in such times.