The Value of Content Partnerships

Generally, a third-party endorsement is always more trusted than a brand’s own endorsement. With this in mind, content partnerships allow brands to invest in endorsements sourced elsewhere while increasing their brand awareness and potentially spending less of their marketing budget.

But what makes content partnerships stand out from user-generated reviews?

Why content partnerships?

A reputable publisher aims to inform its visitors first and foremost. Informed users tend to be converting customers, as by extensively learning about a product or service, they better understand how it’ll suit them. To this end, unbiased reviews grant trust and authority, which can’t be won through content solely published on the brand’s platforms. Ensuring that a brand appears in as many reputable sources as possible increases its authority and reach.

This can take many forms, such as paid partnerships, guest post exchanges, joint events (such as podcast episodes), and influencer marketing – each of these contribute to the brand’s SEO. If a brand’s website boasts many organic links from other places, search engines will place it more prominently, allowing for more traffic to be driven. Informed, quality traffic is consequently more likely to convert into a brand’s customer.

Content standards

To attain quality traffic, it’s important to assess whether the publisher demonstrates certain standards in their contentwhen developing a content partnership. Firstly, the writers and editors should not be influenced by the partnership in any way. It’s vital that they publish their own independent thoughts regarding the relevant brands to ensure unbiased, informative content.

For review content and similar, the team should have a test and research process in place, from directly testing the product or service to analyzing user feedback and reviews. This will ensure that the material is thorough and relevant, giving the publisher the opportunity to tackle and explore the most pressing concerns mentioned by general users.

Additionally, tried-and-tested calls to action should be implemented throughout the content, no matter the type of partnership, along with optimized landing pages. These two key optimizations facilitate the user’s journey through the sales funnel, making it clear and highlighting which steps need to be taken. Effective improvements can be made by consistently analyzing the content’s performance.
If a publisher follows these standards, they’re likely a trustworthy partner with whom to develop a content partnership. Still, there are a few more key aspects to consider.

How to ensure a publisher is trustworthy

With a vast array of existing publishers, deciding which product review sites are trustworthy needs to be taken seriously. Generally, having calls is a good way to develop a relationship and trust in a content partnership. This helps both parties connect by putting a face to the name and being able to clear any questions on the spot.

Similarly, being able to tell there’s a team behind the content testifies to its authenticity. This can be done by providing the names of the team members involved in creating the content or featuring their photos. In most cases, these team members will differ from the team member who coordinates the partnership.

Clear photos, screenshots, and videos of the product or service are often indicators that the publisher was able to test it hands-on and create the content from their experience. Having a clear structure and using industry-specific language when relevant also shows that the team members involved are knowledgeable in that area and well-equipped to discuss the product or service in question. These publisher teams will also actively engage with visitors by replying to comments on their website and social media platforms, promoting further engagement from their users.

Publishers that aim to show their credibility will keep their pages updated with the latest details on their featured products and proudly display any endorsement badges and accreditations they may have accrued over time. Brands featured by these publishers will sometimes include the publisher’s own badges or other mentions to show off the credibility of their own product.

Let’s partner

To sum up, a content partnership is a great third-party endorsement when developed with the right, reputable partners.

The following list can be used to quickly evaluate if a content partnership is suitable for a brand to pursue:

• Does the content publisher align with the brand’s goals and needs?
• Is the publisher able to drive relevant traffic to the brand?
• Does the publisher follow certain standards, eg.
  • Are the writing teams influenced directly by the brands?
  • Does the content publisher enforce a test and research process?
  • Are adequate calls-to-action implemented in the content?
• Is the content publisher trustworthy?
  • Are they available for an introductory call?
  • Is there a larger team behind the published content?
  • Are there authentic images of the featured products and services?
  • Does the content publisher interact with their audience?
  • Are pages generally updated?
  • Do they feature any endorsements or accreditations?

A brand’s representatives always have a strong sense of whether a partnership is a good match or not, but it’s sensible to go through this checklist before making a deal. This type of partnership can significantly elevate a brand and help increase its visibility.

At clovio, we develop close content partnerships with brands on Best Reviews, Feeling Lucky, and Financus. Our teams of experts thoroughly test and research all featured products and services, making sure to experience them hands-on. Get in touch with our Partnerships Team to discuss how we can better promote your brand on our websites.