How To Create Authentic Branded Content
Carla Choy Photography
From our SIMPLY Digital partnership with Dove and Fashion Snoops
Authentic branded content: sounds like an oxymoron, right? But if you're a blogger who wants to work with brands and monetize your influence, authentic (or at least authentic seeming) content is key.
Yes, you'll still have to disclose your brand partnership using FTC guidelines, but even then, there are ways to create sponsored posts that don't feel like an obnoxious freeway billboard.
Here are our top tips to creating strong branded content:
1. Be Selective With Your Partnerships
First thing's first: always be discerning when it comes to selecting brand partnerships. Yes, we all want to make hundreds of thousands off of Instagrams and blog posts, but consider the long term goal. Followers are pretty savvy to branded partnerships these days, and they'll pick up pretty quickly if you're posting nothing but disingenuous cash grabs.
The best way to decide if a brand partnership is right for you: ask yourself if you would use or share this product with your followers if you weren't being paid. If the answer is no, this might not be the best brand partnership.
2. Consider How You Photograph The Product
Capturing content for a sponsored post can be tricky. Brands often have a specific set of guidelines for their photos that you'll need to keep in mind, like keeping the logo visible and paying attention to your background. However, that doesn't mean you need to post a cheesy selfie with you holding up the product.
Flat lays, candid shots, and lifestyle photos are all great ways to showcase a product in a way that aren't painfully obvious.
Here are some examples of branded content that we approve of:
3. Adapt It To Your Style + Get Creative
The best way to make branded content that feels genuine is to keep it true to your style and get creative with it. If Old Navy approaches you about doing a sponsored post and you're known for wearing designer pieces, do a high-low outfit post and show that not all great fashion has to cost a fortune. If you're known to talk about versatility and getting the most out of your closet, show your readers how to style a piece 3 different ways.
Get inventive with how you talk about the product and show it in a way that naturally fits into your lifestyle, and your followers will love it!