Last month, we looked at the first two types of user intent. Now we’ll look at the last two.
As a reminder, here are the four types:
- Informational
- Navigational
- Transactional
- Commercial
Transactional intent – When a reader exhibits transactional intent, they are in a mindset to make a purchase or take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading a resource or booking a service. By understanding the audience’s intent, we can craft compelling narratives that highlight promotions, special offers or limited-time deals. This essentially aligns the content with the user’s readiness to act, making it more likely that they will engage with the brand or product being highlighted.
Commercial investigation intent – This is in between informational and transactional. Here, the audience is already researching products or services but aren’t ready to buy or take any actions just yet. They might be in the process of comparing options, reading reviews and trying to understand which one fits their needs. And for branded articles, this means offering content that helps users in their decision-making process — maybe through a side-by-side product comparison or highlighting key benefits of a solution.
Understanding where your reader is in their journey is an important part of understanding the kind of content you need to create to have the most impact.
Sponsored content is the perfect solution to provide readers with the information they are looking for on their journey, whether they’re interested in a topic related to your industry or specifically want to know more about your company.
Here are five campaigns that matched client goals with audience expectations to offer a valuable, engaging story to readers. For more examples and to learn about working with Postmedia Content Works, visit www.postmediasolutions.com/solutions/content/.
California Prunes
With a nod to Osteoporosis Awareness Month in November, California Prunes aimed to increase awareness of the health benefits of consuming prunes regularly, as they have been shown to help in gut, heart and bone health. The story provides insight and educational value to a broad range of age groups, making the case for using prunes in everyday meals and snacks. A secondary objective of the campaign was to promote a slew of new recipes on the California Prunes website. The story offers tips on getting started and also features an interactive quiz readers can take directly on the story page to discover a new recipe suited to their tastes and preferences.
Read the content here: National Post x California Prunes
Destination Quebec City
There are few places more magical at this time of year than Quebec City, but even before the snow starts to fall, the city is a wonderful place to explore, with an impressive list of activities, restaurants and cultural experiences to discover. This interactive page includes stunning visuals and gives readers a guide to the best ways to experience Quebec City. There are also interactive ‘Did you know?’ elements to encourage reader engagement and share valuable tips and tricks for those planning a visit.
Explore the content here: experiencequebeccity.nationalpost.com
Eli Lilly Canada
With nearly 1 in 3 Canadians impacted by obesity, Eli Lilly and Obesity Canada wanted to emphasize the true impact of this chronic disease. The article features interviews with two prominent voices: Ian Patton, director of advocacy and public engagement at Obesity Canada and Dr. Sean Wharton, an internal medicine physician with a practice specializing in obesity management and type 2 diabetes. In addition to interviews and original photography, the article shared top-line findings from a new report, “Modeling the Cost of Inaction in Treating Obesity in Canada.” The results of this study were presented in an easy-to-digest infographic, which was created by a Postmedia designer, and were also leveraged as a carousel for promotion of the story on social media. By sharing expert commentary combined with impactful data and facts, the client’s goal of communicating the realities of the obesity landscape in Canada was achieved.
Read the content here: National Post x Eli Lilly Canada
Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
Having a sick child is unimaginable for any family and can cause untold stress and unexpected financial issues. The Montreal Children’s Foundation supports families who need extra help while their children are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Through P.K.’s Helping Hand foundation, former Montreal Canadiens star P.K. Subban will match donations made to The Children’s Foundation this holiday season, up to $250,000. This article showcased the important work of the Foundation and encouraged Montrealers to donate.
Read the content here: Montreal Gazette x Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
Okushu Tours
Okushu Tours specializes in small group tours to give their clients an intimate experience of their travel destination. Okushu Tours worked with Content Works to create a 750-word article to highlight their two tours of Japan that focus on wellness and spirituality: The Japan Wellness and Cultural Tour and the Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage Tour. The article showcased that Okushu Tours can show travellers a different side of Japan and help them bond with its unique culture while avoiding crowded tourist traps.
Read the content here: National Post x Okushu Tours
For more examples and to learn about working with Postmedia Content Works, visit www.postmediasolutions.com/solutions/content/.
