The Works by Content Works: October 2024

When we’re talking about branded content, one of the topics we often discuss is user intent.

The most effective ads are those that align with the reader’s mindset at that specific time, which can be a tricky thing to do, as native advertising isn't just about placing ads where people *might* see them — it’s about understanding what they’re looking for or interested in at that moment or stage of a customer journey, and then delivering content that naturally fits into that experience.

There are four types of user intent:

1. Informational 
2. Transactional 
3. Navigational 
4. Commercial  

Here we’ll discuss the first two. Come back next month for the final two.

Informational intent – This is when a reader is actively seeking knowledge or answers. They’re looking to learn something specific, which can be anything from what to consider when choosing a new pet food, or how AI can help streamline business decisions.  

Navigational intent – When a user exhibits navigational intent, they are actively seeking to find a specific website or brand, often after having prior knowledge or interest in that entity. This presents a unique opportunity for paid media to engage those users effectively with clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) that guide users toward their websites or particular product pages.  

Sponsored content is the perfect solution to meet your readers with the information they are looking for on their journey, whether they’re interested in a general topic 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/.

Black Diamond Cheese

This sponsored content story creates awareness of Black Diamond’s new partnership with Food Banks Canada and their commitment to donate $50,000 worth of cheese to Food Banks Canada locations across the country. The story educates readers on the hardships food banks across the country face, especially when it comes to obtaining healthy, fresh foods. Along with outlining Black Diamond’s role in the partnership, the story also encourages readers to be part of the movement, either by donating fresh foods to their local food bank, or by purchasing a Black Diamond product in the month of October, which would support Black Diamond’s donation goals this year and beyond.

Read the content here: National Post x Black Diamond Cheese

Breakfast Club of Canada

With the rising cost of living, food insecurity is affecting more Canadians than ever, and an increasing number of children are going to school without food. This article, in collaboration with Breakfast Club of Canada, brings awareness to this issue and highlights the incredible work the foundation is doing to feed young Canadians before school. It also encourages readers to donate their time or money to Breakfast Club of Canada and showcases how important it is for children to have a nutritious breakfast before school.

Read the content here: National Post x Breakfast Club of Canada

Brookfield Residential

Brookfield Residential, a real estate developer, wanted to show the benefits of living in the Edmonton community of Edgemont by highlighting its sustainable approach to building and the prime location with easy access to both the city and the country. The article on the Edmonton Journal also included an interactive infographic that highlighted the community "By the Numbers."

Read the content here: Edmonton Journal x Brookfield Residential

Emerald Cruises

Emerald Cruises wanted to highlight its luxury river cruises planned for 2025 on Europe's Danube River. The goal was to deliver a high-impact, interactive content experience for readers to inspire them to consider booking a river cruise. We created a Ceros dynamic web page to show off the top features of Emerald's ships and give readers a taste of the varied destinations.

Explore the content here: National Post x Emerald Cruises

Samsung

To promote Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold6 smartphone, this sponsored content story featured a testimonial from Canadian business owner Fatima Zaidi on how the device has helped her grow her business, become more productive and collaborate easily with staff, whether in the office or on the go. Timed to launch during Small Business Month, the story covers the new suite of integrated AI-enhanced tools and capabilities through practical examples of Zaidi’s day to day workflow. High quality images of the device and a video featuring Zaidi were displayed on the digital story page, adding an additional touchpoint to readers’ engagement with the story.

Read the content here: National Post x Samsung

For more examples and to learn about working with Postmedia Content Works, visit www.postmediasolutions.com/solutions/content/.