Articles | November 30, 2016 | 3 min read

Mobile Branded Content Engagement is 63% Higher vs PC: Publisher Takeaways

In a 2016 survey on the state of branded content that Polar.me conducted, the percentage of engagement with branded content on mobile devices was 63% higher than on PC. So we all know that our engagement with brands is shifting from the PC to Mobile.

We use our favourite apps, order food, book cabs, read articles on the go and even do shopping online. So what does this mean for Publishers? There’s a huge untapped audience out there waiting to interact and engage with your brand on their mobile devices. If you don’t already have a mobile marketing plan that includes branded content, here’s what you need to consider.

Image: Marketing Land

You Need A Mobile First Strategy

If you don’t have one yet now is the time. A mobile first strategy isn’t just about creating apps and putting your content on them. Considering over 85% of the millennial generation owns a smartphone. You need to be able to create a great customized experience for every single customer, something that makes millennials – your primary audience right now – feel validated and valued as individuals. With ad revenues falling and traditional forms of advertising failing, now is the time to form partnerships with brands that resonate with the ideas and values of your publication.

Responsiveness Can’t Be An Afterthought

The core of any mobile strategy is the tech behind it. Designing responsively can’t be an afterthought anymore. It has to be an integrated part of your design process, preferably with a designer and engineer dedicated to keeping your mobile app or website experience truly awesome. Sites like Mobify can help you see what’s out there and draw inspiration for your own responsive mobile design strategy.

Image: HuffPost Partner Studio

You Need To Get Creative

In a recent survey of over 400 publishers, 60% believe that monetization will be their biggest challenge. Unfortunate as this number may be, the ray of hope lies in partnerships with the right kind of advertisers, promoting the brands that your customers care about. Publishers such as Vice and HuffPost have creative arms such as Vice Virtue and the HuffPost Partner Studio – which makes it easier for them to collaborate with brands and create branded content.

In App Experiences Need to Evolve

Artificial Intelligence powered chatbots are all the rage now, and you might want to make use of them. Interacting with your customers in-app reduces the amount of email you send them, and allows you to form a fun bond with them through quizzes, games, and chat – all great ways to bring branded content into your publishing mix.

Image: Lady Gaga x Intel

You Need To Stay Honest

Polar.me’s survey’s have also found that the most commonly used term for branded content is “Sponsored” which was 3x as much as the next most popular term, “Promoted”. 85% of native ad units examined by Polar contained only one ‘disclosure term’ that suggested the news was paid for or branded. The takeaway? Stay honest. You owe it to your audience to be clear about what is branded content and what isn’t and they have the right to be discerning about consuming it.

The world of branded content is sure to change across devices and channels, stay tuned to discover more about how it may change in 2017.