The publishing world is in a constant state of flux, with more publications moving online and developing apps and mobile formats. Interestingly, just as the traditional publishing world is changing, we’ve seen an enormous growth in brands emerging as a new type of publisher – Amex and Procter & Gamble are just two great examples.

Branded content is nothing new — since the 1950s we’ve had soap operas with big brand manufacturers like Colgate-Palmolive as sponsors, enabling them to tie in their products with storylines to get closer to their audience and evolve the brand experience.

Today digital and social media provide brands with new opportunities to become publishers. Many brands are capitalising on this, creating high-quality editorial content and using channels like Facebook, YouTube, branded websites, newsletters and magazines to engage their target audience.

Content marketing continues to be one of the rising stars of the marketing mix – according to research from the Content Marketing Association this year, 73% of marketers say they will increase or maintain their content marketing budgets over the next 12 months. Branded content is engaging, provides value and adds to the online experience instead of interrupting it.

While publishers are challenged with both decreasing readerships and budgets, many brands have the resources and expertise to create genuinely interesting and relevant content for their audiences. While content marketing may not lead to direct sales, brands like Unilever and Kraft are investing in it to build their reputation and improve engagement.

Four tips for developing successful brand content

So, as brands increasingly move into this space, how can they provide great content and positively impact their business? I’d like to offer some tips I’ve gathered as a result of my discussions with marketers across a range of sectors, including beauty, telecoms and travel:

1. Create content that can be trusted

Producing quality content is not an issue, but getting your audience to overcome their distrust for branded content can be. One marketer in the beauty sector I spoke to recently said that to combat this they had partnered with bloggers to create content, which enables them to earn credibility via independent third-party recommendations. Trust should remain top-of-mind, as consumers will turn their backs on content that reeks of a marketing message.

2.  Localise your content

When it comes to creating content for an international audience, remember that different demographics and cultures are likely to respond differently to the same piece of content. Content therefore needs to not only be translated but also localised according to language and culture to gain authenticity in each market and ensure relevancy to global customers.

3.  Ensure the right resources are in place

While it is clear branded content can be hugely beneficial, not all marketers have the resources to create it. Without support from senior management, content marketing and publishing initiatives won’t survive. This doesn’t just mean budget; it means having the correct infrastructure and expertise in place.

Although a relatively new practice, content marketing can be viewed as an add-on to other forms of advertising, but this is a mistake and content marketers need the foundation and authority to develop great content. Brands must empower content marketers to focus on their craft.

4.  Measure your success

An essential element for a successful content marketing strategy is measurement so you can understand what’s working well and how to improve. Develop a key performance indicator (KPI) for every piece of content you create and publish to determine its impact. This could include building a model to track users’ journeys from seeing a piece of content through to conversion, measuring how much time people are spending reading articles or watching videos, recording page views and return visits, or measuring social media shares and sentiment.

Alex Cheeseman is senior director brands & agencies at Outbrain UK.