Brand Journalism: how-to, a success guide

by BizBOXTV / Thursday, 20 December 2012 / Published in Brand Journalism™

No matter how you define it, brand journalism has a number of key principles:

It provides customers with true value. It’s not a sales pitch and is without a hidden agenda.
It’s transparent. Like traditional journalism, brand journalism is built upon a commitment to factual, unbiased information. It provides an opportunity for you to provide comment on important industry issues and trends, and helps to establish your brand as a leader.
It’s relevant. Good journalists know what kind of content their audience wants. Brands need to know this too. Make it a priority to understand what your customers want and need from you. Answer their questions and provide them with the information they care about. This is exactly what a traditional journalist does.
It’s trustworthy and “real”. Journalists have to be unbiased, and although you’re handling PR for a brand, you should make an effort to provide content that offers your audience more than a plug for a product or service. Feel free to express individual ideas and respond to comments on Facebook, Twitter and your blog with a “human” voice. Don’t forget to encourage conversation.
It’s compelling. Think outside the box and focus on storytelling. Find the human angle of your business and share it. This is one of journalism’s fundamental characteristics.
It’s built on multimedia. Journalism isn’t limited to print and your brand shouldn’t be either. Get creative and use as many mediums as possible to tell your brand’s stories.