This SWMS cheat sheet is unlike any other we’ve done, combining insights on contributed posts and paid posts across 146 publications in B2B and B2C.
A while back — OK, a long while back — a subscriber asked us to look into sponsored content. What were the trends? What was more common, one-offs or comprehensive packages? Are agencies increasingly “owning” sponsored content for their clients?
Sponsored content can be a very daunting investment (at least it was to me when I first learned about its cost) but offering target audiences a controlled message with a massive credibility boost presents a significant opportunity.
Sponsored content is a tool in the toolbox. Considering the expense, it’s smart to know exactly what one hopes to accomplish with it, and that it’s the right tool for the job. To that end, our sponsored content deep-dive spotted five prominent themes/purposes in 2021.
Now and again we receive a valet request for a list of publications that profile C-title executives for a fee. We hereby present such a list. Web traffic is thin to these titles. Caveat emptor.
Is paid content worth it? It’s still expensive in the big shops. If you’re OK sponsoring newsletters and podcasts, your dollar goes further. The following are the most actionable takeways from research contributed by veteran tech edit veteran Keith Shaw.
Paid content is a tool in the toolbox, and one that deserves a long look in these chaotic times. Keep an eye on our newly-freshened and ever-growing list of publications and their rates — B2B and B2C.
YOUR ACCOUNT
FRIDGE NOTES
Bloomberg reporter Matthew Boyle Tweets: “Another hour lost to rooting around a startup’s ‘newsroom’ page, looking in vain through the fawning case studies and trite “thought leadership” blog posts for the name of an actual human media contact with an email address and (!) phone number.”
So 1/5 of The Verge and 1/5 of Vox, and the other titles, now belong to the publisher of Rolling Stone and Women’s Wear Daily. Interesting deal and a nice scoop from the NYT.
CNET insiders are leaking, helping Mia Sato deliver this powerful story, which alleges that CNET buckles to advertisers, and also, that editors knew about the unreliable AI-written copy, but owner Red Ventures made them use it anyway.
The latest from Futurism: ‘Leaked Messages Show How CNET’s Parent Company Really Sees AI-Generated Content…
They’re happy to spoonfeed you unlabeled AI garbage — but they’re terrified Google will take notice.’
Great scoop from the WSJ’s Alexandra Bruell (sub required).
Tweeted by Axios health tech reporter Erin Brodwin: “If you’re pitching me on a company’s credentials, no need to tell me how great the founding team is, where they’ve worked, etc. — I’ll find out. Tell me how they solve a problem, how they’re diff from rivals (and there are *always* rivals), how they track outcomes and get paid.”
AI won’t replace accountants, says ChatGPT, as published in Accounting Today.
