In this week’s briefing:
- Software buyers say they don’t trust content produced by software companies
- Confidence in media is at a low point, matching 2016 levels
- Political ads made by AI may soon require disclosures
Software buyers don’t trust SaaS content
Content marketing remains one of the most important sources of information for software buyers researching and making purchasing decisions according to new research from OGM. A survey of 558 software buyers found that company blogs and websites are the second-most common source of information after Google Search.
But, but, but: Only 12% of buyers said software companies are the most trusted source of information on B2B topics, behind forums and communities (20%), reviews (26%) and influencers (15%.) The issue appears to be one of quality – 55% of respondents said content feels too similar, and 39% said they zone out or “glaze over” content that appears on company blogs or websites.
The findings track with what we’ve been hearing from a number of brand marketers over the past few months. A growing number of marketing execs recognize that simply creating content to win at the search game is not a long-term strategy – instead, they need to be focused on truly answering audiences’ queries first and foremost. Further, the sea of sameness that has marked online content recently makes it even more important for content publishers to ensure they create content that is of high quality enough to stand out.
As audiences become more discerning, that becomes paramount. And as generative AI becomes more popular, companies investing in content must know they will need to commit fully to creating original, high-value content – not simply SEO-first content.
(The survey also found that 36% of respondents agreed with the statement that “ChatGPT has mostly replaced Google search for me regarding answers to B2B software solutions,” indicating that many are already turning to AI to get answers to questions.)
The findings also track with another key point: That trust should become the KPI more brand publishers aspire to. Building and retaining audience trust is now a must-have as content proliferates, and that should be the marker brand publishers are watching closely.
Brand safety fears may help brand publishers’ monetization efforts
For years, and particularly after the 2016 election cycle, brand safety has become a weird sort of obsession among media circles. Oftentimes it’s used as an excuse to not advertise anywhere near the news – particularly when the news is extra-hot, such as during elections, protests, or war. Reliable, high-quality news publishers often suffer because of this. But one interesting viewpoint came from a brand marketer trying to monetize their own content operations. This CMO wondered if this might be a good time to go out pitching their own publication as a viable alternative to news sites. “We don’t cover the news, which sadly might actually be to our benefit.”
Media confidence matches 2016 low
Only 32% of Americans say they trust the mass media a “great deal” or “fair amount” to report the news in a full, fair and accurate way, according to That ties with Gallup’s lowest historical reading, previously recorded in 2016.
At Advertising Week New York, a nod to the growing importance of branded entertainment
“If you look at the fragmentation of the media landscape and how hard it is to reach consumers and the choices a brand has, the only way you’re going to get noticed is if you’re entertaining. We’ve put marketing in a box where it has to deliver a function and drive a message. In that methodical focus, people lost sight of entertaining,” said Dan Sanborn, head of marketing, and president Kimmelot and Wheelhouse Labs.
Michigan demands clear labels on political content created using AI
Michigan lawmakers are attempting to require clear labels and disclaimers on any campaign ads that use artificial intelligence. Four other states have already adopted similar legislation, and while the bill specifically targets political advertising, it may have some effect on how AI-generated content is labeled in the future.
New branded entertainment push at Hartbeat
Kevin Hart’s entertainment company, Hartbeat, is expanding into branded entertainment. It hired two new executives to lead that push. Janina Lundy is the company’s new executive VP, head of marketing and brand strategy; while Adam Puchalsky is Hartbeat’s new exec VP and global head of Pulse, the company’s branded entertainment studio.
Publishers grapple with Google’s AI-powered search
Reuters explores the conundrum so many major publishers face with the launch of Google’s Search Generative Experience: “If publishers want to prevent their content from being used by Google’s AI to help generate summaries, they must use the same tool that would also prevent them from appearing in Google search results, rendering them virtually invisible on the web”. For brand publishers, challenges are not dissimilar, and it’s likely it’ll lead to more of them having to pay for distribution. Platforms always win.