In this era that values authenticity, storytelling that reflects the brand and inspires customers, employees, and investors, is central to successful marketing and communications.

The percolating discussion of "storytelling" is also a refreshed way to think of content. Consumer communication continues to adapt to: changing lifestyles, the influx of technology to create an "always on" world and an increasingly fragmented media landscape. In this era of personalization, bringing brands to life with stories that create an emotional connection and engage with consumers when and where they are making purchasing decisions (i.e. social media, brand activity, location-based apps, etc.) -- as well as in between -- has become the holy grail in marketing and PR.

Best practices reveal that brands are sharing stories with consumers to bring their brands to life, as well as enabling consumers to share their experiences in their own voices to their own circle of friends.

Employees continue to have a bigger role to play as brand ambassadors, telling their own stories about their experience with the brand. Amplifying and complimenting formal marketing campaigns, these first-person accounts are key to bringing the brand to life internally and externally.

Paid editorial or "native content" as it is often called, has expanded its presence beyond print
across media platforms. While it's received a lot of attention lately, "advertorial" has been around for a long time. It has been used historically for brands/advertisers to control a message or educate an audience, typically with in-depth information to demonstrate market leadership, set the record straight on a particular issue, introduce new ideas, products or services, or immerse readers in the brand's point of view. Often part of or tied to an advertising campaign, advertorial was used occasionally at most, and not as a part of all campaigns.

This is changing with content publishers struggling to find new revenue sources. Offering custom content tied to a company brand message presents a way to entice advertisers looking for new vehicles to offset the decreased effectiveness of traditional display, banner and television advertising.

The increased use of native content has brought with it added scrutiny from media industry pundits and watchdogs worried that editorial integrity is being lost, and that consumers are increasingly able to discern "native" and may be skeptical about its objectivity. It is important to keep the following issues in mind when planning your own native content strategy:

• The role of "earned media" and news will become even more competitive as publishers and editors must decide how to divide the landscape.
• Advertorial had been a long form print format that the industry, advertisers and consumers understood. Now it is popping up in more places in a publication, and must be clearly identified as distinct from editorial.
• Consumers need to know the difference between editorial and "native" paid content. We'll need to monitor consumer perceptions and the role it plays over time.
• As with many trends, new language sheds a spotlight on a known tactic. Currently, this elevation of "native" into the marketing conversation has created an opportunity to expand its presence.
• The rise of blogs as an important news source and the reenergized dedication to build websites as significant content platforms gives rise to the desire to create more content to ensure your brand is participating in relevant conversations.

How do you decide which stories to tell? Ideas to share? Opinions to reveal?

Devise an editorial calendar that maps brand milestones, key lifestyle events and customer interests and plan a content message strategy that expresses your brand voice and point of view.

Do this with the understanding that the topics and approach must be meaningful to your key audiences: customers, investors, employees, etc.

Define your audience: Who are your customer segments? By what sector, demographic, behaviors/life style?

It is always best to know who you are communicating with before you dive into decisions about content substance, platform and method.

Original content:

Engage:

With the brand at the center, it's important to select effective talent that brings ideas and capabilities to express the brand essence strategically. The right resources understand the connection between audience channel and message and bring creativity to develop purposeful communications. It's wise to be cautious about those who lead with a list of tactics focused on distribution location, which should not be the content development driver.

Today there is a debate percolating as to whether the advertising agency, PR firm or in-house brand team owns content strategy and creation. Regardless of who contributes expertise to develop the strategy and execute it, the brand team needs to drive and own its content.

Historically, PR has approached content as brand positioning, message strategy, thought leadership and story angles. We help our clients build the brand's value proposition, educate about the brand, its benefits and features, and even engage audiences. The advertising agency has historically been charged with developing the creative strategy and campaign designed to build an emotional connection for the brand and often tie that to purchasing decisions.

Ultimately, it is up to the brand to determine which resources -- agency, agency type or individuals -- are best at grasping the brand essence and most effectively at communicating about it to target audiences and channels.