Insights

Editorial or Advertorial: Which is Better?

Author - armstrong-admin
16.03.2022

On the vast B2B marketing ocean, there are various ways to grab audiences’ attention. Social posts and blogs are beneficial, but they demand time. If you need to speed up the process or are planning to reach an audience that is not on social media, you can resort to the good old editorial or advertorial. But which one is better?

The answer depends on the kind of audience you’re trying to attract and the type of message you’re trying to share. Before answering which is better, first we have to understand the differences between them.

What is the difference between editorial and advertorial?

The main difference lies in that one is entirely free, and the other is paid and can cost thousands of pounds. Saying it like that, the choice is clear, right?

Not so fast. Although you don’t need to pay for editorials, you also don’t control what the publication or the website will publish about your company or product.

• Editorial

To be clear: an editorial is not an advert. You don’t pay for it, but you might have to pay a marketing or PR agency to create a press release that will work as the basis for the editorial.

It means that the media organisation publishing the article won’t receive any money for talking about your company. On the other hand, the newspaper or site might publish a piece criticising you or the company.

A significant advantage of the editorial is its credibility. It has the same visual presentation as any other article in the publication or site. It shows the reader that, in principle, the organisation’s journalist checked the information before writing the piece.

The company has no control over what will be publicised, but there are ways to influence journalists to talk about what you want. The best strategy is to create an article that seems neutral, without adjectives (such as best, innovative, etc.), and as unbranded as possible. If you’re talking about a product, create a review-like article instead of an advertising styled one.

The tone of voice should be the one used by the media outlet, and no footnotes or references should be added to the press release.

• Advertorial

Advertorials work more or less like advertising. However, as sometimes they can have a visual presentation similar to a regular article, it has more credibility than a standard ad. On the other hand, the media outlet will likely indicate to the reader that it’s paid content.

Another advantage is that it can show promotional imagery and trademark symbols.

The main disadvantage of an advertorial is its credibility. Brands trying to reach a more qualified audience might prefer to use editorials, since a more scholarly public can discard the information presented as pure propaganda.

Should you use advertorial or editorial?

To choose the best option, you must think about your communication goals. If you’re talking about a controversial theme such as an image crisis, investing in an advertorial is better. At the same time, if you’re trying to speak with a highly educated audience, or if you’re sure that your product has an unrivalled selling point, it’s best to use the credibility of an editorial.

Are you looking for a B2B marketing strategy that’s right for your organisation? We can help. Get in touch with ArmstrongB2B^® today.