Five reasons why marketers shouldn’t underestimate the power of editorial

In recent years, the perception of editorial’s capacity to inform purchase decisions has declined. Mail Metro Media — the advertising home to several UK newsbrands — believes platforms and content creators who use last-click attribution to claim accountability are partially to blame. 

“Whilst it’s important for all media to be accountable,” says Lauren Dick, Mail Metro Media’s executive director of media & data, “the reliance on last-click attribution often doesn’t give the full picture in terms of the discovery of a brand or product and, ultimately, the influence on purchasing behaviours.”

Publishers’ belief in editorial remains steadfast, however. Newsbrands continue to attract those who are actively searching out information, and as a result, are able to instigate action at the discovery moment of the funnel.

From Mail Metro Media’s Lauren Dick, here are five reasons why marketers shouldn’t underestimate the power of editorial to generate business results.

1. Your campaign strategy will be data-rich and bespoke 

“Across the Mail Metro Media portfolio, we have a wealth of first-party data, from super fandom-level interest through to intent and impulse purchase,” says Dick.

“Using our award-winning dmg::ID tool, this data allows us to carve out bespoke strategies that will not only reach an entire target audience but will also influence them to drive outcomes and ensure an immediate impact from our media.”

2. You tap into audiences who are already highly engaged 

Dick says what truly stands Mail Metro Media apart is the “deep engagement” of its users: “For example, if we capture a segment of users who have booked a holiday through one of our white label partners, we then also see those same users reading about travel hacks to keep kids entertained on long flights. This means that we can then tailor product recommendations to their profile as parents as well as holiday makers, and show them the best-rated children's suncreams.” 

These audiences, when applied to display, video, content, or social using dmg::ID, are then optimised during the campaign, actively updating throughout with synergy cohorts that improve outcomes, from clicks through to brand consideration or even sales.

Ultimately, this also allows Mail Metro Media to personalise the e-commerce experience for users, so they see the trending products that are most relevant to them, and drive a higher conversion performance for any featured brands.

3. Your strategy will evolve in real-time to maximise performance

“We aim to be completely flexible and open to how brands can challenge us,” says Dick. “Not just with their media metrics, but with specific business goals they need to deliver — whether that be sales of a new product, highlighting better pricing with one retailer versus another, or even delivering in-store footfall in certain regions.” 

The combination of expansive audience profiles, coupled with audiences who love its content, means Mail Metro Media has the power to move the needle across multiple outcomes.

“We are now in a position to offer client-specific data strategies built from the knowledge we have about a brand and even about its competitors. This is fueled by every interaction we have with those brands; from content mentions to commerce ad clicks.”

Mail Media Metro’s data strategies evolve in real-time based on the performance of the campaign. Its intent segments are continuously updated in line with key trends and peak retail periods, such as Black Friday, so it can continuously add more relevant users to our intent profiles. 

4. Your campaign — told in a trusted, editorial voice

“40% of our content is reporting on the news cycle and is made up of what you might expect: world news, politics, and breaking stories. However, the other 60% of our content spans sports, lifestyle, travel, and shopping - but the same core tenants remain,” says Dick.

“We are using our trusted editorial voice to deliver authentic storytelling, but in a voice and style that is relevant for the platform it is being consumed on to ensure we are always engaging and relevant.” 

Mail Metro Media’s approach is based on its understanding that people want more than just a simple ‘Buy Now’ product message. “They don’t just want to know there is a sale at their favourite store, they want to see the products tested in vertical 30-second video, reviewed in long-form pieces by our expert team, and photographed on relatable models so that they are genuinely informed and in the best position to purchase,” says Dick.

5. You capture consumers at the point of discovery

“The authentic voice we curate across our channels also ensures that our content is trusted and relatable, but crucially, still sits firmly in the discovery moment of the funnel,” says Dick, “meaning that we can influence product decisions that are not already decided upon, and at the point of product search.”

The world of e-commerce is forward-thinking in terms of how to measure overall contributions, where we can drive significant exposure, even if we don’t deliver the last click.

“For brands, as they are integrating into the narratives that we publish every single day, 2,000 times a day, we can be incredibly agile if something is working - or if it's not! We have the ability to piggyback on viral moments, celebrity trends, and even a heatwave by creating, recreating, and editing content that delivers brand messaging in the most effective way,” she says.

Explore more of these insights at Mail Metro Media.

Lauren Dick, executive director of media and data, Mail Metro Media.