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One of the main public relations goals for our construction equipment clients is to be published in the industry trade magazines their customers read. Advertising in those magazines keeps the brand visible, but what we are after is inclusion in the editorial itself: the feature articles.
Editorial coverage carries a credibility that advertising cannot buy.
A feature article covers a topic or trend the industry wants to know more about. It is brand-generic, it runs at no cost to the companies included and it usually carries a byline. Features typically run 1,000 to 1,500 words with four or five photos to illustrate the topic.
Think of the long article teased on a magazine's front cover about undercarriage maintenance or choosing the right compaction equipment for a soil type. That is a feature article.
An advertorial is a blend of editorial and advertising. It is a paid placement written to promote a company's product, service or point of view, but designed to resemble an editorial page in style and layout. Advertorials usually run 500 to 800 words with one or two photos, no byline and the advertiser's logo and tagline somewhere on the page.
Think of the page that tells you all about the latest whiz-bang attachment from one of the magazine's advertisers. That is an advertorial.
Both have a purpose. Each can build brand awareness, educate the magazine's audience, generate interest and drive sales leads.
An advertorial is the right choice when you need full control of the message, the timing and the placement. You pay for that control.
A feature article is a different approach. Once we submit information to an editor, we are no longer in control of the message. The editor decides what runs. They may use everything we provide, pull a few useful nuggets or use nothing at all. But because inclusion is not paid, the article positions our client as an expert in the field, and being presented as an expert by a trusted third party builds a kind of credibility advertising cannot buy. Credibility leads to sales, which is the end goal of both PR and advertising.
Most of our clients use both. Earned features carry the credibility and reach, and a well-timed advertorial supports a launch or a campaign where the message has to be exact. If you have questions about which approach fits a specific goal, visit our ‣ page and we will talk it through.