Evaluating Advertorial Value: Metrics and Best Practices for Content Marketers

Content marketing has become a crucial component of any modern digital marketing strategy. To maximize the impact of sponsored content or advertorials, it is essential to evaluate the metrics and determine the worth of such content. This article delves into the key factors to consider when deciding to invest in an advertorial or sponsored article, including domain authority, backlink profiles, and email subscriber counts. It also provides insights into the common goals of content marketers and the methodologies to assess the value of these initiatives effectively.

Key Metrics to Consider

Evaluating the quality and quantity of reach that an advertorial or sponsored article will generate is critical. Here are some common metrics content marketers use to determine the value:

Domain Authority (DA): This measures the overall authority and credibility of a website. A higher DA indicates a more authoritative website, which can attract more organic traffic. Backlink Profile: The number of referring domains can indicate the website's popularity and reach. A well-structured backlink profile can significantly boost the advertorial's SEO performance. Monthly Unique Visits: This metric reflects the organic traffic a website attracts in a month. A higher number of monthly unique visits suggests a larger audience. Email Subscriber Count: The number of email subscribers can indicate the website's active audience and potential for future marketing efforts.

Based on my experience, a typical expectation for a high-quality advertorial would have metrics like:

DA 40–60 Approximately 500 referring domains 2500–5000 monthly unique visits 500 email subscribers

However, it is essential to note that results can vary significantly. Exposure in a specific niche can substantially increase these numbers, and the choice to invest should align with the content marketer's goals.

Goals of Content Marketers

Content marketers typically aim to achieve one of four primary goals through advertorials:

More Brand Awareness More Site Traffic More Warm Leads More Closed Sales

The value of an advertorial is directly related to its ability to drive people closer to the bottom of the conversion funnel. If the advertorial targets a focused audience of ideal clients, it becomes even more valuable. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the traffic volume the website can bring to the advertorial/articles.

Assessing ROI and Investment

The return on investment (ROI) is a key factor in deciding whether to invest in an advertorial. A 3:1 ROI is generally considered a good benchmark. If you think you can drive at least three times the amount you are being asked to spend on the advertorial, then it is a worthwhile investment. Otherwise, it may be better to avoid it.

Testing and Scaling Efforts

At Marque Media, we believe that the best approach is to test until you gather enough data to make informed decisions. Testing can be done organically to save costs or paid to achieve a larger audience. Here are some steps to consider:

Test Organically or Paid?: If you have the resources, testing organically can be more cost-effective. However, if you don't have a large audience, paid testing can be necessary to gather more data. Set Budgets for Testing: For every 100–200 you would spend on average, set a budget of 5–10. Run about three variations against each other to gather data. Analyze and Scale: Use the data from the tests to determine which ad set performs best. Scale those successful ad sets and invest in larger budgets to optimize your overall performance.

The decision on whether to invest further will ultimately depend on your investment capital and the performance of the tested ads.

Conclusion

Choosing the right advertorial or sponsored article requires a thorough evaluation of the metrics involved and alignment with your marketing goals. By understanding the domain authority, backlink profile, monthly unique visits, and email subscriber count, content marketers can make informed decisions about the value of these initiatives. Testing and scaling efforts can provide valuable insights to optimize investment and achieve better results.