The MAT release has been around for years. If you’re a longtime PR professional, you’re well aware of how this branded style of content works in the industry. If you’re new to the PR world, you may have heard of the MAT release, but maybe you haven’t leverage its power yet. Either way, it’s important to know how the MAT release fits into the digital marketing world and how to put it to use.
The MAT Release explained
No matter what name you give it — feature article, branded journalism, native advertising, sponsored content or advertorial – a MAT release is one of marketing’s most powerful PR tools, and has been for several decades. Typically, it’s a 400-700 word article that is geared toward a consumer audience and sprinkled with a soft mention of a brand name as an example or idea.
While newspapers have cut staff over the last decade, the need for intriguing copy that attracts readers and advertisers remains. Editors use MAT releases to power their online content and to supplement staff-written material.
Upgrading the MAT Release’s standard format
The MAT release has seen its share of changes and reformatting over the years. Consumers expect this form of content to be high-quality, entertaining and informative — something that does not sound like an advertisement but that does share valuable knowledge they didn’t have before reading.
MAT releases are a great way to lay a foundation for effectively presenting your brand to a mass audience in an editorial environment that consumers trust. And this powerful marketing and PR tool has evolved to accommodate a wide variety of content. What started as an informative 400-700 word “article” with a feature photo has expanded to include a variety of formats that help you stay ahead of the game in today’s digital world.
In this post we’ll take a look at the modern forms of the MAT release and how you can make the MAT Release work for your content promotion needs. From infographics to listicles to videos – your content can easily be distributed for guaranteed placements on top media outlets as a MAT Release. These formats are highly attractive and engaging, giving them the power to maximize distribution and sharing. But first, let’s take a look at how a MAT release has been defined as over the years, and what it’s defined as today.
MAT Release formats
MAT Releases can have many different looks, giving it more power to reach your audience in different ways — ways that are more attention-getting and engaging than ever. But the goal remains the same: Getting your message “out there” in a credible, editorial presentation. Fading away from the term “MAT release,” you’ll see that this PR tool has really evolved into other presentations such as infographics, listicles and videos.
Here’s a breakdown of how each format works to achieve the same goals the MAT release has had since day one:
Infographics: The actual definition of an infographic is a visual image such as a chart or diagram used to represent information or data. But your infographic should not be that dry! Infographics are fun to look at and easy to read, and they must grab key points (your main messages) and make them easy to scan, find and pick up. Just like your MAT Release targets a specific audience, your infographic should too – with colors, images and text that relates to your key demographic groups.
Infographics are easy to share on social media, landing pages, email newsletters – they can be repurposed beyond your initial distribution.
[Read More: Should Your Content Be An Infographic?]
Listicles: Listicles are highly visual, with images breaking up the text. The secrets to making a listicle work are securing intriguing photos and crafting great headlines that work together to grab the reader’s attention. The list format works to give the reader a quick, scannable way to comprehend the message the listicle holds. People love a list, and want to see it through to the end; a listicle leverages that very human tendency!
[Read More: 5 Reasons Listicles – And Why Every Brand Should Use This Tactic]
Like infographics, listicles are also highly shareable. The more captivating the photos and headlines are, the more clicks and reads your listicle will see, and the more it will spread to additional readers on its own. Consumers are much more likely to share an intriguing list with great pictures than they are a bunch of words with one photo.
Videos: Infographics and listicles blend the strength of words with the clarity of images. But videos use the power of visuals as well as audio — storytelling — in their purest form. Complement your MAT release with a video and your story becomes richer, more enticing and more accessible.
Videos are easy to digest with little effort, so consumers love them. Video has taken the internet by storm with short-form videos on TikTok and Instagram Reels, to lengthier videos on YouTube – video is a favored content form that consumers enjoy.
Ways to distribute your branded content
Sponsored content comes in many forms and we are constantly innovating and working to provide new options for our partners. The traditional MAT Release is a great option for distributing your content. Brandpoint can help you create a branded article, listicle, video or infographic that we can then distribute, or we can use a piece of content that you already had on hand and distribute that to our publisher network. This type of campaign will see results like placements, audience reach and other metrics – and we never use a multiplier.
If you’re looking to go a little further with your distribution campaign, a Premium Mat Release might be the option for you. Premium MAT Releases allow you to target specific demographics in your distribution to ensure you’re reaching who you want to reach. You can also choose to direct your audience to your article on a publisher’s website, or to your brand’s website, giving you even more exposure and traffic. You will also see more metrics, including engagement, in your campaign report.
If you’re interested in gaining traction on social media, you can choose the Social Amplification option, which places your article on a publisher’s social media site for you to share to your own company pages. From that social post on the publisher’s social media page, you can direct your readers to your content on the publisher’s site or to your brand’s website.
Another option for anyone looking for a thought leadership play is to distribute with our Expert Series offering. This is great for any brand looking to strengthen corporate or brand reputation. This option involves creating a bylined article or informational video for distribution. You can then leverage the credibility and implied endorsement of top media sites.
Brandpoint’s updated reporting model
At Brandpoint, we understand that a distribution campaign is only effective if it reaches your target audience, spreading awareness for your brand or product. We’ve made it easier than ever to get the results of your distribution in one place in a clear, simple format.
Our reports let you see exactly where your campaign made an impact and gives you the numbers you care about.
[Read More: Exploring Brandpoint’s New Distribution Report]
Promote your content with a MAT Release
MAT Releases are a more powerful PR tool than ever to have in your arsenal of brand marketing and messaging strategies. Utilize the content you have on hand, or construct a listicle, infographic or video from scratch – either way, distributing your content to top publishing networks is a great way to promote your content and get your brand’s message out there.
