Article at-a-glance:
– MSN brand-sponsored content limits the extent to which you can self-promote but still allows flexibility in terms of topics and angles.
– You’ll discover three angle ideas that work great – on MSN and beyond – with paint-by-numbers examples you can apply immediately
Because it’s built into the Microsoft ecosystem, MSN reaches billions of people monthly – and it offers perhaps one of the most underrated content marketing opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses.
MSN welcomes great content from brands if it:
- delivers genuine value to readers;
- follows some essential MSN guidelines: MSN wants brand-sponsored content that clearly discloses its affiliation and minimizes self-promotional hooks. This is natural for a platform that offers direct reach to billions of users – it won’t want to push aggressive ads cloaked as info copy.
3 Approaches to Brand-Sponsored Articles To Get on MSN
We’ve published dozens of articles on MSN – and here are some ideas that work:
1. The Comparison Angle
This is a versatile angle that you can adapt to pretty much any topic – from e-com to local services, blogs, and anything in between.
Here’s an article by an info site specializing in sunglasses: The Rock vs. Pharrell Williams: Their Most Ridiculous Sunglasses (msn.com)
The main idea here is to:
- find a problem of interest for your audience;
- pick two approaches – or potential solutions – and write about them.
Here are some examples:
E-com Examples
Let’s say you own a smart home tech e-commerce store. You can always write a piece comparing two (or more) solutions, eg:
- Which Talks Better? Comparing Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant
- We Tested The Nest Hub Max and The Echo Show. The Results Are Surprising
Plumbing Examples
For local contractors, there are tons of comparison ideas you can try – from discussing specific tools to materials, techniques, and even DIY projects. Keep in mind the goal here isn’t to openly talk about how great your company is – but to position your brand more subtly as the authority behind the valuable information you’re sharing with your potential audience.
Some ideas:
- Tank vs. Tankless Water Heaters: The Hot Debate
- The True Cost of DIY Plumbing: Comparing Savings to Professional Work
Real Estate Examples
Helping people decide between various types of properties is always a great idea – as is comparing different neighborhoods or cities. Think about what your prospects might have to choose between, and write about that – for instance:
- Single-Family vs. Multi-Family Homes: Which is the Better Investment?
- East Coast vs. West Coast: Comparing Real Estate Market Trends in 2024
2. The News Insights Angle
Sharing expert insights on news in your industry is always a great idea – and will help your audience understand key developments in a (hopefully) more informed way.
This piece by a Dallas real estate agency comments on recent trends in demographics and new property constructions: DFW multifamily realty more attractive amid 50% increase in population by 2050 (msn.com)
Here are some ideas you might use:
Law Examples
Explaining the impact of new legislation for audiences in your field is a great idea – and does everyone a service by dispelling disinformation. You can also talk about the impact of new tech, social dynamics, and so on:
- AI in the Courtroom: Future of Law or Ethical Minefield?
- Expert Insights On What the Latest Privacy Laws Mean for Businesses and Individuals
Real Estate Example
Everything from demographics to economics and politics has an impact on real estate – so you’re never going to have problems finding ideas if you just follow the news. Here are some topics:
- From City Centers to Suburbs: How Remote Work Is (Once Again) Changing Where We Live
- Eco-Friendly Homes: A First World Trend or Truly Here to Stay?
3. The Case Study Angle
An in-depth look at a topic of interest – or even one of your projects – is always going to be useful for your target audience. People need reliable information… and if it’s coming from experts, that’s even better.
Here’s what we did for a Costa Rica hotel: Costa Rica is a top eco-friendly honeymoon destination in 2024—here’s why (msn.com)
And here are some other ideas:
Dental Examples
Plenty of case study ideas for dentists – you can go with a patient’s story or give an in-depth look at a procedure/approach.
Some ideas:
- Smile Makeover: The Journey to Confidence Through 3D Cosmetic Dentistry
- Building Healthy Smiles Early On: Expert Insights into Preventative Pediatric Dentistry
E-com Examples
You can do an in-depth review of the best products for a specific application, touching on anything from main features to pros and cons and who the ideal buyer might be.
Examples:
- Massage Gaming Chairs: These 5 Choices Are All Popular, But Which Is The Best?
- Zero-Glare Ebook Readers For Android: Top Alternative To Kindle
Real Estate Examples
I can’t stress this enough – real estate is one of the easiest industries to find content ideas for. Plenty of topics to take deep dives into, too:
- Why Gravesend Is Rapidly Becoming a Favorite With Young Families Moving To NYC
- Five Surprisingly Cool Things About Austin Suburbs (#3 Will Shock You!)
To Sum Up…
Prioritize value, make sure you follow the MSN guidelines, and you’re going to create fresh content that helps readers – and that, at the end of the day, is what successful content marketing is all about.
And feel free to go beyond the three approaches above, too. There are many more ideas you could be trying – just make sure you always deliver useful information first as opposed to aggressively promoting your brand.
How To Get Published on MSN
Microsoft MSN Publishing by AmpiFire is your complete solution to getting content published on MSN.com consistently and without breaking the bank (and they’ll follow the guidelines above too!)
Schedule an appointment now with our team to see how AmpiFire can help to get your content on MSN, hassle-free.
