Content marketing strategy of branded YouTube channels

ABSTRACT As content marketing becomes a viable approach to build brands and connect with consumers, this study assessed top brands’ content marketing strategy on branded YouTube channels via content analysis. Using a consumer engagement conceptual framework, the study examined brands’ strategies addressing the interactivity, attention, emotion, and cognition aspects of engagement and explored the role of YouTube capabilities, financial resources, and product category in strategy differentiation. Results indicated that engagement through social media content marketing is highly contextual and platform dependent. YouTube capabilities, financial resources, and product category play an important role in strategy differentiation.