How Michigan’s Dairy Farm Industry Builds Trust With Content

Families today worry about nutrition. And Sarah Woodside, a registered dietitian nutritionist and VP of communications for the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, gets it.

“Parents have a lot of questions about where food comes from and how it’s made,” says Woodside, who’s also a mom. “We want to share accurate information about dairy and how it’s produced.”

Clearing that up has been a critical factor in UDIM’s digital marketing with Metro Parent, a metro Detroit family resource since 1986 and a sister company of Zoe Marketing & Communications.

“It’s a trusted source of information for parents,” Woodside says. “They’ve always provided very timely, fact-based information. So it felt like a really good fit.”

UDIM — which works on behalf of Michigan dairy farmers to spotlight dairy’s positive impact —  spreads the word with sponsored content articles promoted on MetroParent.com. It also uses social media reels, email marketing, programmatic ads and print ads.

“Our story is about the nutritional benefits of dairy and how important it is for growing children.”

Here’s a closer look at how UDIM’s marketing shares this story — and has built awareness with Metro Parent and Zoe since 2013.

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UDIM’s goal: educating parents

“Do kids really need milk and other dairy foods to get the nutrition they need to grow healthy and strong?” That’s a key question UDIM wants to tackle head-on, Woodside says, along with parents’ worries about perceived issues with cow’s milk, such as antibiotics and hormones.

Add to the mix: “There’s so much competition from the beverage aisles in general.”

So, Woodside says, “We wanted to approach this challenge with fact-based, accurate, transparent information. We wanted more in-depth education and to answer questions.”

A content-driven strategy for dairy

Over time, UDIM’s strategies have evolved. Initially focused on ads in Metro Parent’s flagship magazine, the UDIM marketing and communications team shifted to sponsored stories by 2018, recognizing the potential for deeper engagement.

“We do a lot of work and outreach with healthcare professionals,” Woodside says. That means they have a qualified network of pediatricians and dietitians to interview — along with the dairy farmers themselves.

Their content approach now includes:

• Diverse topics: Extending beyond milk to cover general family nutrition guidelines and recipes, plus a few stories specifically on Michigan dairy farm practices
• SEO enhancement: Hosting nearly 50 articles on Metro Parent’s website, boosting search-engine visibility for numerous keywords
• Centralized resource: A pillar page called “How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy,” which groups all 50 stories on MetroParent.com, further drives SEO

“Our campaigns are often quick hits,” Woodside explains. “Having this pillar page where we continuously have new, relevant content has really helped us reach our audience."

UDIM also expands its digital footprint with:

• Programmatic ads: Tailored ads driven by algorithms to reach the right people
     
• Social media reels: Short videos to capture attention on Facebook and Instagram
  
  
• Dynamic infographics: Enhancing articles with visuals that engage and inform
  

UDIM’s marketing results (and a surprise)

So what’s changed? “People are engaging with the content,” Woodside says, both on Metro Parent’s website — and people are clicking through to UDIM’s website as a result. Specifically:

• Increased engagement: “We saw a 54% increase of time spent on-page in 2023 vs. 2022,” Woodside says. “That tells us it’s content people want to read.”
• Impressions: “We’re very impressed with the impressions,” Woodside says, referring to how many people saw their content. “Last year, it was 3.6 million.” That’s a 20% jump from the year prior.
• Click-through rates: UDIM also saw a 0.13% CTR to their website from Metro Parent (typical is 0.06%). “Click-through rates have been great,” Woodside says.

Readers’ interest in farm practices also struck Woodside. Stories like “What Do Dairy Cows Do in Winter?” and “How Technology is Transforming Dairy Farms” get top traffic.

“It shows that parents truly are interested in where their food comes from, and we’re helping with that education.”

Content writing strengths and demands

In working with Metro Parent and Zoe, Woodside says the writing stands out, backed by 35+ years of journalism experience.

“The writing is so strong, and we don’t get that from other partners, surprisingly,” Woodside says. “The writing team ensures we have experts in the field who act as spokespeople and are interviewed for the articles.” Woodside herself has been one of these interviewees. “Great questions, great conversations. It was a very positive interaction.” 

That said, she acknowledges this might not be workable for everyone. Stories take time and resources and require the ability to meet deadlines. Her team of seven can manage it.

“It definitely helps to have someone who can spend time reviewing the content, having those conversations, finding the source to interview, approving the content,” she says. “And if you don’t have that strength of staff, then I can see where that would not work.”

Next steps for content marketing

When it comes to localized marketing, sponsored content with a trusted media partner has been a core tactic for UDIM. It can be for other businesses with strong content-driven messages, too.

“We want to keep our eye on what consumers are asking and if there are myths we can dispel,” Woodside says. “I’m always looking to Zoe’s creative team for marketing ideas.”

If you’re also looking for a content-driven marketing approach — or to discover what could work for you — talk to us. Zoe marketing experts can help you assess your best options.

And, to learn more about sponsored content, these articles are ideal next steps:

• What do sponsored content articles cost with a publisher partner?
• 8 ways to generate fresh ideas for your sponsored content
• Creating a good relationship with your marketing agency