BRANDING WITH CONTENT “Digital content marketing as a viable online brand equity approach for Software-as-a-Service firms in business markets” Master’s Thesis in Media Management University of Tampere Faculty of Communication Sciences Master’s Degree Programme in Media Management May 2018 KETI LIMANI Master’s Thesis in Media Management University of Tampere School of Communication Sciences Master’s Programme in Media Management KETI LIMANI: Branding with content - Digital content marketing as a viable online brand equity approach for Software-as-a-Service firms in business markets Master’s Thesis, 126 pages, 5 appendices May 2018 Abstract Background: The advent of the Internet has created challenges and opportunities for branding. While, purely online brands, such as Software-as-a-Service applications, are expected to generate online brand equity in digital settings, online business consumers display a growing resistance to marketing messages and make decisions based on personal standards. The shifting branding paradigms call for alternative marketing communications approaches and marketers are, now, increasingly using content to achieve business and branding goals online. Purpose: Extant academic literature has produced fragmented insights in relation to online branding in business markets as well as in Software-as-a-Service contexts. Therefore, the purpose of the current research is to examine how Software-as-a-Service brands create online brand equity by distributing firm-generated content targeted to business consumers. Methods: The research strategy was grounded on the development of a theoretical framework based on existing branding literature and adapted for the purposes of the current research. A qualitative case study research approach was adopted and, as a result, the findings were derived from the examination of a Finnish Software-as-a-Service firm with business customers. The data collection methods comprised of semi-structured interviews and observation. Results: The study found that value-added, firm-generated content, delivered through the content marketing process, can impact online brand equity by positively affecting brand perceptions in the I minds of target consumer groups. Furthermore, the empirical findings showed that content can also be used as a tool to achieve organizational goals, such as customer conversion and sales. Keywords: Content marketing, Online branding, Online brand equity, Inbound marketing, Firm-generated content, SaaS, B2B II Acknowledgements This master’s thesis is the culmination of a long and strenuous journey. I have been fortunate enough to meet some incredible people along the way and learn some valuable lessons about critical thinking, perseverance, and modesty. Some, more than others, have pointed me to the right direction and for that I am forever grateful. First and foremost, this thesis, and many other things, would have never been possible without the tireless support and unconditional love of my family. For always giving more than a daughter could ever ask for, ευχαριστώ. To Joona Poikonen, thank you for being there. Your love is teaching me to be a better person. I am grateful to you for listening, empathizing, and always believing. To professor Gregory Ferrell Lowe, thank you for being a teacher and for caring. Your guidance and comments made this experience more meaningful, albeit rather challenging. To my friends, thank you for putting up with me. I have been a stranger for months but for your continuous encouragement I am indebted. To Javier Gracia, especially, thank you for commiserating. Last but not least, I would like to express thanks to the interview respondents at Surveypal Oy for making time, putting energy, and contributing to the completion of this master’s thesis. It has been a pleasure and an honor to hear your thoughts. Keti Limani May 2018 III Table of Contents Figures and Tables .................................................................................................................... VII 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 2. Literature review .................................................................................................................. 7 2.1. Branding and brand equity models................................................................................... 7 2.2. Online branding and brand equity models ..................................................................... 10 2.3. Online branding for SaaS firms in a B2B context .......................................................... 16 2.3.1. Cloud software (SaaS) firms with business customers ........................................... 16 2.3.2. The role of online branding in SaaS firms with business customers ...................... 17 2.4. Branding SaaS with content in business markets ........................................................... 20 2.4.1. Defining digital content .......................................................................................... 21 2.4.2. Defining digital content marketing ......................................................................... 23 2.4.3. Content marketing: Objectives and outcomes ........................................................ 26 2.4.4. Digital content marketing as a strategic approach for SaaS B2B branding .......... 27 3. Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 34 3.1. Research questions ......................................................................................................... 34 3.2. Research philosophy ...................................................................................................... 35 3.2.1. The social constructionist ontological stance ......................................................... 35 3.2.2. The interpretivist epistemological position ............................................................. 36 3.3. Research strategy and approach ..................................................................................... 37 3.3.1. Qualitative research................................................................................................ 37 3.3.2. The abductive research method .............................................................................. 38 3.4. Research design .............................................................................................................. 39 3.4.1. Exploratory case study research ............................................................................. 39 3.4.2. Single case study research ...................................................................................... 39 IV 3.5. Data collection methods ................................................................................................. 41 3.5.1. Semi-structured interviews...................................................................................... 41 3.5.2. Observation ............................................................................................................. 42 3.6. Sampling and empirical data collection ......................................................................... 43 3.6.1. Case selection ......................................................................................................... 43 3.6.2. Interview respondent selection ............................................................................... 44 3.6.3. Content observation ................................................................................................ 46 3.7. Data analysis methods .................................................................................................... 47 3.7.1. Qualitative content analysis .................................................................................... 47 3.8. Research quality ............................................................................................................. 49 4. Case setting .......................................................................................................................... 51 4.1. Overview ........................................................................................................................ 51 4.2. The Surveypal brand ...................................................................................................... 52 4.3. Business model ............................................................................................................... 54 4.4. Marketing structure ........................................................................................................ 55 5. Empirical Findings.............................................................................................................. 56 5.1. Strategic branding goals for SaaS firms in B2B online settings .................................... 56 5.2. The content marketing process ....................................................................................... 62 5.2.1. The dimensions of firm-generated digital content ...................................................... 64 5.2.2. The stages of the content marketing process .............................................................. 67 6. Discussion............................................................................................................................. 80 6.1. The branding dimension of content marketing .............................................................