What is native advertising?

If a paid placement on a publisher’s website is intended to be as informative and useful and of the same quality as its editorial content, we call that native advertising. The idea is for the ads to seamlessly blend in with the platform’s surrounding content, making them less intrusive and more relevant for users. They should match the visual and functional design of the platform while delivering a promotional message.

How does native advertising work?

Native advertising works by matching the look, feel, and function of the platform it appears on. This makes it more engaging and less disruptive to the user experience. For example, a native ad on a social media platform might look like a regular post from a friend or family member. A native ad on a search engine results page might look like a regular search result. And a native ad on a website might look like a regular article or blog post.

Types of native advertising:

There are many different types of native advertising, but some of the most common include:

• In-feed ads: These ads appear in the feed of a user's social media account, across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.They are typically labeled as "Sponsored" or "Ad."
• Promoted listings: These ads appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) or in other prominent locations on a website. They are typically labeled as "Sponsored" or "Ad."
• Recommended content: These ads appear at the bottom of a website page or in the sidebar. They are typically labeled as "Recommended for You" or "Similar Articles."
• Sponsored content: These ads take on the appearance of editorial content. They are typically not distinguishable from other content on a publisher’s website other than a small note labeling it as “Native” or “Sponsored” content.

How to measure native advertising:

• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of people who see an ad and click on it.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of people who see an ad and take a desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.
• Engagement rate: The percentage of people who interact with an ad in some way, such as liking, commenting, or sharing it.
• Brand awareness: The percentage of people who are aware of a brand after seeing a native ad.

Why is native advertising important to marketers?

Native advertising is important to marketers because it is an effective way to reach and engage consumers. Native ads are less likely to be ignored or blocked, and more likely to be seen and clicked on, because they blend into the environment where they appear.

Additionally, native advertising can be used to achieve a variety of marketing goals, such as:

• Increasing brand awareness
• Generating leads
• Driving sales
• Promoting content
• Building relationships with customers

Who needs to know what native advertising is:

• Digital marketer
• Performance marketer
• Search engine optimization (SEO) specialist
• Social media manager
• Content marketer
• Brand manager
• Agency owner
• Marketing manager
• CMO

Use native advertising in a sentence: “My ecommerce business launched a native advertising campaign with a premium publisher, creating a holiday gift guide to boost site traffic in time for Black Friday.”