Native advertising has been around for around three years, and with the rise of ad blockers, it can certainly help get your message out to your audience. In fact, 26% of desktop users employ ad-blockers. So how do you engage your customers if they can’t even see your ads? You need an ad specialist that knows how to take advantage of the benefits of native advertising.
Still wondering if native ads are for you? Read on to discover how they can boost your marketing.
Native advertising takes the form of promoted tweets, suggested Facebook posts, or editorial-based content. Videos, images, and articles are all examples of native advertising.
We know what you’re thinking. That sounds like content marketing. But there’s a difference. In content marketing, you’re sharing content on a platform and hoping that your audience sees it based on different algorithms. That’s brilliant if you have a following who regularly checks what you post. In native advertising, you’re placing your content within the style and design of the platform. You can still direct visitors back to your website, while also placing your calls-to-action straight in the ad.
Popup ads or banners jump up and beg you to click. Consumers install ad-blockers to get away from that. But native advertising doesn’t create that sharp transition between the page and the ad. They complement the page and the other content it is surrounded by. The seamless effect creates a better browsing experience for your audience. Better still, the content isn’t seen as an ad because it’s part of the structure of the page. So it doesn’t fall foul with ad-blockers.
Native ads are great for your audience too. They can comment on the content or even share it.
It makes them part of the conversation and in turn builds trust between you and your customers.
You can also leverage sponsored content that fits in with your brand. In January 2014, Dell posted an article on the New York Times website and nowhere within the article do they directly promote their products. Instead, it promotes brand awareness by association. Think of native advertising like the old advertorials that appeared in newspapers back in the 1800s. Your ad agency can create and place these articles and your native ad will slot into the editorial style of the site it was placed on.
Like content marketing, native ads aim to inspire, inform, or entertain. However, unlike content marketing, it doesn’t need to shackle that idea to a product. Your brand itself can carry that idea.
We will find the best ideas that complement your brand. We’ll help you connect with buyers through causes they care about.
See our recent work here. And don’t hesitate to reach out.