NATIVE ADVERTISING

Native Ads allow you to combine the instantaneous reach of paid media with the brand value and storytelling capacity of content marketing.

Let’s unpack that.

Content has gone from nice-to-have to need-to-have in the marketing mix. Written content serves as a vehicle for your SEO strategy, but it's also a key opportunity to build a direct and value-driven connection with your target audience. It’s a way to build rapport with potential clients and increase brand authority without having to talk about your product or service. Because let’s face it- no one likes being sold to.

When it comes to content, the name of the game is about quality, not quantity. A well-optimized content strategy has the power to become an evergreen lead generation source. When executed at an expert-level, entire revenue streams can be traced back to a single blog article 

But a kick-ass piece of content is a lot like a tree falling in the woods- if no one ever reads it, does it even matter if it exists? 

That’s where Native Ads come in. 

Native ads allow you to amplify your content and reach highly qualified audiences at scale. Imagine your top performing blog articles, but with a lot more horsepower. 

What exactly are native ads, and why haven't I heard of them?

If you’re asking yourself why you’ve never seen a Native Ad, then consider that a testament to their efficacy.

Native Ads most frequently appear at the bottom of a post on online magazine, newspaper, or publisher in the “Articles You Might Also Be Interested In” section. If you click on the ad, it won't take you to a spammy landing page or encourage you to buy something- it will simply take you to that blog article you clicked on. Native are a truly customer-centric Ad Format. They're designed to fit a totally seamless and contextual ad experience, and blend in perfectly with their surroundings. 

Native Ads vs. Sponsored Content

Since these ads are essentially blog articles that show up on other publisher’s websites, they’re often confused with Sponsored Content, Press Releases, or Syndicated Content. The key differentiator with native ads is that the content is always hosted on the brand’s website. 

Here’s an example: a user reads an article published on Time Out Magazine’s website about a trendy new boutique hotel in London’s Shoreditch neighborhood. That article was paid for by the boutique hotel, but it was written and published by Time Out. This is Sponsored Content. 

Here’s that same boutique hotel example, but this time in the context of a Native Ad. A user reads an article published on Time Out Magazine’s website about the Top 10 Boutique Hotels in London. At the bottom of that post, they are recommended another article titled “10 Best Coolest Things to Do in Shoreditch (That You Won’t Find on TripAdvisor).” The user clicks on the link and eds up reading the article on the Boutique Hotel’s blog. Since that user is now in the boutique hotel’s digital ecosystem, they can be impacted by retargeting ads, and are more likely to spend their next London City Break at that Boutique Hotel. 

How do Native Ads Work?

Another key differentiator of Native Ads is that they are done programmatically. Whereas Sponsored Content is arranged manually by contacting publishers, editors, and journalists, Native Ads run using automated Ad Platforms. 

The two most common platforms are Outbrain or Taboola. Like Google Ads or Facebook Ads, these platforms run on a Pay-Per-Click model. This means you only actually pay for the Ad Space when someone clicks on the link to your article. 

These platforms also allow you to target where your ads show up, and who they show up for, so you are reaching audiences in a totally relevant, totally native context. 

So, have some great content you want to share with the masses?
Let’s amplify it!