What is Native Advertising? Definition and examples
Any type of advert that is relevant to a specific text, web page, or platform is an example of native advertising.
In this type of marketing campaign, the aim is twofold:
- To create an experience that is more relevant and less intrusive to the consumer.
- To provide promotional value to the advertiser.
Many types of ads or marketing tactics could be used in native advertising. Examples include social media posts, podcasts, videos, and sponsored articles.
When online, rather than presenting the reader with a pop-up or banner ad, they see content that is relevant to their needs or interests. It is a much more effective way to reach your target audience. They are more likely to engage with content if it is helpful, entertaining, informative, and relevant.
“Native advertising, also called sponsored content, is a type of advertising that matches the form and function of the platform upon which it appears. In many cases it functions like an advertorial, and manifests as a video, article or editorial.”
“The word native refers to this coherence of the content with the other media that appear on the platform.”
Native advertising – advantage
The main benefit is that this type of advertising approach allows sellers to reach a highly targeted audience. For example, if you are promoting a new type of cat food, you may choose to advertise on cat-related or pet-related websites.
Disadvantage
Some readers may find it hard to distinguish between a content article and a promotional one, i.e., an advertisement presented as a sponsored articled.
When the reader discovers it is a promotional text, they may feel that they have been tricked. To prevent this from happening, you should make sure that any type of native advertising is clearly labeled as such.
Native advertising is popular
Since the advent of the Internet and the evolution of marketing software, native advertising has become increasingly popular.
As a growing number of people go online and into social media platforms for information and entertainment, advertisers are forever seeking new and innovative ways to reach them. With native advertising, they have an effective way to do this, while at the same time providing the user with relevant material.
Remember that in the world of advertising, things are rarely black and white. Perhaps you should consider including native advertising in your marketing mix, alongside other promotional approaches.