An easy way to simply describe Native advertising is sponsored content. But that’s not enough to understand its benefits and how it works in practice. Native is growing in popularity, not least among the media companies at Ocast.
This article is for advertisers, marketers, or for people who wants to broaden your knowledge about marketing.
What is Native?
Native is ad format that is known for naturally blending into the media format where it is exposed. For example, a Podcast in the Exercise and Health category can talk favorably about running shoes from a brand that also sponsors the episode. Native appears not only in podcasts, but also on websites, videos, social media, newsletters and numerous other platforms.
Native advertising can easily be associated with content marketing. Both are communicating engaging content without being perceived as selling. But there are crucial differences. We’ll present them below.
Native advertising vs content marketing
Native is about promoting a product or service on a publishing platform, usually a third-party platform, at the same time as being perceived as a natural part of the platform. The advertiser has paid for the spot, and the publisher has ensured that the ad appeals to the audience of the platform. It results in high engagement from the readers and a CTA button is usually placed at last. Native gives advertisers a platform to publish content to a wider audience, which they might not have usually reached.
Content marketing is also about creating engaging content. But a significant difference is that content marketing does market a specific product. Instead, relevant content is provided regularly on the sender’s platform. The purpose is to strengthen the brand by building a relationship with the audience and gaining their trust. It’s a long-term strategy that reflects the brand’s credibility, as well as positioning the brand as an expert in the field.
In short, content is about what you stand for, rather than what you sell. While Native promotes a product or service in ways that aren’t perceived as selling.
3 benefits of Native advertising
Less risk of ad fatigue
Advertisers and marketers always aim to avoid ad fatigue - the phenomenon when users see ads so often that they become bored of them. Native advertising counteracts ad fatigue by presenting the product or service in an engaging way. For example, a travel company can market their brand through a native ad on Tripadvisor where they suggest 5 beautiful beaches in Spain. In this way, the ad can be perceived as useful, rather than selling.
Higher CTR
Consumers are generally more open to native ads because they are often seen as content, alongside similar content. The ad blends in and matches the rest of the media format. This generally results in higher click-through rates (CTR), as it is not perceived as advertising.
Creates added value for consumers
By investing in Native, advertisers can create content where readers can reflect and create engagement. Let’s say, if readers appreciate an article, it may spread via social media to other consumers within the same target audience. Therefore, it is important to deliver valuable content that attracts the user’s attention.
