Native advertising isn’t a new concept, but it’s importance will increase as more businesses harness it on different platforms. Click-through and conversion rates tend to rise when native advertising is used, so it should definitely be a factor when planning marketing creative.
Native advertising is when an ad matches the form and function of the site, app or other platform that it is appearing on. Simply put, the ad matches the look and feel of the site. Of course, tricking people into clicking an ad is not the best way to gain good quality traffic. However, when an ad can be an ad, but still feel like it “belongs” to the site or app it appears on, the odds that it will be clicked on increase.
An example of this might be linking to an advertiser directly in the text of an article as a recommendation (this typically happens on affiliate advertising websites) or even sponsored posts on Facebook, with ads that look nearly like all the other posts. Instagram, Twitter and others have begun offering native advertising on their platforms as well.
This type of marketing is worth looking into for almost any business. While ads made to look like articles are definitely not the way to go (this tactic has failed for many in the past), taking advantage of native advertising platforms can help a business offer something to that platform via a sponsored post or similar that could keep customers referring back. What are some ways you all use native advertising to your advantage?
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