What Is Native Advertising?

What Is Native Advertising?

Native advertising is a type of paid digital ad that adopts the format and style of the platform on which it appears. It integrates into the surrounding content to create a seamless user experience without being deceptive or misleading. 



Native ad formats are as varied as organic editorial content. You can have native image, text, or video ads of almost any length. If you've ever seen an article labeled "sponsored content" on your favorite website, you've encountered native advertising.

How Does It Compare to Other Ad Types?

Native ads aren't the only type of digital advertising out there, nor are they necessarily the best-known. You might be more familiar with pay-per-click ads, like those appearing in Google's search results, or display ads, which you might also know as banner ads.

Display ads also appear on third-party websites and apps. However, unlike native ads, display ads don't try to blend in. They usually appear around the border of a page and have a distinct aesthetic.

Native ads get their name because they look like native content — the non-sponsored material already appearing on the page.

Benefits of Native Advertising

Native ads earn the reader's trust by integrating with the page, offering a smooth user experience so the audience doesn't feel "sold to."

Because they're less intrusive, native ads are less likely to annoy or distract customers at first glance. The native format naturally draws the viewer's attention, allowing your valuable message to capture their interest.



In that way, native advertising works much like content marketing. It engages the audience with valuable information and then offers your product or service as a solution.

Native Ads Get More Engagement

Because native ads integrate with the surrounding page's style, they connect more effectively with their target audience. Consider what happens when marketers pit native ads against display ads:

• Native ads get 53% more user attention.
• Native ads receive 8.8 times more clicks.
• Native ads increase purchase intent by 18% and drive 9% more emotional connections with the brand.

For marketers, these statistics translate to more conversions and a potentially higher return on ad spend. 

Tips for Creating a Native Ad

To try out native ads for your brand, you need a plan for where to post and a set of creative components. These components are the bits and pieces that make up the ad: logos, images, headlines, body text, and calls to action (CTAs). These pieces will end up in various configurations, depending on where you post.

More engaging components mean more attention for your ads, and often a better return on your investment. Here's what you need to know to get there.

Consider the Platform

Part of blending in with native advertising is being familiar with the platform's typical content style. For example, a native Instagram ad might use an eye-catching graphic, while a native TikTok ad will be in the form of a quick video. 

Knowing your platform also helps you optimize your ad spend. Social media ads usually run on a system of cost per click (CPC) or cost per thousand impressions (CPM, or cost per mille). Smoothly integrated ads typically feel more relevant, encouraging audience engagement, which in turn translates into more conversions.

Research Popular Types of Content

Once you've decided on what components to include, the next task is to make those components feel organic — like they aren't part of an ad. The best approach is to look into the types of content your target audience is engaging with and then create something similar.

Type a few of your target keywords into a search engine and see what comes up. Pay special attention to the formats you'll use for your native ad campaign. The "Images" and "Videos" sections at the top of Google's search results page can be great resources.



Next, do the same on social media. Search for relevant topics on Facebook or Instagram and study the posts with the most likes, comments, and shares. Identify what they have in common aesthetically and the value they offer.

Be Authentic to Your Brand

To succeed with native advertising, you need to find that sweet spot between standing out and blending in. Determine the most appropriate presentation style for the platform, and then make your brand's voice shine through.

That brand voice links your native content with the rest of your online presence. It's how audiences come to know you and recognize you when they see you elsewhere. 

Consider influencers in your industry — influencers build distinct brand identities on popular social platforms, earning audiences' loyalty by sharing their authentic thoughts in a familiar format.

Authenticity also helps maintain brand consistency, an essential element in any digital marketing strategy. Research shows that creatively consistent brands produce better-quality ads and grow their market share twice as effectively. 

How Can Optimize Help?

Native advertising is a powerful way to expand your brand's reach and grow your audience. As part of an integrated digital marketing strategy, it strengthens your relationship with your customers and drives more revenue. 

Of course, adding more elements to your marketing strategy can be daunting, especially when your plate is already full with the everyday tasks required to run your business. Here at Optimize, we publish quality ads on Google and top social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. If you're interested in trying out some native advertising campaigns for your brand, we're here to help!

We'll work with you to identify your target audience, set your campaign goals, and develop the optimal strategy for your brand. Whether you produce your own content or purchase one of our video production packages, we can help you take your native advertising campaign from concept to execution. 

To learn more about how Optimize can help with your next advertising campaign, schedule your free consultation today.