Unleash the Power of Native Advertising: A Comprehensive Guide

In this comprehensive guide, you will discover more about native advertising, what it is, and how, where, and why it works

Ever since the advent of the printing press, advertising and marketing techniques and strategies have continued to evolve. Today's digital marketing era is no different. From the early “black hat” SEO strategies and spam emails to more sophisticated (and accepted) social and content marketing, advertising strategies and techniques have become increasingly sophisticated.

As privacy concerns grow, third-party cookies are falling by the wayside. They, and other intrusive marketing tactics, are being replaced by native marketing.

In this comprehensive guide, you will discover more about native advertising, what it is, and how, where, and why it works. You will learn more about the role a native advertising agency can play in the future growth of your business or publishing company. Get ready to unleash the power of native advertising for your organization and see how the Nativo native marketing experts can help.

Definition of Native Marketing

Native marketing uses content designed to seamlessly blend in with the surrounding content where it is placed. It is crafted to be non-invasive to these native ad platforms and also to the reader, or audience. In essence, native advertising is intended to look and feel like it is a part of the platform's other content.

Role of Native Advertising in Modern Marketing

Native advertising takes modern marketing to a more sophisticated level. It pairs advertisers with publisher's in creating powerful, non-intrusive marketing that doesn't detract from the publisher's content. It delivers to the reader useful, timely, and relevant content intended to match their interests and their lifestyle. It does this while still delivering the advertiser's promotional or branding message through these native ads platforms.


This guide is intended to help expand the understanding of native advertising and how it can positively impact advertisers, publishers, and even consumer experiences. Also, learn how Nativo can assist your company in maximizing the impact of this exciting, creative, and innovative tool.

Native Advertising vs Traditional Advertising

One of the easiest ways to understand native advertising is to compare it to more traditional advertising. Here are some areas of significant differences:

  • Appearance: Traditional advertising is frequently intended to stand out apart from the content of the platform, including other ads. Native advertising is designed to blend in with the visual style of the platform. It is crafted to be less intrusive and more inviting to read.
  • Content: Traditional advertising is usually intended to promote a product or service. The focus of native advertising content is to educate and entertain.
  • Transparency: Traditional advertising is generally pretty obvious about its intent. Native advertising is more subtle and often draws consumers in before they may recognize it is a form of marketing.
  • Measurement: Traditional digital advertising often uses standard measurement metrics like clicks and impressions. Native advertising involves more sophisticated analytics, like brand perception and engagement. It is also, of course, measured by conversions.
  • Targeting: Traditional advertising is more broadly targeted. On the other hand, native ads can be targeted to the behavior, lifestyle, and interests of an audience.
  • Resistance to Ad Blockers: Because of their integration with the platform, native ads are less susceptible to ad blockers. Traditional and pop-up ads may be routinely blocked.

Native Advertising Examples

There are plenty of examples of native ad collaborations between advertisers and publishers that have resulted in mutual success. Advertisers range from automakers and streaming services to financial services and appliance manufacturers.

Native Ads vs Display Ads

Display ads often use a price point or promotional offer to encourage click-throughs and conversions. Native ads are more likely to use information or and “insider secrets” to attract audiences. Since these native ads tend to be targeted, their messages are often welcomed.

A Focus on Content

Native ads are often most successful when the focus is on useful, relevant, and interesting content. When consumers find the information useful, it can elevate the brand and better position them as an expert in their product category.

The secret to successful native campaigns is a product with value, a terrific concept, excellent execution, and meaningful collaborations between advertisers and publishers.

How Native Advertising Impacts the Marketing Process

Native advertising follows a specific process that may involve an advertiser, native ad agency, publisher, and consumer.

  • Strategy: The native advertising process starts by aligning the advertiser's goals with a platform conducive to delivering the message. The goal is to provide messaging that fits within the format, and perhaps even the content, of the platform.
  • Creation: The creative process includes developing high-quality content that may include text, video, graphics, infographics, and other interactive elements to involve and engage the reader or consumer.
  • Placement: Native ad placement involves the selection of an appropriate platform, like a news website, social media platform, targeted website, or other digital media channel. Advertisers can choose from sponsored content, in-feed ads, recommended articles, and promoted articles.
  • Budgeting and Buying: An integral part of any marketing campaign is fueling your efforts through sufficient budgeting. Some platforms and ad networks use a bidding process to secure space. Selecting efficient and effective platforms will help maximize engagement.
  • Monitoring: A key element in advertising and native advertising is monitoring the campaign closely. This can allow for adjusting the targeting, content, and budget accordingly. Advertisers and agencies may use a variety of metrics to measure the efforts, including engagements, click-thru rates, conversion rates, brand awareness, and feedback from users. Third party analytics like Google and others may also be employed.

How Native Advertising Impacts Those Involved

As noted in the above section, the process for a native marketing campaign involves specific steps, and it also impacts the parties involved in particular ways.

Advertisers

Native advertising opens up new creative marketing opportunities for advertisers that reach beyond those of traditional types of paid advertising like pay-per-click (PPC), click through (CT), banner ads, referrals, and others. It allows them to better target a specific audience that may already closely align with the consumer's interests. It can also permit advertisers the ability to provide more in-depth, informative, and even entertaining content. Native advertising is less intrusive and can avoid ad blockers. This allows advertisers to reach a wider audience. Along with impressions and conversions, native advertising is also an effective branding tool for advertisers.

Advertising Agencies

Advertising agencies that specialize in native advertising are better positioned to help their clients through this innovative marketing technique. Native advertising agencies should not only offer exceptional creative expertise but also provide connections to a wide and varied network of platforms that offer native marketing campaigns. Native marketing agencies should also offer monitoring and analytics to keep native campaigns current and robust. Native advertising agencies can help build branding and trust through this type of marketing.

Publishers/Platforms

While native advertising is changing the marketing landscape for advertisers and agencies, it is also altering digital publishing. There is a seismic shift from third-party cookies, banner ads, and PPC advertising to native advertising.

Native advertising allows platforms a cleaner visual appearance with increased content. It also allows publishers to create new revenue streams with valuable digital marketing space to sell.

Consumers

Consumers benefit from native marketing through less intrusive, annoying advertising that can interrupt their experience with a platform. Articles and ads are targeted to their lifestyle and interests. There are opportunities for them to expand their horizons and improve their knowledge about a subject, product, or service they may already have an interest in.

Native Advertising Networks and Affiliates

There are two major vehicles where native advertising produces impressions, achieves branding, and generates income from click-throughs and conversions. These are affiliate programs and native advertising platforms as well as networks.

Native Advertising Networks

A native advertising network is a service or platform that connects advertisers with publishers. It facilitates the distribution of ads across a variety of websites, channels, and apps. Nativo serves as this form of advertising agency to distribute content to reach a specific audience.

Affiliates

Native ads affiliate marketing combines the aspects of a traditional affiliate program, and native advertising. Individuals and businesses with established traffic can sign up to be an affiliate, and they are paid on a per-referral or per-conversion basis. These can greatly expand the reach of an advertiser at little financial risk, as they generally are only paying for results.

Digital Marketing Advertising Platforms

For branded marketing ads to be effective, they will, of course, need digital marketing platforms to accept the content.

When the cooperation between the advertiser, native advertising agency, and native advertising platforms is well coordinated, powerful, targeted messages are often the result. While traditional digital marketing has often been done at arm's length, native marketing is a more cooperative effort. Nativo is connected to native advertising networks that will deliver the audience that more closely matches your target.

The Future of Native Advertising

While advertising trends evolve, it is reasonable to assume that native advertising will increase in popularity due to its effectiveness in building brands and drawing in the desired targeted audiences. This growth in native marketing will be fueled by more acceptance from both publishers, content providers, and advertisers. Incognito native advertising will also likely fuel its growth.   

Acceptance from More Advertisers

As advertisers learn more about the impact of native advertising and its ability to target desired consumers, more will begin to explore and accept this innovative marketing tool.

Increase in Publishers Accepting Native Advertising

The growth of native advertising will also be fueled by more publishers and websites accepting native advertising content. While some publishers have shown reluctance towards native advertising, its acceptance and effectiveness are difficult to ignore. Some publishers are developing increasing ways to implement the use of native advertising.

Advancement in Technology

Technology continues to make traditional digital media marketing more challenging. Ad blockers and the declining use of third-party cookies are increasing the appeal of native advertising that is non-intrusive and highly targeted. Technology is also improving the ability for native advertising content to be produced through AI. Publishers have an increasing ability to help advertisers target to more specific audiences.

A Growing Track Record of Results

As the use of native advertising increases and acceptance grows, so will its resume of results. This will increase the comfort level for all stakeholders, who will move away from more intrusive forms of marketing.

The Issue of Transparency

The term transparency is used in a variety of business situations today. In advertising, transparency is not only viewed as an admirable trait, but it is actually regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. Deceptive advertising practices are frowned upon by the FTC. In native advertising, transparency is of great importance to both the publisher and the audience.

Transparency and The Publisher

A publisher who accepts advertising can benefit from the fact that content from advertisers can fit seamlessly into their platform. On the other hand, they owe it to their readers and subscribers to make a distinction between organic and paid content. This is accomplished in several ways, including labeling the content “Advertiser Paid Content”, “Paid Content”, “Sponsored Content”, “Affiliate Article”, and others. The font and visuals can be comparable to that of surrounding content as long as it is distinctly labeled.

Transparency for Audiences

One of the major benefits of native advertising is its ability to attract and draw in the audience. This can be accomplished in multiple ways, including with enticing headlines, attractive visuals, and content that “fits” the personality of the publication. While native advertising, by its very nature, is designed to be non-invasive and to integrate seamlessly into the publication, the audience should be made aware that what they are reading is promotional in nature.

Because content is so specifically designed and targeted for a specific audience, those who read it often appreciate the content and the information and/or the offers they get from it.

Services Offered by Nativo

Nativo is a leader in all aspects of native advertising, connecting advertisers, platforms, and consumers. From concept creation through implementation and monitoring results, Nativo is with you every step of the way.

Strategy Development

As with most marketing efforts, it is critical that your native marketing efforts begin with thoughtful and well-researched planning. At Nativos, we put proven tactics, experience, and innovative strategies along with exceptional creativity to develop a native marketing plan for your organization. This includes identifying your target audience and demographic and psychographic data. We also identify platforms and publishers who deliver an audience that closely matches your target audience. Strategy is impacted by available budget considerations.

Concept Creation

Once a target audience and budget have been established, the creative team at Nativo takes center stage. Creative for native advertising can include elements that include text, graphics, video, and other visuals and information. It should be attractive, appealing, inviting, and informative.

Of course, most importantly, it must be compelling and deliver the desired results. Simply put, creativity must produce results.

Distribution and Content Placement

Armed with a well-researched strategy and a well-developed concept and creativity, Nativo employs a network of valuable platforms and websites to place this content in front of your desired audience. We can use a blend of ad placement strategies, including affiliate programs, to gain exposure for your native advertising.

Tracking and Optimization

A key component in any native advertising program is measuring, tracking, and modifying campaigns for maximum results. From modifying content to A-B testing, we monitor results to maximize ROI. Of course, Nativo's clients have full access to analytics.

Why You Should Consider Branded Native Ads

If you are on the fence about whether native advertising is for you, consider the following:

  • It Allows for Seamless Integration: Since native ads are designed to blend in with the platform's content, they are less intrusive and also less likely to be impacted negatively by a reader's ad blindness. It is actually more likely to be seen by some users.
  • Improves Audience Engagement: Due to the fact that native ads generally provide valuable, useful, and relative content, they are more likely to engage readers. This can lead to longer time spent exploring the content and improved clicked-through rates. It can also increase exposure for the brand. 
  • An Enhanced Reader Experience: The reader's experience is improved overall through content that aligns with their interests and lifestyle. 
  • Improved Credibility: Well-crafted native advertising can enhance a brand's credibility and image. The ads take advantage of the credibility of the platform to enhance its own image. 
  • A More Targeted Reach: Native marketing allows the advertiser to zero in on more specific audience segments. This creates improved chances of reaching the precise target audience for their message. 
  • Improved Brand Awareness: The more valuable and informative the content is, the more likely it will improve brand awareness. It better positions the brand as an expert in its segment, which is a status they can build on over time. 
  • Improved Ad Performance: Native ads tend to offer improved engagement and conversion rates compared to traditional ads. They are a soft-sell way of conveying your message to your target audience. 
  • Resistance to Ad Blockers: Since native ads don't have a traditional display ad appearance, they are less likely to be impaired by ad blocking software. This provides a better way to get to your valuable audience. 
  • It Can Work With Content Marketing Systems: Native ads can complement and amplify your content marketing strategy. This can allow for a wider reach
  • Format Flexibility: Native ads can take on the visual appearance and personality of various native ad formats. This allows the use of everything from articles and videos to elements that may encourage greater interaction. This allows you to customize your message for a specific platform and audience. 

How Nativo Can Assist You

Nativo merges content and technology to deliver premium advertising for advertisers, publishers, and audiences through patented technology and proprietary formats.

From content conception and creation through content placement and monitoring, we specialize in managing native advertising for a wide variety of clients in varied business segments. We power your story.

To learn more about Nativo and how we can partner with you, we invite you to reach out to us. Nativo: the Storytelling Platform.

Questions Answered

1.  What is native advertising?

Native advertising is content designed to mimic the surrounding content while delivering a desired message to a target audience.

2. Is native advertising considered marketing?

Yes. Although native marketing is crafted to seamlessly fit into the publication and does not appear to be traditional advertising, it still is a form of marketing.

3. What is native advertising, and how does it work?

Native advertising utilizes content that is designed to blend in with surrounding organic content. It also is designed to target a specific audience. It is effective because of its ability to attract readers and that it is non-invasive.

4. What are the types of native advertising?

Part of the attraction of native advertising is the various options available to advertisers and publishers. These include in-feed ads, promoted listings, branded content, recommendation widgets, custom sponsored content, and in-ad branded content.

5. What is native advertising in digital marketing?

In digital marketing, native advertising integrates with the platforms on which it is placed. Because of its digital nature, it can also utilize graphics, visuals, videos and links. Ads can also be interactive.

6. What are the advantages of using native advertising over traditional digital advertising?

Native digital advertising is less intrusive than traditional digital advertising and is less subject to ad blockers. It can also be sharply targeted to reach audiences with specific lifestyles. What are native ads in affiliate marketing?

Native advertising can make use of affiliate programs just like traditional digital marketing. The exception is that the content may appear to be organic. Affiliates can be extremely targeted toward specific lifestyles and interests.

7. Are native ads worth it?

Because affiliates are low-risk with potentially high returns and can be highly targeted, affiliates can be worth it.

8. What are native traffic sources?

Native traffic sources are platforms that accept native advertising content and have the potential to deliver the desired traffic.

9. Who Is Nativo?

Nativo is a native advertising platform that is bridging the gap between content and advertising. We manage native ad networks for publishers and advertisers. We invite you to learn more about us, our team, and our mission. Join us as we expand the power of native advertising. Contact us today.

See what's possible with Nativo. Fill out the form below to schedule a free demo with one of our dedicated experts.

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