Native Ads in Digital Advertising

Native Ads in Digital Advertising 

Digital marketing landscape is rapidly evolving today while consumers’ attention spans are going down daily. Among all the ad formats, native ads stand out as an innovative and effective way to capture consumers’ attention without disrupting the user experience. 

This form of advertising blends seamlessly with the environment where it’s displayed, offering a non-intrusive and engaging way for brands to connect with their audience.

What are Native Ads?

Native advertising is a form of paid media where the ad experience follows the natural form and function of the user experience in which the ads are placed. Unlike traditional display ads, native ads don’t look like ads. They mimic the appearance of the content surrounding them, making them less intrusive and more likely to be engaged with by viewers. 

Two key benefits that native ads offer:

• Higher Engagement: Since these ads blend with the content, users are more likely to view and interact with them.

• Brand Lift: By providing value through content, native ads can improve brand perception and recall.

The innate ability of native ads to slip into content without causing disruption contributes to their effectiveness. According to a study by Sharethrough, native ads are viewed 53% more than display ads, demonstrating their potential to outperform traditional advertising methods significantly.

Native Ads - Types

Native ads are majorly divided into two types

• Native Display ads

• Native Content ads

Native Display Ads

Native display ads offer a visual and immersive experience while maintaining the look and feel of the platform they appear on. Whether it’s an article on a news website or a social media feed, native display ads are designed to flow with the content, thus not startling the reader from their browsing rhythm.

For instance, a native display ad could appear as a recommended article at the end of a news piece, matching the style and subject matter of the site’s usual content. This type of ad would typically have a headline, a short description, and an engaging image, all encapsulating the essence of the advertised product or service.

Native Content Ads

Native content advertising is a strategy to provide value to the consumer through content. This could be informative articles, how-to guides, or entertaining videos subtly incorporating a brand’s message or product. The goal is to deliver genuinely exciting and valuable content to the audience, fostering a positive association with the brand.

There are many brands we do today. 

Are Native Ads better than the regular ads? 

Statistics say so. 

As per the data,

• Users are 25% more likely to look at a native ad than a banner.

• Native ads increase purchase intent by 18% compared to display ads.

Such data points underscore the potential of native content advertising to draw attention and motivate consumer action.

Formats of Native Advertising

Some of the prominent formats of Native advertising are

In-feed Units: Ads that appear in a user’s social media feed or on a web page, matching the platform's design.

Recommendation Widgets: Often found below articles, recommending additional content the user may like, subtly including sponsored options.

Sponsored Content: Articles or videos created by or for a brand, published on a platform the target audience frequents.

When planning a native ad campaign, it is essential to select the format that best aligns with your marketing goals and the consumption habits of your target audience.

Measuring the Success of Native Ads
To assess the effectiveness of your native advertising campaigns, you need to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics:

1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

   - Measure the percentage of users who clicked on your native ad to gauge its relevance and appeal.

2. Conversion Rate

   - Track the number of users who completed a desired action after clicking on the ad, such as signing up or making a purchase. This is an important metric because sometimes native ads result in unintended clicks due to their very nature.

3. Engagement Metrics

   - Monitor metrics like time spent on a page, scroll depth, and social shares to understand how users interact with your native content.

4. Return on Investment (ROI)

   - Calculate the ROI by comparing the revenue generated from the campaign to the cost of running it.