Native advertising: Do you need it?

What it is.

Native ads are paid ads that have the goal of being “so cohesive with the page content, assimilated into the design, and consistent with the platform behavior that the viewer simply feels that they belong.”

Native ads allow you to have an ad styled to fit within the page and it’s surrounding content, unlike traditional display banners. They are designed to match the look, feel, and function of your site.

Why does it matter?

Since most people these days, access the Internet from a mobile phone, you need to prioritize a mobile first user experience. This shift in thinking requires a change in the way we approach our ads too.

You need to put a lot of effort into shaping your site to meet the high expectations of a clean and mobile-optimized user experience. It’s just as  important to experiment with how you deliver ads to meet those user expectations and retain users’ interest in your site. So native ads may open up new earning opportunities on your site where traditional ad formats weren’t appropriate before. Ad formats, like banner ads, are effective but sometimes limited by size and placements. Native Ads can be customized to fit seamlessly within your content’s look and feel.

Do you need it?

Supporting and offering this ad format will provide you with access to a huge portion of the market for advertiser budgets. Additionally, as mobile consumers increasingly drive the publishing industry, native advertising is a key strategy for  connecting with that audience and  delivering a profitable mobile experience.

If you implement native ads, do the following:

• Prioritize your customer: Consider your users’ expectations of your site and how they’ll respond to the type of ads you choose. Native ads meet users’ expectations by seamlessly fitting within your site’s user experience.
  
• Optimize for user experience and ad revenue: It’s important to consider how to create the best user experience while maximizing your ad revenue. Strike a balance between content and ads by testing new native ad units and formats to measure their impact on revenue and user engagement.
  

Are you ready to get started? With 54% of global marketing leaders already using native advertising, native ads are the solution to help grow your ad earnings.2