In an age of pre-installed ad-blockers and near-universal rates of banner ad blindness, it's no wonder why native advertising campaigns have experienced tremendous growth over the past few years. This style of marketing, which takes the form of sponsored content — video, text or image — fits in seamlessly with the content that frames it, and is already widely available online.
However, Business Insider reported this advertising media is projected to get even bigger, driving 74 percent of ad revenue by 2021. So with native advertising's near ubiquity looming ahead, how can you ensure your small or midsize business' native content stands out from the crowd?
1. Speak to Someone Else's Audience
By nature, native ads aren't something any consumer seeks out on purpose. However, by creating sponsored content that relates to its surroundings in a deliberate and meaningful way, your campaigns can reach more consumers. Adjusting your content for different audiences can be time-consuming, but it'll make your native content more successful. This repurposing also makes the initial ad spend that much more efficient.
2. Work With Your Publishing Partners
While display advertising has a certain set-it-and-forget-it quality that can be hard to resist for today's time-strapped marketer, successful native advertising requires careful planning. Though it's possible to syndicate native content to many partners, the most successful campaigns are those where advertisers and website owners work together on a sponsored content strategy that benefits both entities. Not only will this help foster positive relationships with hosts, but if your post boosts the site that's hosting you, it could mean additional revenue for them, which may result in savings on ad spends the next time your contract is up for negotiation.
3. Make Regular Updates
Native ads also offer marketers the chance to update content to reflect current prices and deals. However, not enough marketers take advantage of this opportunity. Not all hosts offer native advertisers access to a content management system, but those who can update content through a CMS would be foolish not to, as a new promotion or product could be just the thing that leads to a conversion.
While native advertising is — on the surface — a simple endeavor, doing it well requires careful planning and diligence. If you want successful native advertising campaigns, speak to the right audience. Additionally, the site hosting the native content should be fully updated, which benefits your ability to capture leads for the business.
