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What are Native Ad Networks and Platforms
Native advertising is a way to show your ad to potential clients. Unlike traditional display ads native one feels more like a part of the content we’re already consuming. They offer useful information or entertainment while gently promoting products or services. This seamless approach keeps users engaged and helps brands connect better, boosting awareness and increasing chances of making a sale.
Let’s discuss native ads, what it is, advantages and disadvantages as well as how to choose the best native ad networks.
What is Native Ad Format: Meaning
Native ad is a form of “natural” advertising. It is all about blending promotional content into the user experience in a natural way. Instead of feeling like a traditional ad that interrupts your browsing, native ads look and feel like the regular content you’re already engaging with.
Native advertising networks are platforms specifically designed for delivering native ads. Overall, native advertising is a fantastic traffic source for affiliate marketing, thanks to its strong market presence and the many opportunities available on major platforms like Facebook, Google, and so on.
Unlike traditional formats such as banner ads, native ads tend to perform better because they don’t disrupt the user experience; instead, they cater to the audience’s interests. Promoting affiliate links through native ads is a smart move that can help you reach a broader audience and increase your traffic, leading to more revenue.
Discover the differences between native and push ad in our article “Push Ads vs. Native Ads: Which is Better for Advertising”.
Here’s a closer look at the benefits of the native ad format:
- Seamless Integration: Native ads are designed to fit in with the platform they’re on — a blog, social media post, or news site. This means they often mimic the style and tone of the surrounding content, making them less disruptive and more appealing;
- Engaging Users: Because native ads blend in so well, they tend to attract more clicks and interactions. They create a more enjoyable browsing experience and can lead to higher conversion rates for affiliate marketers;
- Value First: The best native ads offer real value — think tips, insights, or entertaining content — while gently guiding users toward affiliate products they might find interesting;
- Being Transparent: It’s important to be upfront about sponsored content. Clear disclosures about affiliate links help build trust with your audience and keep everything above board.
Types of Native Ads
There are different types of native advertising. They vary depending on a place benign posted on:
- In-Feed Ads: These are sponsored posts that show up directly in your social media feeds or alongside articles, promoting affiliate products in a way that feels organic;
- Recommendation Widgets: You’ve probably seen these at the end of articles, where suggestions for related products appear. They often link to affiliate offers, encouraging you to check them out;
- Sponsored Content: This includes articles or videos that provide useful information or reviews while subtly promoting affiliate products. They aim to inform and engage rather than just sell.
How Native Ads Networks Work?
Native ad networks connect advertisers (merchants) with publishers (site owners) so you can place native ads in the content users are already consuming. It starts when brands or marketers sign up with a network and submit their ad content which can be articles, images or videos that fit into the platform’s existing content.
Once signed up, advertisers set targeting criteria by demographics, interests and behaviors so their ads reach the right audience and get more clicks and conversions. The network partners with various publishers — websites and apps owners — that will display these native ads and provide the technology to make ad placement seamless.
When a user visits a publisher’s site, the network analyzes the content and serves up native ads that match the site’s style and the user’s interests. This makes the ads feel like part of the browsing experience, often appearing as suggested articles or recommended products.
Advertisers and publishers can track how well the ads are performing through the network’s analytics. They can see clicks, impressions and conversions. Advertisers typically pay based on performance using models like cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-mille (CPM) so everyone creates content that resonates with users.
And advertisers can optimize their campaigns based on the data they collect, adjust their targeting, creative and budget to get better results over time. Native ad networks connect advertisers and publishers so ads can be placed effectively and drive traffic and conversions while user experience.
How Do Native Ads Networks Bill Advertisers?
Usually, native ad networks provide two types of commission types: CPC (Cost-Per-Click) or CPM (Cost-Per-Mille). CPC is good for direct engagement and sales, CPM is good for visibility.
By knowing these options affiliate marketers can choose the strategy that fits their goals and make the most of their advertising. Read the following articles to understand the differences between these commission types:
Native Ads Networks Pros & Cons
Native ad networks present numerous possibilities to engage with an audience by seamlessly blending promotional content into the surrounding material. However, just like any advertising format, they come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
- Brand exposure
Being on a trusted site like a news platform helps your offer look good and gets more visibility.
- For Publishers and Advertisers
Unlike traditional ads that are all about clicks, native ads create content that enhances the user experience and shows relevant ads, resulting in higher click through rates and better overall performance. And you can reach your audience through different ways like storytelling and branding. So you can promote your product without spamming them.
- No banner blindness
Native ads are placed next to content that already interests the audience so they are more engaging and less likely to be ignored.
- Bypassing ad blocking
Because ads look organic, many ad blockers don’t even see them as ads so fewer blocks and more effective.
- Massive traffic
You’ll find these ads on blogs, social media and online news sites — billions of impressions daily across the globe.
Cons:
- Cost
Native ads can be more expensive than other forms of advertising, especially if you factor in content creation and placement.
- Transparency
If not disclosed properly, native ads can confuse users who may not even realize they’re looking at sponsored content. That can damage trust if users feel misled.
- Measurement
Many native ad networks offer analytics, but measuring native ads can be more complicated than other formats so it’s harder to measure ROI.
How to Choose the Best Native Ad Network
If you’re an advertiser or publisher your first step should be to choose the best native ad platforms to improve your results, increase engagement and boost monetization.
When choosing a native ad network especially if you want to display non-intrusive ads consider these 7 key factors:
- Ad formats: Make sure the platform offers a range of native ad formats to suit your goals. Having options like text ads, videos and interactive formats keeps your audience engaged;
- Segmentation of an audience: Does the platform offer strategic segmentation options? So, your ads will reach the right people based on demographics, interests and browsing behaviour;
- Reach: Some native ad platforms work with multiple ad networks so you can reach a broader audience. That’s a plus;
- Analytical tools: Does the platform have robust analytics and tracking tools to help you optimize your ad performance and make real-time adjustments;
- Smart ad optimisation: Some platforms can auto prioritise the top performing ads. This real-time optimisation means you can show effective ads without being intrusive;
- Integration and usability: Finally consider how well the platform integrates with your apps and has an intuitive interface to manage your campaigns.
By considering these you’ll be more prepared to choose your native ad platform.
How Not to Be Intrusive with Native Ads: 5 Tips
Native advertisements are designed to look like part of the content so promotion doesn’t feel forced. It seems simple but it’s not, here are the proven strategies from successful advertisers:
1. Relevant Ads
Make sure the ads you show are relevant to the app’s content or topic. For example, if you are promoting a Nutra offer, it makes sense to show it in apps related to food, health and wellness. The ad platform you choose plays a big role in this.
2. Frequency
Don’t make the mistake of showing too many ads to the user. Instead show them at the right time and balance frequency and quantity.
3. Optimize Loading Speed
This is for publishers. As the app owner you should focus on optimizing loading speed to improve user experience and prevent frustration. This will help you build long term relationship with users and increase profitability.
4. Be Transparent
Practice good habits by being transparent about the promotional nature of your ads. Be compliant with privacy policies and provide clear information on how user data is used to build strong relationships with advertisers.
5. Monitor
Don’t just launch and wait. Monitor your ads and optimize based on performance data to find the intrusive ones.
Final Thoughts
Looking forward to 2025 the native advertising world will continue to evolve and bring new opportunities for brands and marketers. Choosing the right platform is key to getting the most out of your advertising and achieving results.
The top native advertising platforms mentioned above are the leaders in the sphere and offer innovative solutions to increase user engagement and conversions. As native becomes a bigger part of digital marketing strategies using these tools will not only increase your brand visibility but also create a more personalized experience for your audience.