Native advertising is becoming increasingly popular. This form of marketing and advertising allows brands to achieve essential and strategic business goals, such as increasing visibility and brand awareness. Each year brands allocate larger budgets to this form of “mimetic” advertising each year. ‍

But what is native advertising? And what do we mean when we call it “memetic”? 

As you may already know, the factor that differentiates native advertising from other types of advertising is that its goal is to conform to the content of the page where the ad is placed. For example, if you advertise in an online newspaper, your ad will be almost identical to the other stories published on the newsfeed. 

Now, you might think that blending in with its surroundings is a factor that counts against content marketing. After all, we’re constantly told that any content we advertise on social media needs to stand out from the crowd if we want to attract eyeballs and get attention. 

But is that true? Or is the situation with native advertising a bit more complex and nuanced? 

Let's explore the question by going through a list of the pros and cons of native advertising so you can get a clearer picture and decide whether this type of advertising can maximise your results. 

The 4 Pros of Native Advertising 

#1. Beat ad blindness 

Native advertising is more effective than typical display advertising because it generates more views than traditional banner ads. As we mentioned above, it’s because this type of content is memetic. Therefore, it can tiptoe into the consumer experience rather than aggressively disturbing readers and shouting about being an advertisement.

Users have become adept at tuning out banner ads on their favourite platforms. While your ad is visible, they don’t truly see it. However, in many situations, it’s still counted as an impression. 

Native advertising is more effective than typical display advertising because it generates more views than traditional banner ads. As we mentioned above, it’s because this type of content is memetic. Therefore, it can tiptoe into the consumer experience rather than aggressively disturbing readers and shouting about being an advertisement.

Native advertising is less intrusive. Because it looks like the other page content, it registers with users as they browse the site or platform. As a result, it helps you win the user’s attention and trust, boosting your brand credibility.

#2. Greater control over your ads 

When paying for ad space, you want to know that your message will register with your target audience. However, when you’re running banner ads, you can’t be sure that people will actually “see” your ads, even when they are on their screens. With native advertising, this will become the least of your worries. 

One of the most significant advantages of native advertising is that it allows you to place your ads in the proper context in front of a carefully selected audience. 

And that’s not all. When you use Readpeak, you have the power to select the specific media where your ads are placed. It’s a great way to target the type of user who needs your product or service. 

#3. It’s more cost-effective 

You might think that because native advertising campaigns are cheaper to run, the ads don’t produce the best results. However, it’s actually the opposite. 

Firstly, because native advertising has lower barriers to entry, it allows companies of all sizes to get results from this type of advertising. Additionally, because native advertising usually uses a cost-per-click (CPC) model, you don’t pay for the people who don’t engage with your ads. 

In some cases, you’re actually boosting your brand awareness for free because you are coming onto your audience’s radar, which may prompt action later if they suddenly realise they need your product or service. 

#4. Better ad performance 

All of the pros we’ve listed above can be summed up in two words: quality traffic. Alongside many other factors, quality traffic means that native advertising can help you drive your conversion rates and click-through rates (CTR). 

Native advertising creates more engagement because it doesn’t disrupt users. As statistics show, on average, native ads have 8.8 times higher CTR than classic display ads.

The 3 Cons of Native Advertising 

#1. It requires the right approach 

Dishonest or misleading headlines can often result in greater engagement. However, when you promise something you can’t fulfil, users will be left believing that your ads — and your company — are unethical. 

You don’t want your users to feel betrayed or tricked. Once your brand gets a negative perception, it can be impossible to win trust. 

Native advertisement is a double-edged sword if you don’t know what you’re doing. Read this article to avoid the most common mistakes with this type of advertising. 

#2. Transparency is essential 

If you want to run native advertising campaigns, you need to choose the right platform to work with. For native ads to get results, your campaign must be completely transparent about the fact that your content is advertising. 

So when choosing a platform, you must ensure they are 100% transparent. 

#3. It requires great decision-making 

Assessing and analysing strategy performance is challenging, especially when approaching native advertising for the first time. You need to consider many factors to make native ads work well, such as your ad creatives and audience targeting. 

Native advertising might not seem easy and intuitive at first glance. So, if you’re unsure where to start and want to learn more about the best-performing native strategy for you, book a 30-minute online meeting with our team that will help you understand how native advertising could best fit your needs. 

Conclusion 

Now that you understand the pros and cons of native advertising, you’ll be able to determine what results you want to achieve. If you want to boost your brand awareness and introduce your target audience to your product or service, producing quality content is the best method.

On the other hand, when you need to generate leads, you’ll need compelling, relevant, and valuable content with full descriptions, detailed specifications, and a clear call to action. 

Understanding what you want to get from native advertising is vital before you rush in and start a campaign. Whatever your objectives, always ensure that your native ads strategy aligns with your aims. If you want to learn more about which type of ad best fits your goal take a peek here.