The Pros and Cons of Native Advertising – Should You Invest?

Are native ads still the way to go when advertising in 2023 and beyond?

Native advertising has become one of the most popular forms of online advertising in recent years. This is because it is a very effective way to reach consumers.

These types of ads have been around for a while, as it continues to be a powerful paid digital advertising tool because of its effectiveness in reaching consumers. But as new ad formats and platforms emerge, can native ads still perform at their best?

What are native ads

Native advertising is a form of advertising that matches the form and function of the platform on which it appears. Native ads are designed to look like natural content, rather than an advertisement, making them less intrusive.

Its natural feel can make click-through rates better for native ads compared to other forms of online advertising.

New challengers to native ads

However, there are now other forms of advertising that may be more beneficial. And while the state of native advertising fares well in its own space, brands must take note of challengers and new opportunities for advertising.

An example in this case is social media advertising, which is becoming increasingly popular because it allows brands to target specific audiences based on their interests. Moreover, social media advertising poses a great advantage as audiences spend most of their time on these platforms than any other.

So, is native advertising still worth it? To come to an answer, let's discuss its pros and cons, below.

Disadvantages of native ads

Native advertising can have a few disadvantages compared to other forms of online advertising.

1. They're expensive.

The first disadvantage of native advertising is that it tends to be more costly than other forms of advertising. This is because it requires more work to create the ad and make sure that it matches the look and feel of the platform it appears on.

Native ads also need to be approved by the platform before they can be published, which takes more time. As a result, brands often have to pay more for native ads than they would for other forms of advertising.

2. Can be overlooked by audiences.

One reason native ads may not be as effective is that they are often less noticeable than other forms of advertising. They look like regular content on the page, so they can easily blend in and go unnoticed.

This can mean that people don’t see them or, worse, that they see them but don’t click on them. In a way, this could lead to poorer ad performance; costing you opportunities that may have been better directed elsewhere.

Advantages of native advertising

As you can note, native advertising has a few disadvantages that come with it. But do these merit you completely removing them from your strategies?

The advantages may say otherwise:

1. They're still effective.

First, native ads are more effective than other forms of online advertising. They are more likely to be seen and clicked on, which means that brands can reach more people with them.

Native advertising is effective because it is less disruptive than traditional online ads. Native ads look like regular content on the page, so they are less likely to be ignored.

They also match the look and feel of the platform they appear on, which makes them more visible and appealing to audiences.

2. Less disruptive than other ads.

Because native ads are less disruptive than other forms of online advertising, they are less of a nuisance and more likely to capture attention and even clicks.

The natural feel and the way native ads are created to be part of a story in an article or video make them more naturally clickable, ergo effective than disruptive ones.

In contrast, disruptive ads such as those that exist as pop-ups tend to not be effective because users don't appreciate being bombarded with ads while they're trying to read an article or watch a video.

They can also be very distracting and take up a lot of space on the screen. This can make it difficult for users to focus on the content they're trying to view and can lead to them leaving the page altogether.

3. More customizable.

Native ads are more customizable than other forms of advertising. Brands can choose the format, style, and content of their ads to match the look and feel of the platform they’re using. This makes them more effective and less intrusive.

This is important because it allows brands to have more control over their advertising and the way it looks. When customized, these ads can look like regular content on the page and be much less noticeable. This makes them more likely to capture attention and clicks.

How to maximize the performance of your native ads

Native advertising is still a powerful marketing tool, but to get the most out of it, you need to make sure that your ads are optimized. By optimizing them you not only improve performance but also reduce costs from your campaigns.

Here are a few tips to do it:

• Make sure your ads are relevant to the audience you’re targeting.
• Choose the right platforms for your ads.
• Match the style and format of your ads to the platform you’re using.
• Use relevant keywords in your ads.
• A/B test your ads and iterate.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Guide to Optimizing Every Paid Digital Advertising Channel Online

Key takeaways

As audiences demand more personalized and uninterrupted browsing experiences, mastering native ads will prove valuable to your digital advertising efforts. When making an investment in native or other forms of paid digital ads, remember to:

• Experiment with different executions. From the ad creative to your targeting, test as much as you can so that you garner the best results possible.
• Have a pay-per-click manager on-board. This pay-per-click manager will help you keep a close eye on the performance of campaigns and make sure you're meeting goals while saving on costs.
• Always publish high-quality ads. High-quality ad materials have been proven to work better than poorly designed ones. Always seek to publish best-in-class content – that's one way to immediately guarantee better ad performance.

Are you exploring other ad formats in the coming year? Share them with us on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn. We'd love to explore them ourselves.

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