As is true with most things in life, native advertising is all about balance. Advertising experts can argue all day about the merits (or lack thereof) of native advertising, but the fact remains that good native advertising is highly effective.
Native ads, like a pile of chocolate, can sometimes leave you feeling guilty afterwards. Not these four examples, though!
Want to see what success looks like? Let’s take a look at some examples of native advertising and examine what makes them work well:
1. Netflix & Orange is the New Black
The poster child for great native advertising is this Netflix ad posted in the New York Times. You can see the full post here.
What makes this native ad so great? First and foremost, the content of the post is informative, engaging, and completely aligned with the product being promoted (in this case, the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black”).
Secondly, the ad is clearly an ad. The proper disclosures are in place, meaning that viewers of this content know it is an ad upfront. Thus, any trust issues are eliminated immediately and viewers can decide to continue to read the content or not, depending on their personal views of sponsored content.
Hubspot’s “The Good and Evil of Native Advertising” states about this ad: “This native ad was a win because it was appealing to an audience that would enjoy both the article content and the show, and it was displayed in a platform that made sense. The content was informative, and while it was clearly an ad for Orange is the New Black, the article itself wasn’t promotional.”
2. Under Armour & Tom Brady
It is video content, which is a bonus from the start. Then, it clearly indicates that the content is sponsored by Under Armour, so there is no confusion. Lastly, it matches the tone of the publisher site perfectly, making it a great example of native advertising.
3. Forbes BrandVoice
This NetApp native ad in Forbes turned out to be the most viewed sponsored content in October of 2013, with 131,000 page views in that month and over 2500 social shares. What makes it great? Like other Forbes BrandVoice posts, it is clearly marked as sponsored content. The content is relevant to the Forbes audience. Better yet, the content is engaging.
4. Netflix & Narcos
Once again, the ad is clearly labelled as sponsored by Netflix. What makes this ad so effective, however, is that it provides an immersive content experience, including videos, photos, maps, an interactive quiz, and in-depth reporting on the subject matter.
The Takeaway
Native advertising can run the gamut from complete disaster to unparalleled success. To leverage native advertising for your brand, you must give careful attention to the details. The ad must blend in with the editorial content of the publisher site in look, feel, and function. It must be transparent, clearly discernible as an ad.
Most importantly, it should contain content that is relevant and engaging to your target audience. Content that informs, educates, and engages your audience is always welcomed. Furthermore, such content builds your brand.
Want to learn more about native advertising? Check out the comprehensive Content Marketer’s Guide to Native Advertising. And if you’re looking for some help with creating content that attracts and engages your audience? Contact us today to begin a discussion about what Media Shower can do for you.