Native Advertising: The Positive Response to Ad Blockers
As more users turn on ad blockers, native advertising is emerging as a viable solution for reaching consumers. In 2016, the ad blocking trend is expected to move from the early adopters to a larger audience. As it is, 70 percent of mobile users are either blocking ads or interested in downloading an app that would eliminate them on their phone, according to a report from Tune.
At the same time, publishers are scrambling to replace the online revenue lost to ad blocking software – a whopping $21.8 billion in 2015, according to a report by Adobe and Page Fair.
Enter native advertising.
What is native advertising?
The simplest way to explain native advertising is that it is paid media that takes on the feel and function of the site where it exists, per our earlier article.
This means the ad can take on the colors, font, layout and personality of the host site. This makes the ad feel less like an ad, and more like a natural part of the website.
Buzzfeed, for example, displays native advertising that looks and feels similar to their own content.
Burt’s Bees “13 Ways” listicle native ad blends with the Buzzfeed environment.
How do native ads help businesses?
Native advertising is not affected by ad blockers. So right off the bat, businesses can expect better overall performance from native ads.
Second, native advertising is less intrusive for readers, due to its natural integration with site content. Ads tend to resonate more with readers, as they match the format and content users expect to see on the site. As a result, businesses can count on better engagement with native advertising.
Finally, businesses can use native ads to help with brand awareness. While native is not necessarily the right strategy for closing a deal, it can help with earlier stages to educate and enlighten readers.
Conclusion
Ad blockers are not going anywhere. Native advertising can help businesses continue reaching their audience through more authentic, relevant messaging that interests rather than irritates readers.