Why do you need native advertising platforms?
If you’re looking for new ways to reach your target audience, native advertising is a great option.
These ads are less intrusive than other forms of advertising, so your audience is more likely to engage with them.
Native advertising platforms allow you to place your ad on sites where it will be seen by people who are already interested in what you have to offer.
To help you get started with native advertising, we’ve compiled a list of the 7 best native advertising platforms. These platforms offer a variety of features, so you can find the one that best suits your needs.
But first, let’s understand what native advertising is all about and its benefits.
How We Chose the Best Native Advertising Platforms
- Targeting Capabilities: Our preference is for tools that allow precise targeting of native ads based on audience demographics, location, and interests. The best native advertising platforms offer granular targeting options enabling brands to maximize their marketing results.
- Content and Media Formats: The essence of native advertising is in its creatives and content that allow the ads to seamlessly blend with the environment they are placed in. This is why we have focused on picking tools that offer different ad formats (video, carousel, story ads) and tools to optimize ad design.
- Analytics: We picked platforms that offer in-depth data analytics on a range of useful metrics, including ad views, clicks, keywords, and ad groups. In addition, the tools offer easy ways to export data.
- Publisher Network: One of the key factors we’ve considered is the platform's ability to manage affiliates effectively. Tools listed here have direct integrations with leading publishers, such as NASDAQ, Microsoft, CBS, ESPN, and so on.
- Custom Reports and Recommendations: Another key factor we have evaluated when picking the best native advertising platforms is their ability to offer insights and custom content recommendations. The tools listed use advanced technology to enable marketers to achieve their ad objectives.
- Quality Policy: We have prioritized platforms that are known for their stringent quality policy for ads and publishers, facilitating the creation of high-quality native ads.
What is Native Advertising?
Native advertising is a form of online advertising that matches the look and feel of the website or app it appears on. Native ads are often less intrusive than other types of online advertising, making them a good choice for publishers who want to keep their readers happy.
Here’s a popular example of native advertising from Allbirds, a sustainable clothing company. Their article on how climate change is affecting birds was published in the New York Times as a paid post.
Image via New York Times
It looks just like any other piece of content on the website, when in reality it was a paid post. That’s the beauty of native advertising—it looks and feels like the native content of a platform.
Types of Native Advertising
Native ads are essentially designed to appear as part of the environment they are in. Yet, there are different ways to display native ads that we have discussed here.
In-Feed Ads
In-feed ads are a type of native advertising that appears within the content feed of a social media platform, a website, or an app.
These are designed to blend in with the surrounding content and can take many different forms, such as article placements, product recommendations, or even sponsored posts.
While the content is marked as a ‘sponsored post,’ its format is similar to the content in the publication.
Here’s an example of an in-feed ad by Statista on Instagram that looks like a regular Instagram post.
Image via Instagram
Promoted Listings and Search Ads
These ads are designed to seamlessly fit in with the users’ browsing experience on ecommerce platforms. They display sponsored products that resemble the products on the page a user is viewing.
Here is an example of promoted product listings from Amazon. The first image is of the product that is being viewed while the second image shows the promoted listings.
Image via Amazon
While search ads are similar to promoted listings, they appear on the top of your search results. These types of native ads promote businesses based on the preferences or the current location of the searcher.
Content Recommendations
You might have encountered ‘You may also like’ or “Recommended for you” sections when you finish reading an article or blog on some websites. These content recommendations can also be classified as native ads. Here’s an example from the BBC.
Image via BBC
Branded Content
Branded content goes beyond just sticking your brand logo on content. It's about creating high-quality SEO content that resonates with the publisher’s target audience while subtly promoting your brand.
About 43% of consumers trust in brand content when it's crafted by experts. 42% trust it even more when it clearly states who it's created by.
You can create articles, videos, infographics, or other multimedia content, to inform or entertain while still promoting your products or services. Branded content helps you build trust and credibility with your potential customers.
Jeep sponsors some of National Geographic's documentaries and articles showcasing breathtaking landscapes and remote destinations.
Image via YouTube
Native Advertising Formats to Pay Attention to in 2024
Native ads take many forms and choosing the right ones is crucial for your native advertising campaigns. Here are some advertising formats to pay attention to in 2024.
Short-Form Video
Video continues to reign, with short-form content leading the pack. You can use platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to capture your audience’s attention with quick, engaging video ads. Be sure to use the best video editing software to create polished and professional-looking content.
Interactive Ads
Tactile interstitial ads continue to gain popularity as they provide a more engaging experience. These full-screen mobile ads, often triggered during page transitions, use a combination of video, image, and text to deliver a more engaging experience than static banners.
Voice-Search Ads
As voice assistants become more common, optimizing your advertising for voice search is crucial.
This means using natural language patterns in your ad copy and focusing on local search to ensure your offerings appear in relevant voice queries. Utilize SEO best practices to enhance your website and ad visibility.
AR and VR Ads
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are becoming more accessible, enabling immersive native advertising experiences. You can create interactive AR filters or VR simulations to showcase your products or tell compelling stories.
Shoppable Ads
Shoppable native ads allow your customers to purchase products directly within the ad unit, streamlining the shopping experience. Whether through social media platforms, influencer marketing partnerships, or dedicated shoppable ad formats, this trend is reshaping native advertising.
Pros of Native Advertising Over Traditional Ads
Before we list the top native advertising platforms, let’s understand the reasons why native ads are better than traditional ads and should be a part of your marketing strategy.
Less Intrusive
With thousands of ads popping up across digital channels, ad fatigue is inevitable and as a result 37.5% of the world’s internet users use ad blockers.
Native ads are less intrusive than other types of ads, such as pop-ups. This means that people are less likely to be annoyed by them and more likely to engage with them.
More Trustworthy
Native advertisements are more effective than traditional ads, because they appear more trustworthy.
According to a study by Outbrain, 75% of consumers trust recommendations and content placed within an editorial environment. In comparison, 54% trust recommendations placed within user-generated content in social media.
And, as the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer report shows, brand trust is the key driver of purchase decisions across demographics.
Image via 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer Report
More Engaging
Native ads are more engaging than traditional display ads because they blend in with the content around them.
The fact that these ads use a trust-based approach minus the annoying hard-sell attracts higher engagement.
This trust-based, less intrusive approach has a much higher CTR (click-through-rate) than a harder conversion-based approach.
Image via Outbrain
That’s not all. Native ads increase purchase intent by 18%.
Better Targeted
Native ads can be better targeted than other types of ads because they can be matched with specific content topics.
For example, if you sell hiking gear, your ad might appear on a website or blog about hiking and camping. This ensures that your ad is being seen by people who are interested in what you have to offer.
Higher ROI
Native advertising is generally more affordable than other types of advertising, given the ROI it can deliver. This makes it a great option for small businesses or businesses with limited budgets for marketing and advertising.
You might now be wondering how to create native ads that blend in with their surroundings and promote them on the right channels. This is where native advertising platforms come into the picture.
It’s time to look at the top 6 native advertising platforms that help you run targeted native ad campaigns.
The Top 7 Native Advertising Platforms
These native advertising platforms connect advertisers with leading publishers who already have a high user base apart from giving you a range of tools to discover content, create ads, and track your ads’ performance.
Here are our top seven picks for the best native advertising platforms.
1. Nativo
Image via Nativo
Nativo is one of the most reliable native advertising platforms that help brands reach their audiences through native ads.
By leveraging Nativo’s native ad networks, brands can create and publish beautiful, engaging ads that blend in seamlessly with the look and feel of a website or app, making them more likely to be seen and interacted with by users.
Key Features
- Proprietary Native Article allows your content to appear on-site and in-feed with publisher branding.
- Canvas helps tell your brand story in creative ways.
- Scroll-to-play and click-to-play videos and Stories format to capture the attention of mobile users
- NativoIQ™, the content intelligence platform analyzes five billion data points to help you optimize your native advertising strategy.
- Native has a native ad network featuring direct integrations with over 3000 popular publishers, allowing you to reach your audience where they are most active.
Pros
- One of the easiest-to-use native advertising platforms
- Good customer support
- Insightful reports
- Content creation support
Cons
- No option to filter data by campaign
- Creative storytelling takes time
Pricing
- Most native advertising platforms use a Cost-Per-Click (CPC) model of payment and Nativo is no exception.
Tool Level
- Intermediate: This native advertising platform offers capabilities suitable for companies looking for advanced native advertising solutions.
Usability
- Easy to use: Nativo offers a user-friendly interface for creating, managing, and tracking native advertising campaigns.
Pro Tip: Leverage NativoIQ: Nativo's data analytics platform provides valuable insights that you can use to improve your campaigns.
2. Outbrain
Image via Outbrain
If you are looking for the best native advertising platforms that help marketers reach their target audiences with relevant content, you can’t go wrong with Outbrain.
As one of the best programmatic native advertising platforms, it provides a suite of tools to help marketers plan, create, and measure the performance of their native advertising campaigns.
The native advertising platform only accepts publishers who get million-plus visits per month, which is one of the reasons behind the high volume of daily views and clicks the platform delivers.
Additionally, Outbrain leverages advanced advertising technology to provide insights and guidance to help marketers optimize their campaigns for maximum impact.
Key Features
- As one of the best native advertising networks, Outbrain partners with the top publisher sites in the world offering optimum exposure to your campaigns.
- With Outbrain Amplify, advertisers can choose the budget and pay for clicks till they reach their cap.
- Flexible native advertising formats including standard, carousal, opt-in videos, clip ads, and Outstream ads.
- Onboarding kit and resources for advertisers.
- Zemanta, Outbrain's native DSP (Demand Side Platform), helps brands target and deliver their message to the right people at the right time
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Diverse targeting options
- Extensive outreach with top publishers and leading niches
- Stringent quality policy for publishers and ads
- Custom recommendations on creatives
Cons
- Ad formats are not as customizable as other native advertising platforms
Pricing
- Like most native advertising platforms, Outbrain offers a CPC pricing model where you will pay for the number of clicks per campaign based on your budget.
Tool Level
- Intermediate: Outbrain is suitable for users with some marketing experience.
Usability
- Easy to use: This native advertising platform has a user-friendly interface for managing campaigns, ad creation, and performance tracking.
Pro Tip: Use Zemanta for strategic delivery: Zemanta, Outbrain's DSP, can help you target audiences across different platforms.
3. Yahoo Gemini
Image via Yahoo Gemini
Yahoo Gemini is a native advertising platform that allows advertisers to place ads on Yahoo’s advertising network. Ads are served in an integrated, seamless experience that provides users with the most relevant and useful information possible.
Ads are served based on user behavior and interests, ensuring that each ad is relevant.
Like some of the best native advertising platforms, Yahoo Gemini allows advertisers to reach users across all devices and platforms, including desktop, mobile, and tablet.
Gemini also offers unique targeting capabilities, allowing advertisers to reach specific audiences with laser precision.
Key Features
- Native ads are displayed on Yahoo’s extensive ad network and partner sites including Yahoo's homepage, My Yahoo, ABC News, ESPN, and Apple News.
- Ads adapt automatically to the device be it a tablet, mobile, or computer.
- Businesses can use Gemini to target ads to specific demographics, interests, and even locations.
- Gemini offers a range of ad formats, including native stream, billboard, carousal, video content, image, and text-based ads.
- Reporting screen gives you access to data based on views, clicks, keywords, ad groups, and ads.
Pros
- One of the most cost-effective native advertising platforms
- Low competition
- High-quality leads
- Stringent quality policy for publishers and ads
- Custom recommendations on creatives
Cons
- User interface is clunky
- Customer support is not responsive
Pricing
- Yahoo Gemini, like other native advertising platforms, allows you to set a maximum budget for clicks.
Tool Level
- Beginner/Intermediate: Yahoo Gemini falls somewhere between beginner and intermediate.
Usability
- Clunky user interface: Compared to other platforms, Yahoo Gemini’s UI can feel clunky and less intuitive.
Pro Tip: Start with simple ad formats: While Yahoo Gemini offers various formats, begin with simpler options like native stream or image ads.
4. Sharethrough
Image via Sharethrough
Next up in this list of the best native advertising platforms is Sharethrough. The platform helps brands reach consumers through native ads on high-quality sites and apps.
With Sharethrough, brands can target specific audiences with relevant content, and measure the performance of their ads with detailed analytics.
Let’s see how it compares to other native advertising platforms.
Key Features
- Sharethrough’s ad network and direct publisher integrations help ensure high-quality native ad experiences.
- Place banner ads and video ads on premium environments across verticals.
- Go beyond regular devices to target consumers on the street and on Connected TV.
- Direct publisher integrations help reduce the cost of native ads by removing reseller fees.
- Better match rates compared to other networks that depend on resold inventory.
Pros
- Responsive customer support
- GreenPMPs to reduce carbon footprint
- Connects advertisers to premium publishers
Cons
- Lacks audience segmentation capabilities that other native advertising platforms offer.
- Data export features need improvement.
Pricing
- The pricing is based on the number of clicks and your advertising budget.
Tool Level
- Intermediate: Sharethrough caters more towards users with some marketing experience.
Usability
- Relatively easy to use – This native ad network offers a reasonably user-friendly interface for campaign creation and management.
Pro Tip: Explore data integration options: Since data export features are limited, explore potential workarounds for integrating Sharethrough data with your marketing and web analytics tools.
5. Taboola
Image via Taboola
As a leading native advertising platform, Taboola allows brands to reach new audiences through its extensive ad network. Taboola's native ads are served to users in the form of recommended content and can be customized to match the look and feel of a brand's site.
Taboola's native ads are effective because they are highly visible and relevant to the users. When a user is reading an article on a website, they will see recommended articles from Taboola at the bottom of the page.
These recommendations are based on the user's interests, and allow brands to reach new audiences who may be interested in their product or service.
Native advertising on Taboola is a cost-effective way to reach new audiences and can be customized to match the look and feel of a brand's site.
Key Features
- Taboola's native ads are truly native, blending in seamlessly with the content around them, and don't look like traditional ads.
- A wide range of ad formats to choose from including standard banner ads, carousel ads, video ads, and more.
- Taboola helps you target your ads to specific audiences, based on interests, demographics, and even location through its native advertising network.
- Add-on creative services to source, create, and optimize creative materials.
- Detailed reports on your native ad performance.
Pros
- A strong ad network based on partnerships with top publishers
- Responsive customer support
- Premium ad and video placements
Cons
- User interface needs improvement
- Ad creation can be a little slow
Pricing
- Taboola is one of the native ad platforms that has a Cost Per Click payment model.
Tool Level
- Beginner/Intermediate: Taboola offers a decent interface to assist with basic campaign setup. However, users should have some targeting knowledge.
Usability
- Moderately easy to use: Taboola’s interface might feel dated or less intuitive compared to some competitors.
Pro Tip: Optimize your creatives: While Taboola offers creative services, consider creating high-quality ad copy and visuals in-house.
6. RevContent
Image via RevContent
Next up on our list of the best native advertising platforms is RevContent. Featuring an intuitive platform, RevContent promises high-quality ads and authentic results.
Apart from a fully automated process of native ad placement, the native ad platform offers deep insights to help you tweak your marketing campaigns.
Let’s look at the native advertising platform’s features.
Key Features
- Native ads integrate with the publishers’ content seamlessly to drive high-quality traffic.
- Direct and exclusive partnerships with leading media such as CBS, Microsoft, History.com, and NASDAQ.
- Granular targeting options help brands reach their target audiences to achieve optimum results.
- Dedicated account management to help you make the most of your native ad campaigns.
Pros
- Real-time insights on native ad campaigns
- One of the easy-to-use native advertising platforms
- Responsive customer support
Cons
- The platform requires a minimum daily budget
- Scaling up your ad campaign can be difficult
Pricing
- Like most other native ad platforms, RevContent uses a Cost Per Click payment model.
Tool Level
- Beginner: RevContent offers a user-friendly interface and automated ad placement, making it easier for users to get started.
Usability
- Easy to use: RevContent is known for its user-friendly interface and features.
Pro Tip: Leverage account management: Take advantage of RevContent’s dedicated account management to get expert advice and guidance on campaign optimization.
7. TripleLift
Image via TripleLift
In an increasingly crowded digital advertising landscape, TripleLift has emerged as one of the best native advertising platforms, providing an effective and user-friendly interface to connect advertisers and publishers.
Not only does the platform ensure that ads blend seamlessly into the content, but it also prioritizes the quality and aesthetics of the ad creative. TripleLift places a strong emphasis on visual storytelling, enabling brands to deliver impactful messages.
The best part is that TripleLift uses advanced computer vision technology, dynamic templating, and predictive modeling to help advertisers optimize the results of native advertising.
Take a look at the features, pros, and cons to know if it’s the right choice for your business.
Key Features
- Computer vision technology scans ads to assess the most important elements and generates tailored native placement to keep the focus on these elements.
- Advanced predictive modeling allows deeper insights into the audience by filling attribute gaps and helping create targeted audience segments.
- Dynamic templating renders native ads in real time to ensure they blend seamlessly with their environment.
- Allows integration of 2D, 3D, and video ads in addition to brand overlays.
- Partners with top DSPs and publishers, such as CNN, USA Today, The New York Times, BBC, eBay, Verizon Media, Adobe, and more.
Pros
- Easy to navigate
- Previews of native ads
- Ads formatted perfectly for all devices
- An extensive network of publishers and DSPs
Cons
- The analytics offered are not as comprehensive as compared to the other native advertising platforms
Pricing
- Like most native advertising platforms, TripleLift offers a CPC-based pricing model where advertisers pay for the number of clicks per campaign.
Tool Level
- Intermediate-Advanced: TripleLift caters to users with experience in native advertising and campaign management.
Usability
- Relatively complex: While user-friendly, TripleLift’s advanced features may be overwhelming for complete beginners.
Pro Tip: Utilize computer vision technology: Leverage TripleLift's computer vision to optimize ad creatives for placement and maximize impact.
FAQs
Q1. What are native advertising platforms?
A. Native advertising platforms help marketers design and run targeted native ads campaigns.
Native ads are online advertisements that are designed to blend in with the content on the website where they are displayed.
They can take many different forms, such as articles, videos, or images, and are typically labeled as “sponsored content” or “promoted posts.”
Q2. What is an example of native advertising?
A. One example of native advertising is how Netflix promoted “Narcos,” a show on drugs by creating a portal in collaboration with Wall Street Journal. The interactive map on the portal traces the international drug trade’s history and the cartel featured in Narcos.
Q3. What are native ads in advertising?
A. Native advertising is a type of advertising that is designed to blend in with the surrounding content on a website or app. This means that native ads are less intrusive than other types of ads and can provide a better user experience.
Q4. What are the various types of native advertising?
A. There popular types of native advertising are search advertising, social advertising, and content recommendations. Search ads are those that appear in search results and social (or in-feed) ads are those that appear on social platforms.
Content recommendations appear on websites and apps as recommended content.
Q5. What are the best native advertising platforms?
A. The native advertising platforms that we recommend are Nativo, Outbrain, Taboola, Sharethrough, RevContent, TripleLift, and Yahoo Gemini.
These native advertising platforms offer a variety of features, such as campaign management, reporting, and optimization tools. These can help marketers get the most out of their campaigns.
Q6. What is the most effective platform for advertising?
A. There is no particular most effective platform for advertising. The best platform depends on your specific marketing goals, target audience, and budget. However, native advertising platforms are a great place to start.
Q7. What is the future of native advertising?
A. The future of native advertising looks bright. As consumers become increasingly accustomed to blocking traditional ads, native advertising is expected to continue growing in popularity. Native advertising platforms will likely offer advertisers more sophisticated native ad technology to create engaging ad experiences.
Q8. Are native ads profitable?
A. Native ads can be very profitable for your brand when implemented correctly. Since they are less disruptive and more relevant to user interests, native ads often generate higher click-through rates and conversion rates compared to traditional display ads.
Q9. How do I start native advertising?
A. Here is how you can get started with native advertising:
- Define your goals and target audience
- Choose a native advertising platform
- Set your budget and bidding strategy
- Create compelling content
- Track and analyze your campaign’s performance
Q10. How can I improve my native ads?
A. To improve your native ads, consider the following strategies:
- Refine your targeting
- Craft ad copy that resonates with your target audience
- Test different ad formats (articles, videos, interactive content)
- Utilize data and analytics to track key performance metrics
Wrapping It Up
We hope that this guide has given you a better understanding of what native advertising is and which native advertising platforms will help you reach your target audience.
Whichever platform you choose, make sure to test it out and see how it performs before committing to it long-term.
To get the most out of your native advertising campaign, get in touch with Attrock's digital marketing team. We will work with you to develop a comprehensive solution that meets your specific needs.
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