Digital Marketing Agency Offers Insider Look At Native Advertising

Steve Hamm — November 9, 2016 Follow @maasprosrdu

If your content marketing strategy is falling flat and newsletter sign-ups are dwindling, blame your behind-the-times internet marketing service. When discussing the problems associated with creating ad content that consumers will read, our digital marketing agency knows the direction to success: native advertising.

What is Native Advertising?

In simplest terms, a native ad is a marketing message that does not feature an overt “buy me” note but rather presents a more subtle “hey, check this out” communication. Mind you, these ads do identify themselves as marketing messages. But they do so far more stealthily than the sponsored content you might otherwise see on a website.

The How-to of Success

For starters, we recommend deciding on the actual marketing message you want your native advertisement to take on. Generally, you have three options.

• Product purchase. The classic model features a call to action that culminates in a “buy me” message. The wording could be as simple as “buy our widget here.”
  
• Newsletter signup. When your company has invested in a landing page for a particular campaign, trade show, or similar event, it makes sense to heighten consumer involvement with your brand. Doing so via newsletter signups is an excellent method for being able to reach out to a vetted consumer group at steady intervals. In this setup, your message would urge consumers to sign up for a newsletter that keeps them informed.
  
• Brand awareness. In some cases, the business needs to heighten brand awareness. This is usually the case when name recognition is not a problem, but some folks have a difficult time putting together what a company sells or provides with what its symbol means.

What about Ad Blockers?

Granted, native advertising is part of content marketing, and any digital marketing agency that tells you otherwise does not have a good grasp of the process. However, consider that the typical online consumer now employs ad blockers that leave a large bit of content hidden. For this reason, native advertising is a far superior option.

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