Social networks, news sites, digital content aggregators and
streaming media services are rife with ads that are integrated into the content
experience. According to a new eMarketer report, “Native Advertising: An
Emerging Consensus for a New Kind of Ad,” these so-called “native ads” are
providing new ways for marketers to reach target audiences and new avenues of
monetization for content sites that are under intense revenue pressure. Although business prospects for native advertising are
positive, the medium has its detractors. Some media executives and marketers
are wary of the blurring of lines between content and advertising that occurs
with native ads, particularly in the context of news sites. Others question the
return on investment of these ads, arguing that native ads cannot scale for
multiple placements. And there is still the question of defining native
advertising. Most perceive native ads as purchased ads that mimic content in
the venues in which they appear. They are more entertaining and less interruptive than traditional ads, and hopefully popular enough to get shares. Common examples of native ads include Facebook Sponsored
Stories, Twitter Promoted Tweets, branded videos and other ads that appear in
the content streams of media sites such as Forbes.com and BuzzFeed.
