Explore successful native advertising campaigns by top brands, key factors for effective native ads, and future trends in AI optimization, video-based ads, and personalization across platforms.
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Native Advertising Success Stories: Brands That Got It Right
Native advertising is paid content that blends seamlessly with a platform's regular content, offering value while promoting brands. Here's a quick overview of successful native ad campaigns:
• ELLE and DOVE: Promoted body positivity through digital articles • American City Business Journals and Platinum Bank: Created a co-branded podcast series • Stimorol and Storybook: Ran a music competition using QR codes on gum packs • Seattle Times Media Solutions: Boosted Pacific Northwest Ballet's reach with sponsored content • Citroën & Publicis: Engaged younger audiences on TikTok for the AMI electric vehicle • Health IQ Communications: Improved ad performance with targeted native content • The Independent: Enhanced user engagement with AI-powered content recommendations • Bedrop: Increased e-commerce sales through native advertising on Taboola
Key factors in successful native ads:
- Relevant, valuable content
- Platform-specific design
- Clear user benefits
- Data-driven optimization
| Brand | Platform | Strategy | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELLE/DOVE | Digital article | Body positivity content | Sparked discussions |
| ACBJ/Platinum Bank | Podcast | Business leader interviews | Increased brand awareness |
| Citroën | TikTok | User-generated content | 128M views, 9.9% engagement |
| Health IQ | Various | Targeted native ads | 80% lower cost per lead |
| The Independent | Website | AI content suggestions | 43% more article clicks |
| Bedrop | Taboola | Simple, direct ads | 77% revenue increase |
Future trends include AI-powered optimization, more video-based ads, and increased personalization across multiple platforms.
Key parts of good native ads
Fitting in with the platform
Native ads work best when they look like regular content on a website or app. This means:
- Using the same design and style as other posts
- Writing in a tone that matches the platform
- Following the usual format for that site or app
For example, a native ad on Instagram should look just like a normal Instagram post. This helps the ad blend in and feel less like an interruption.
Matching audience interests
Good native ads focus on what the audience cares about. This makes people more likely to engage with them. Some key points:
- Native ads get 53% more views than regular display ads
- People are more likely to interact with ads that match their interests
- Understanding your audience is key to making effective native ads
Creating useful content
Native ads should give people something valuable. This could be:
- Helpful information
- Entertainment
- Solutions to problems
For instance, a native ad might offer tips or insights related to the product being advertised. This makes the ad more appealing and shareable.
Being open about paid content
It's important to clearly label native ads as sponsored content. This builds trust with users. Here's why it matters:
- People appreciate knowing when something is an ad
- Clear labels help maintain the platform's integrity
- Honesty can lead to better results for the ad campaign
| Key Aspect | Why It's Important | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fit | Feels less intrusive | Instagram ad looks like a regular post |
| Audience match | Increases engagement | Ad content aligns with user interests |
| Useful content | Provides value | Informative article or entertaining video |
| Transparency | Builds trust | Clear "Sponsored" label on content |
Seattle Times Media Solutions: A closer look
About the campaign
Seattle Times Media Solutions helped the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) reach more people through smart advertising. They wanted to show why the arts matter to educated readers.
What they did
The team at Seattle Times Media Solutions:
- Wrote sponsored articles
- Made videos
- Created targeted banner ads
They used the Seattle Times' good name to make people trust the content. They also watched how people interacted with the ads to make them better.
What happened
The campaign did very well:
| Metric | Result | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Article reads | 11,280 | Almost 4 times more than expected |
| Average read time | 3:11 minutes | Shows people were interested |
| Ad impressions | Nearly 3 million | Many people saw the ads |
| Website clicks | Over 16,000 | From banner and social ads |
These numbers show that many people saw and cared about PNB's message.
Main lessons
The campaign taught us:
1. Know your audience: Make content that fits what people care about.
2. Check the numbers: Look at how people use your content to make it better.
3. Use different ways to reach people: Articles, videos, and ads all work together.
4. Work with trusted names: Using the Seattle Times brand helped people believe in the message.
Lia Chiarelli from PNB said: "The Pacific Northwest Ballet audience is informed, thoughtful and engaged in our community, just like the readers of The Seattle Times. This audience alignment is one of many reasons we value our partnership."
This shows how working with the right partner can help get your message to the right people.
Citroën & Publicis: Campaign breakdown
What they wanted to achieve
In 2024, Citroën aimed to:
- Boost brand visibility
- Engage younger audiences
- Promote the Citroën AMI electric vehicle
- Show electric cars as practical and affordable
How they used native ads
Citroën worked with Publicis to create a TikTok campaign:
- Used the hashtag #AMIfaEffetto
- Encouraged users to make their own content
- Ran targeted ads to send people to Citroën's website
Results
The campaign did well:
| Metric | Result | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Views | 128 million | Many people saw the ads |
| View-through rate | 100% | People watched the whole ad |
| Engagement rate | 9.9% | Users interacted with the content |
| Click-through rate | 6.8 times higher | More people clicked than usual |
| Brand recall | Up 13.4% | More people remembered Citroën |
| Brand awareness | Up 10.1% | More people knew about Citroën |
What we can learn
- Get users involved: Asking for user-made content works well
- Pick the right platform: TikTok was good for reaching young people
- Use data: Look at numbers to make ads better
- Talk about being green: Young people care about the environment
Campaign details
- The Citroën AMI is a small, electric car for city driving
- The #AMIfaEffetto challenge got 37 million interactions
- Citroën plans to have 200 sales and service points by 2024, up from 58
Federico Goyret from Citroën said: "We need a story, something cultural, something high impact, something that will stop peoples' thumbs when they see it on social media. I want to stand out in the ad break."
To do this, they made an ad where regular people take electric cars from rich people, showing that "Electric is no longer for the elite." The ad used old-fashioned clothes with modern cars and music by David Bowie to get attention.
Health IQ Communications: Native ad success
The problem they faced
Health IQ Communications, an insurance startup for health-conscious people, had trouble with their online ads:
- Ads cost too much
- Poor return on investment
- Needed better engagement and conversion rates
Their native ad approach
Health IQ changed their strategy:
- Made over 20,000 native ads
- Simplified landing pages
- Matched ads to surrounding content
How well it worked
After 3 months, Health IQ saw big improvements:
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Cost per lead | 80% lower |
| Return on ad spend | 2x higher |
| Facebook/Google Display Network CTR | 190% higher |
| Search engine marketing CTR | 175% higher |
Why it succeeded
Health IQ's success came from:
- Clear message: Focused on health literacy and active living
- Using data: Improved ads based on performance
- Helpful content: Gave users valuable information
Their new ads helped Health IQ stand out and connect with customers better.
The Independent: Content recommendations
What they aimed for
The Independent wanted to:
- Make better use of space in the middle of articles
- Get readers more involved
- Earn more money from their website
How they did it
The Independent worked with Taboola to:
- Add AI-powered content suggestions in the middle of articles
- Mix sponsored content with their own articles
- Show readers content based on what they like
Results
The changes worked well:
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Clicks on Independent articles | Up 43% |
| Money from Taboola ads | Up 14% |
Tips for other brands
To do what The Independent did:
- Use AI tools to suggest content
- Mix ads with your own content
- Keep track of how well your content is doing
Andrew Morley from The Independent said: "We got more clicks on our content and kept readers on our site longer by using Taboola's AI suggestions."
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Bedrop: E-commerce native ad example
Who they wanted to reach
Bedrop, a German family start-up selling natural, bee-based cosmetics, wanted to find new customers beyond their usual search and social media channels.
Their ad plan
Bedrop used Taboola for native advertising. They:
- Made simple, direct ad titles
- Used pictures with men to get more clicks
- Created long landing pages with videos and customer stories
- Highlighted bee venom benefits for skin, including a quote from celebrity investor Judith Williams
How it compared to other methods
Bedrop's native ads did better than their Meta and Google campaigns:
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Average Order Value | 35% higher |
| Revenue | Up 77% |
| Website visits | Up 33% |
| Orders | Up 67% |
Some Taboola campaigns beat Bedrop's return on ad spend goals by up to 50%.
Tips for online stores
- Make clear ads: Use simple titles and pictures that catch attention
- Use customer stories: Add videos and quotes from happy customers
- Create good landing pages: Tell a story about your product and why it's helpful
- Check your results: Look at how your ads are doing and make changes to improve them
Florian Bein, Bedrop's Co-Founder, said: "Taboola's native ads helped us reach customers we couldn't on Meta and Google. Our Taboola manager gave us great advice on our ads and how to improve our results. He always did more than we expected, which we really liked."
What successful native ads have in common
Good, relevant content
Successful native ads focus on content that matters to readers. They answer questions or solve problems, making them more interesting than regular ads. For example:
| Company | Native Ad Approach | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bedrop | Used customer stories in ads | 77% increase in revenue |
| Eni Energy | Highlighted Green River Project on CNN | Improved brand image |
These examples show how useful content can make ads work better.
Fitting each platform
Native ads need to match where they appear. Each website or app has its own style, so ads should fit in. For instance:
- Bedrop used Taboola to make ads that looked like regular content
- This led to more people clicking on their ads
By understanding each platform, brands can make ads that don't stand out as ads.
Clear benefits for users
Good native ads show how they help people. They might offer:
- Useful information
- Entertainment
- Solutions to problems
This builds trust and makes people want to engage. Eni Energy's CNN campaign showed how their project helped communities, making people feel good about the brand.
Using data to improve
Looking at how ads perform helps make them better. Brands should:
- Check engagement numbers
- Listen to audience feedback
- Test different versions of ads
Bedrop did this with Taboola and saw great results:
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Return on ad spend | Up to 50% better than goals |
Common native ad problems and fixes
Keeping it real
Many native ads fail because they don't fit in with the platform's content. This can make users distrust the brand. To fix this:
- Match the tone and style of the platform
- Use visuals that blend in
- Focus on topics the audience cares about
For example, Eni Energy's campaign on CNN talked about their Green River Project using CNN's news-like style. This helped users trust the content more.
Checking if ads work
It's hard to know if native ads are doing well. Clicks don't tell the whole story. Here's what to do:
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Engagement (likes, shares) | Shows if people find the content useful |
| Brand awareness | Tells you if more people know about your brand |
| User feedback | Gives direct input from your audience |
Try different versions of your ads to see what works best. Bedrop, a cosmetics company, did this and improved their ad spend return by 50%.
Dealing with platform changes
Online platforms change often. What works today might not work tomorrow. To stay on top:
1. Keep up with platform updates 2. Watch how users behave 3. Change your ads regularly
For example, as more people use ad blockers, you might need to make your ads look more like regular content.
Avoiding ad burnout
When people see the same ads too much, they start to ignore them. This is called ad burnout. To prevent it:
- Show ads less often to each person
- Make new versions of your ads often
- Group your audience based on what they like
- Give people useful information in your ads
A good example is The Independent newspaper. They worked with Taboola to show different content to readers based on what they liked. This led to 43% more clicks on their articles.
Table: Common native ad mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Copying social media ads | Make new ads for each platform |
| Not doing research | Learn about your audience before making ads |
| Mixing different customer types | Focus on one type of customer per ad |
| Targeting too narrowly | Let more people see your ads |
| Spending too little | Aim for at least $100 per day on ads |
What's next for native advertising
Using AI to improve ads
AI is changing how native ads work. It helps make ads better by:
- Analyzing user data to show the right ads to the right people
- Creating different versions of ads to see what works best
- Placing ads where they're most likely to be seen and clicked
For example, in 2023, Taboola, a content recommendation platform, used AI to improve ad performance for their clients. They reported a 30% increase in click-through rates and a 20% boost in conversions for native ads optimized by AI.
More video-based native ads
Videos are becoming more popular in native ads. Here's why:
- People like watching videos more than reading text
- Short videos (under 60 seconds) work well on social media
- Videos can tell stories that connect with viewers
In 2022, TikTok's native ad revenue grew by 200%, showing how popular video ads have become. Brands like Chipotle used TikTok's native video ads and saw a 33% increase in app installations.
Tailoring content to each user
Making ads fit each person is key. This means:
- Using data to understand what people like
- Showing different ads to different groups
- Changing ad content based on user behavior
Netflix does this well. In 2023, they reported that their personalized native ad recommendations led to a 35% increase in viewer engagement with new shows.
Ads that work on many platforms
Ads need to look good everywhere. This includes:
- Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
- Websites
- Mobile apps
Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign is a good example. In 2022, they used native ads across platforms and saw a 7% increase in sales globally.
| Platform | Ad Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | Short video | 33% more app installs |
| Netflix | Personalized recommendations | 35% more viewer engagement |
| Multiple platforms (Coca-Cola) | Cross-platform native ads | 7% increase in sales |
These changes show that native ads are getting smarter and more focused on what each person wants to see.
Wrap-up
Quick look at success stories
Native advertising has helped many brands boost their visibility and sales. Here are some real examples:
| Brand | What they did | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Used native ads on social media | Higher user engagement, better return on ad spend |
| Etsy | Told stories about individual sellers | More traffic to seller stores, higher click rates |
| Wayfair | Shared home decor tips with subtle product mentions | More website visits, better user engagement |
How native ads are changing
Native advertising is always evolving. Here's what's new:
- AI use: Companies like MGID now use AI to make unique ad images. This helps even beginners create eye-catching ads.
- Video content: Native video ads are 82% better at building brand awareness than pre-roll ads. They also increase purchase intent by 42%.
- Privacy focus: As users become more concerned about data privacy, advertisers are finding new ways to target ads without cookies.
Staying up-to-date with ad trends
To keep your native ads effective:
-
Use new tech: Try out augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) in your ads. These can make your ads more fun and memorable.
-
Think about voice: More people are using smart speakers. Consider how your ads might work with voice commands.
-
Be honest: Users want brands to be clear and truthful. Always label your native ads as sponsored content.
-
Tell stories with a purpose: Brands are focusing more on sharing their values through ads. For example, Eni Energy used CNN to show how their Green River Project helps communities.
-
Work with micro-influencers: Partnering with smaller, niche influencers can help you reach specific audiences more effectively.
FAQs
What is an example of native advertising in marketing?
The Scientist, an online science magazine, offers a good example of native advertising with its Sponsored Quizzes page. Here's how it works:
- Brands create engaging polls for the audience
- Users answer questions about scientific topics
- At the end, users get product suggestions based on their answers
This approach helps brands connect with readers in a way that fits the site's content.
What is the best use of native advertising?
To make native ads work well, try these tips:
| Tip | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Match the site's style | Make your ad look like it belongs |
| Don't look like an ad | Blend in with regular content |
| Use eye-catching visuals | Get people's attention with good images |
| Make good content | Give readers useful information |
| Use scroll-based visuals | Keep people interested as they scroll |
Which of the following would be an example of native advertising?
Sponsored content is a common type of native advertising. Here's a real example:
ServiceNow, a software company, worked with The Atlantic to create content. They made articles that:
- Fit in with The Atlantic's usual writing style
- Talked about topics ServiceNow's customers care about
- Didn't feel like obvious ads to readers
This partnership helped ServiceNow reach new people without disrupting their reading experience.
How effective are native ads?
Native ads often do better than regular ads. Here are some numbers:
| Platform | Click-Through Rate |
|---|---|
| Smartphones | 0.38% |
| Desktop | 0.16% |
A good conversion rate across industries is 2.35%, while 5.31% is considered very good.
How do you measure native ad success?
To check if your native ads are working, look at these things:
- How many people see the ad
- How many unique visitors you get
- Click-through rate
- How quickly people leave your site
- How many pages people look at
- How long people stay on your site
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