What Is Native Advertising? + Examples And Best Practices

You scroll. You pause. You click. And somewhere between a meme and a news article, there it is – something that feels like content, acts like content…but it’s selling you something. That, my friend, is your answer to what native advertising is.

Now, before you start planning your own strategy, hold up. Native ads only work when you actually know what you’re doing (i.e. who your audience is, what your messaging is, and making sure you’re using the right format for the platform you’re publishing on). 

And this is precisely what today’s guide will be breaking down: what native advertising really is, the formats that actually perform, and the best practices that make them worth your budget.

What Is Native Advertising?

Native advertising is a type of paid media where the ad matches the form, feel, and function of the platform it’s published on. Instead of looking like a traditional banner or pop-up, it blends in with the surrounding content, so it feels less like an interruption and more like a natural user experience.

Native ads are designed to be non-disruptive. You will often see native ads labeled as “Sponsored” or “Promoted” to indicate that it’s paid advertising, but it still makes users engage with the content naturally. That’s why they often get more clicks and interaction than standard ads.

Pros & Cons Of Native Advertising

Like any strategy, native ads have upsides and trade-offs. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you see both sides.

6 Examples Of Native Ad Formats That Blend In & Perform

Native ads have a few distinct styles, and each one plays a different role depending on where it shows up and what you want it to do. Let’s break down the 6 most common (and effective) examples of native ad formats

1. In-Feed Ads

In-feed ads show up smack in the middle of a content feed – on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn, as well as on news sites. They are made to look like just other social media posts or updates, which is exactly why people pause to look at them.

What makes them “native” is how well they match the platform’s media format. Same size. Same font. Same layout. The only giveaway is a small label like “Sponsored” or “Promoted.” That is it.

Why they work: People are already in scroll mode. These ads meet them where they are, without interrupting the flow.

2. Sponsored Content

You’ve seen these on sites like BuzzFeed or Forbes. These tend to be full blog posts, interviews, guides, stories, or editorial content that’s paid for by a brand but created to entertain or inform.

Sponsored posts don’t feel like ads because they’re not trying to sell immediately. Instead, they’re designed to provide value, then gently nudge you in a brand’s direction.

Why it works: Organic, helpful content earns trust. If your brand can give them a new perspective or tip, they will listen, and maybe even click through.

3. Recommendation Widgets

These show up at the bottom of articles or blog posts as little content teasers. You will usually see them with labels like “Sponsored Articles,” “Promoted Stories,” or “Around the Web.”

These suggested posts are placed in a grid or a scrollable section, and they link out to external content – sometimes helpful, sometimes clickbaity, depending on who’s running the ad.

Why they work: They catch people when they are done reading something and are already open to more content. It is passive engagement, and it works.

4. Branded Content

Branded content is a full-on collaboration between a brand and a media outlet. This content is often custom-created, high-quality, and made for storytelling – not direct selling. Branded content could take the form of native videos or podcasts made with the publisher’s voice but backed by a brand’s message.

Why it works: Branded content blends authority with creativity. The target audience trusts the publisher, and the brand benefits from that trust without having to shout.

5. Promoted Listings

You’ll find these on eCommerce platforms like Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and even Google Shopping. Sponsored listings show up right alongside organic product results. They look nearly identical, but they have been paid to appear there.

These aren’t just limited to physical products, however. Promoted listings also apply in industries you might not expect. Take this buy-and-sell business platform that specialises in matching buyers with business owners. 

When you browse listings on that platform, the sponsored opportunities are designed to look just like the regular ones. Same layout, same thumbnail style, same filters.

You can scroll through coffee shops for sale, and halfway down the page, you will spot a “Featured” listing for a high-performing café in a prime location – and it fits in so perfectly, it feels like another solid opportunity worth considering.

That’s the key: instead of disrupting the experience, they are enhancing it by surfacing listings buyers are likely to be interested in anyway. It’s a real-time example of what native should feel like – helpful, relevant, and frictionless.

Why they work: Shoppers can’t tell the difference at a glance. If your product is good, they will click whether it’s sponsored or not.

6. Paid Search Ads

These are the text ads that show above organic search results. Paid Ads are native because they match the exact layout and style of regular search results – the only difference is the tiny “Ad” label beside them.

Why they work: Intent is high. People are literally looking for something, so if your search ad shows up with the right message, you’re halfway to the sale.

How To Create Native Ads That Convert: 7 Proven Best Practices

Most native ads flop because they try too hard to sell or don’t try hard enough to blend in. If you want clicks that don’t bounce and content that actually pulls people in, you have to play it smarter. Here’s how to pull it off without blowing your budget or your shot.

1. Match The Platform’s Look & Tone

Before you even write a single word of copy, there’s one big rule you need to know: don’t stand out in the wrong way. Native advertising works because it blends into the platform. If they look or sound out of place, people will scroll right past them. Or worse, they will get annoyed and bounce.

Every digital marketing medium has its own feel. A Facebook post sounds nothing like a Reddit thread. A Forbes article layout doesn’t resemble BuzzFeed’s listicles. So if your ad looks like a sore thumb – visually or tonally – it won’t convert. Consumers are smart. They will spot the odd one out in a second.

What To Do

Study the platform before creating content of your own

Don’t guess. Scroll through the actual feed. What fonts do they use? How long are the posts? Do people speak formally or casually?

Mirror the content style

If you’re publishing on a news site, your ad should look like a news article. If it’s a meme-heavy page, don’t drop a corporate press release.

Match the voice and tone

Is the content sarcastic, witty, emotional, or super direct? Don’t bring a LinkedIn tone into a TikTok crowd.

2. Prioritise Storytelling Over Selling

Native advertising is not your billboard. Nor is it your product page. This isn’t where you shout, “We are amazing, buy our thing!”, but rather where you draw people in with a good story and let the product slide in naturally.

People engage with stories, not sales pitches. When your ad feels like a personal journey or a helpful guide, they read it. They connect. And then they are more likely to trust your product or service.

And no one does this better than this AI phone answering system we saw running a native ad on a business news site. It didn’t start with “we answer your calls faster” or “AI is the future of customer support.” 

It kicked off with a story. 

A busy salon owner missing 40% of new client calls. No front desk staff. No time to follow up. Sound familiar? The pain was real, so the ad read like a diary entry.

Then halfway through, the solution surfaced: not a sales pitch, just a quick mention of the AI call answering service the salon now uses. That was it. Subtle. Believable. It lets the story do the work, and the product shows up naturally as the fix.

And that’s why it worked. You weren’t being sold to. You were just hearing what worked for someone like you.

What To Do

Lead with a problem or a relatable moment

Start with something they feel. Like a pain point, a challenge, or even curiosity.

Introduce your product as part of the story

Not the hero, just the helper.

Keep it conversational

No brand bragging. Just speak like a human to another human.

3. Use Clear & Honest Disclosure

Readers are okay with ads. They just don’t want to feel tricked into reading one. If your native ad is hiding behind clickbait or buried in fine print, it’s going to backfire. Fast.

Most platforms actually require you to disclose sponsorship clearly. But even beyond compliance, it is just the right move. People respect honesty. If they feel duped, they won’t engage, and they definitely won’t convert.

A perfect example of content built for this type of native promotion is this wellness company’s creatine shelf-life guide. It could easily pass as an independent resource.

The article breaks down everything: does creatine expire, how to store it, how ingredients impact shelf life, and it is backed with science and specifics. It’s not extra padding, and it isn’t a product page either.

It lives on its own site, but here’s where it gets interesting — this kind of content is made for native advertising. They could run it as a sponsored article on health publishers or recommendation widgets, and it would work because it feels editorial. It’s useful first, and promotional second.

Even when they mention their own products, they don’t pretend to be neutral. Their branding is clear, and the value they are offering doesn’t rely on disguising who they are. It is the transparency that makes native advertising feel natural, not sneaky.

What To Do

Use simple, clear labels

Words like “Sponsored,” “Paid Content,” or “Brand Partnership” are enough.

Place the disclosure where it’s easy to see

Top of the content. Not buried in the footer.

Make sure the content still provides value

Disclosure or not, it should feel worth the reader’s time.

4. Write Headlines That Grab Attention Without Clickbait

Your headline is your first impression. It decides whether someone clicks or keeps scrolling. So yes, it needs to grab attention. But no, it shouldn’t overpromise or bait people into something totally unrelated.

Clickbait might get you a click, but it won’t get you trust. And without trust, you won’t get conversions. Stuff like “You’ll Never Believe What Happened Next” or “Doctors Hate This Trick.” That is a one-way ticket to bounce-town.

The best native ad headlines do three things:

1. Grab attention
2. Give a clear idea of what the article is about
3. Sound natural for the platform

For example: 

Clickbait-y:

“This Simple Trick Saved Me Thousands – Find Out How!”

Better:

“How I Cut $400 Off My Monthly Bills With One App”

See the difference? The second one still pulls you in, but it is clear and honest. That is what wins in native marketing.

What To Do

Be specific and concise

Tell the reader what they will get – and ideally in under 70 characters. Focus on clarity first, cleverness second.

Use curiosity, not deception

You can tease without lying. Stand by your message even after they click through to your content. Clickbait is not the way.

Match the tone of the site

BuzzFeed = fun. Harvard Business Review = sharp. Know your turf, and you can ensure your content always reads as organic and doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb.

5. Design Mobile-First Content

If your native ad doesn’t work on mobile, it basically doesn’t work. Globally, 60% of digital advertising budgets go to mobile. 

Scroll behaviour is faster. People have zero patience for clunky layouts or text walls. And what looks fine on a 13-inch screen might be a hot mess on a 5-inch one.

That’s why you need to ‘think small screen’ first, and then scale up from there – not the other way around.

What To Do

Use short, snappy sentences

Mobile users won’t scroll through long blocks of text. Get straight to the point in both visuals and copy.

Prioritise vertical visuals in the mobile ad unit

Landscape images shrink too small on mobile.

Make your CTA buttons thumb-friendly

Big, clear, and tappable is best.

Preview everything on your phone

Seriously. Before launching, open it on a real device and scroll like a user would.

6. Test Multiple Variations (A/B Testing)

Don’t assume you know what will work. You might think a certain headline or image is solid gold…but your audience might totally disagree. You won’t know unless you run side-by-side versions and see what actually converts.

That is where A/B testing saves you. Instead of guessing, you test two (or more) variations and let the data decide.

A standout example of this is the female display form business we discovered while analysing native ads on fashion industry blogs.

You would think mannequin ads would be static, right? Not here. They were testing several, each tailored to different visual styles and buyer mindsets.

One version led with a clean, minimal studio photo and the headline:

“What Fashion Stylists Are Using Behind The Scenes To Nail The Perfect Shot”

Another version kept the product the same but changed the image and copy entirely:

“This One Detail In Retail Displays Is Changing How Customers Interact With Products”

Same product. Completely different angle and visual context. One ad leaned into high-fashion aesthetic appeal. The other focused on authenticity and customisability. And instead of guessing which would land, they ran both, tracked the metrics, and then scaled the top performer.That’s the kind of variation testing native advertising was made for – just changing fonts or button colours. It was rethinking how their story was introduced, without making it feel like a product push.

What To Do

Test one thing at a time

If you test multiple changes at once, you won’t know which one made the difference.

Start with big-impact elements

Headline, image, CTA – get your foundations down first.

Keep both versions live for a decent sample size

Don’t call it a winner after just 20 clicks.

Use the ad platform’s built-in tools

Most networks offer A/B testing by default. Use these tools with zeal.

Track more than just clicks

See what people do after clicking. This is the key to hacking your conversion strategy.

7. Track Engagement, Not Just Clicks

Let’s expand on that last tip above. Clicks feel good. They are easy to measure. But they don’t tell the whole story. What happens after the click matters way more. Did people read your content? Did they bounce in 3 seconds? Did they actually scroll, watch, or sign up?

Focusing only on click-through rate (CTR) is like judging a book by its cover. You might be getting tons of traffic…that immediately disappears.

What To Do

Set up Google Analytics or a behaviour tool like Hotjar

Add UTM tags to your ad links so you can track them separately.

Use heatmaps

Are they even seeing your CTA? See how users interact with the page. 

Check the time spent on the web page and the visitor’s scroll depth

Prioritise pages with low bounce and high scroll as templates.

Track button clicks and signups

Are people doing what you hoped?

Compare bounce rates

A high bounce rate might mean your ad was misleading. 

Integrate social performance analytics

For social ads, use social media management tools with built-in performance analytics to monitor engagement and tweak messaging.

Is Native Advertising Right For You? Here’s When It Makes Sense

Native advertisements aren’t fit for every situation. Sometimes they’re exactly what you need. Other times, they’ll just drain your budget without delivering the kind of results you’re after. So let’s break it down clearly – when native ads make sense, and how you can tell if your situation checks out.

1. You Are Playing The Long Game (Not Just Chasing Quick Sales)

If you want instant conversions or a fast eCommerce spike, native ads might disappoint. But if you want to build brand awareness or educate potential buyers, this is where native shines. It gets your message in front of people before they are ready to buy.

2. Your Offer Needs A Bit Of Explaining

Have a product or service that isn’t an obvious sell? Maybe it solves a niche problem or requires trust before people act? Native ads let you walk people through it gently. You are giving value first, then sliding in your offer.

3. You Already Know Who Your Audience Is

Native ads perform best when you have figured out who you are speaking to. If you can define your target customer clearly – where they hang out, what they read, what they care about – you can craft native content that feels made just for them.

4. You Have Content Worth Reading

If you have a helpful guide, a real story, an interesting angle, or something people genuinely want to read, native advertising is the perfect way to promote it. But if your own content is just a thinly veiled sales pitch, it won’t get traction.

5. You Are Focused On Trust & Credibility

Because native ads appear within editorial-style environments, they are great for building credibility. They blend in, and if they are done right, they earn attention, rather than demand it.

5 Common Native Advertising Challenges & How To Overcome Them

Native advertising sounds great in theory, but once you start running campaigns, things can get messy fast if you aren’t prepared. So let’s break down 5 of the biggest native advertising challenges, and more importantly, how to actually deal with them.

1. People Don’t Realise It’s An Ad, So They Ignore The Offer

This one is tricky. Native ads are designed to blend in, but sometimes they blend in too well. People might read your content, enjoy it, and then…do nothing. No clicks, no signups, no follow-through.

How to Fix It:

Make sure your offer is subtle but clear. Don’t let it disappear. Your product or CTA should feel like a natural next step, not a surprise at the end. A quick mention early on, a contextual link in the middle, and a low-pressure CTA at the bottom work better than saving it all for the last paragraph.

If you are still not seeing action, this is where a conversion rate optimisation consultant can come in clutch. Their whole job is to look at your content flow and user journey to spot the invisible friction that is quietly killing your conversions and fix it without making it feel like a sales trap.

2. Ad Platforms Limit What You Can Say Or Show

Unlike search or social ads, native ad networks have tight restrictions around what kinds of claims you can make and what headlines you can run, especially in industries like finance, health, or personal development.

How to Fix It:

Before you even write your content, review the ad platform’s creative guidelines (every network publishes them). Build your native campaign inside those guardrails so you don’t waste time making edits later. And if you are in a restricted category, go with softer positioning: “How I Managed My Back Pain” instead of “Cure Your Back Pain Today.”

3. You Are Getting Clicks, But Bounce Rates Are Through The Roof

This is one of the most frustrating problems. Your CTR looks solid, but when you dig deeper, people are leaving your landing page after just a few seconds. That usually means the content didn’t match the ad.

How to Fix It:

Align your headline and landing page messaging. If the ad promises a personal story, the content better start with one. If the ad feels like a listicle, don’t land users on a hard-sell product page. 

Once the messaging is aligned, tweak the landing page for conversions – keep the CTA clear, remove distractions, and make sure the page loads fast. People click expecting one thing, and if they get something totally different, they will bounce instantly.

4. Creative Fatigue Kills Performance Quickly

You launch a native ad, it performs great for a week, then suddenly…dead. CTR drops. Engagement tanks. People have seen it too many times and are over it. This is creative ad fatigue – and native ads burn out faster than most because they blend into social media feeds.

How to Fix It:

Always be testing new creatives – headlines, thumbnails, intros. Rotate variations every 1–2 weeks if you’re spending consistently. And don’t just “refresh” with a new image. Try a new content angle altogether. For example:

• Version A: “Why I Stopped Drinking Coffee”
• Version B: “This Swapped My Coffee Habit – And Now I Sleep Better”

Both can lead to the same product, but different angles keep things fresh and help engage users.

5. You Are Not Sure What Metrics Actually Matter

With native ads, basic metrics like impressions or clicks don’t tell the full story. You might have a high CTR but no engagement. Or long time-on-page but no conversions. It’s confusing, and if you don’t know what to optimise for, you will waste your budget tweaking the wrong things.

How to Fix It:

Build a custom tracking flow before launch. For most native advertising campaigns, focus on:

• Time on page (Did they actually read?)
• Scroll depth (Did they get to the CTA?)
• Secondary actions (Did they explore more or sign up?)
• Conversion assist value (Did they come back later and convert?)

Conclusion

After all this discussion about what is native advertising, one thing is clear – it is definitely not where you dump leftover ad budget. It’s where brands go when they are done yelling into the void and are finally ready to talk to real people. So write like a human and match the vibe of the platform better than anyone else in the scroll. It should get people to care. If it doesn’t do that, start over.

Now, if you’re looking to take that principle into real-world practice, Digital Next is the team you would want on your side. Our content marketing and blog writing services are built for the kind of storytelling that powers native advertising. And with Google Ads and social ads capabilities in hand, we can amplify that content where it belongs.

Get a free strategy session and see what is possible when you stop sounding like an ad.

Author Bio:

Burkhard Berger is the founder of Novum™. He helps innovative B2B companies implement modern SEO strategies to scale their organic traffic to 1,000,000+ visitors per month. Curious about what your true traffic potential is?

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