‘It’s all about sharing your story’: Why native content is one of the best ways to grow your brand
In 2021, standing out from the crowd is more important than ever. Everyday, consumers are inundated with options and choices. They choose which coffee to have in the morning, decide what kind of car they want to drive to work and what meal to cook for dinner.
While creating brand recognition and loyalty isn’t an exact science, one thing that people always engage with is a strong, compelling story. Stories can inspire us, make us reconsider our point of view and ultimately shape the way that we see the world. So, when it comes to advertising your company, service or product, native advertising is something that every marketer should consider.
But what is native advertising and how does it work? Well, we decided to answer some of your most commonly asked questions.
What exactly is native content?
In a nutshell, native content refers to bespoke content led advertising that is designed specifically to appeal to a brand’s target audience.
Now, you might be thinking, ‘How does a native advertisement differ from an advertorial?’ Well, in order to be considered a native article, the content should align with the publication’s editorial style and tone.
Native content fits seamlessly into the selected websites and they look and feel like everyday articles and are paid for or ‘sponsored’ by a particular brand.
Why is it so effective?
The reason why native advertising is so effective is because it is subtle. In fact, you’ve probably seen several examples of native advertising online this week without even realising it.
This non-disruptive form of advertising makes users much more receptive to the ad’s message. According to research, 77pc of users do not interpret native ads as advertising. As a result, native ads collect 53pc more views when compared to traditional advertising.
This method helps to combat ad fatigue and further engages potential customers.
Tell your story
Native advertising is also a great way for brands to explain more complex products or offerings.
According to Marketing Land, retention rates for native advertising are 3 times higher than display banner ads. This means you get more time to share your story and what makes your brand special.
For example, if you’re promoting health insurance, which concept would engage your audience more, a print ad that highlights the price of coverage, or a native article interviewing a cancer survivor who is glad that they took out cover?
Success stories
Native advertising also allows you to break through the noise and tell the stories that important to both you and your target audience. This is something that Dr Jason Mc Elligott, Director at Marsh’s Library in Dublin learned firsthand.
Jason and his team purchased a native content article on the Irish Independent last year, which was a big step forward for their historic institution.
“My institution opened to the public in 1707, but our first experience of advertising in the media only came in 2020 when we dipped our toes into the water via sponsored content with the Irish Independent,” he explains. “That 313-year delay is testament to the cautiousness of this institution.
“We were very pleasantly surprised with the service offered, especially its effectiveness and value for money. The text generated by a journalist after a conversation with me was very accurate and engaging. We noticed a very rapid increase in visitors to our website which was translated into paying visitors through the door.
“The cost was very reasonable, and my trustees were delighted with the data Mediahuis could provide about those who saw our content. We certainly won’t wait another 313 years before investing in advertising with Mediahuis again.”
In a similar vein, Gillian Murphy from Enable Ireland used native content to promote the charity’s fundraising initiatives to a wide audience.
“We were really happy with the results from both our digital advertising and native content pieces on the Irish Independent for our fundraising campaign ‘Win a House Cork’,” Gillian states. “The native piece in particular was very prominent on the homepage. It allowed us to promote our campaign, tell the story of our organisation and successfully drove traffic to our campaign website.”
If you would like to find out more about native content and how it can benefit your company, please get in touch.
Paul Muldoon, Group Display & Classifieds Manager
Email: pmuldoon@mediahuis.ie
