Initially, Google AdSense only provided various fixed size ads. These fixed size ads have the disadvantage that their size, appearance and format cannot be adjusted to the available ad space. The appearance of a blog or website becomes less good when placing a fairly large fixed size ad in a smaller ad space and vice versa.
Google Adsense then provided responsive ads and began to encourage the use of these ads. Unlike fixed size ads, the size, appearance and format of responsive ads can automatically adjust to the available ad space. Because they are responsive, when used, these ads will look good on various devices with different screen sizes and perform well.
Actually, you may still use certain fixed size ads with responsive ad nuances on various screen sizes through code. For example, you can display a 200x200 ad size on a smartphone, a 300x250 ad on a tablet or a 336x280 ad on a desktop. However, using responsive ad code can save time compared to customizing through code to get the responsive feel of fixed size ads.
Next, not long ago, precisely in early July 2017, Google AdSense started providing native ads. Google is actually said to be late in providing native ads considering that Google Adsense itself has been around for quite a long time, more than a decade. So what exactly are native ads that are currently trending in today's advertising?
What are native ads in Google Ads?
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| What are native ads in Google Ads? |
Native ads are also responsive ads whose ad formats can adjust the layout of the available ad space starting from the font type, font color and shape. Native ads can blend or blend with content so as to reduce distractions, provide better comfort to blog or website visitors which will ultimately improve the user experience.
According to its official blog, Google AdSense native ads use high-quality advertising elements such as high image resolution, longer titles and descriptions to provide a more interesting experience to blog or website visitors. Google itself has also provided editing tools to help make native ads look very good on blogs or websites.
Initially, when the native ad code has been installed on a blog or website, sometimes native ads will appear and sometimes regular banner ads. This is because native ads are still relatively new in Google advertising and not many advertisers use them. Now, with its various advantages and benefits, many advertisers are starting to budget a large portion of their ad spend on native ad formats.
Native AdSense ads themselves consist of three categories, namely In-feed, In-article and Matched Content. Unlike native In-feed and native In-article which are available to all AdSense publishers, native Matched Content is only available to AdSence publishers who meet the eligibility criteria related to traffic volume and number of unique pages.
1. Native In-feed ads
These native ads are available to all AdSense publishers. You can use In-feed ads in feeds such as article or product lists. Native In-feed ads can also be customized to match the look and feel of the feed content on your blog or website by utilizing the available tools. Native In-feed includes responsive ads that can automatically adjust to various screen sizes.
2. Native In-Article
These native ads are also available to all Adsense publishers. You can place native In-article ads between paragraphs. Native In-article includes ads that are optimized by Google so that they will look good between articles. Native In-article includes responsive ads that can automatically adjust to various screen sizes.
3. Native matched content
Matched content actually existed before In-feed and In-article ads. When Google introduced native ads, matched content finally became part of AdSense native ads. Only blogs or websites that meet the eligibility criteria related to traffic volume and the number of unique pages are given the opportunity to place matched content. Depending on your site, you can also display ads on matched content.
Matched content is a Google AdSense recommendation tool that provides a simple way to promote articles or posts on your blog or website. Matched content can increase blog or website page views, time spent on the blog or website, blog or website visitor loyalty, ad impressions and ultimately ad revenue.
What is the future of native advertising?
The term native advertising may still sound foreign to the ear. However, this form of native advertising has existed since ancient times. It's just that the name may be better known as advertorial or content marketing. However, there is a fundamental difference between native advertising and advertorial, the difference lies in the content presented. Native Advertising blends with the original content of a website or media so that people will not realize that what they read or see is an advertisement. Smart, right?
The term 'native' in the word native advertising refers to the identity or place used by an advertisement. This means that a native advertising advertisement will adjust to the place, theme or identity where they advertise. For example, if a marketer is going to advertise on Buzzfeed, then the marketer must use article content with a theme that matches the characteristics of Buzzfeed while subtly promoting the product in the article.
With native advertising, people voluntarily spread an article or video because the content presented is interesting. The right use of native advertising can invite viral and popular content without having to spend a lot of money and energy. Someone might hit the ‘skip’ button when a YouTube ad appears, but when an ad blends in with the content presented by PewDiePie, people will voluntarily watch and share the video voluntarily.
A study states that less than 50 percent of visitors to news sites cannot distinguish between native advertising and real news articles. Native advertising is so subtle that we don’t even realize we’re watching an ad!
MDG Advertising conducted a study on native advertising, and stated that native advertising is one of the most effective advertising methods today. Why?
- 70% of Netizens want to learn about a product through content rather than traditional advertising.
- Netizens view native advertising 53% more than traditional banner ads
- 32% of consumers say they would share native advertising with friends and family. In contrast, only 19% of consumers want to share traditional advertising with friends and family.
- Netizens spend approximately the same amount of time reading editorial content and native advertising.
- Brand engagement increases by 82% thanks to native advertising
- Desire to buy increases by 53% with native advertising.
Is native advertising limited to blogs or news sites? Don't worry. Social media has also started to adopt native advertising for various advertising needs. An example can be seen in the following image:
Conclusion
Seeing how great native advertising is, surely many marketers are starting to be tempted to try using this type of advertising. But wait, not all native advertising is successful. The success of native advertising depends on how 'agile' a brand is in packaging ads into interesting content.
In creating native advertising, the thing to remember is soft selling, not hard selling. In native advertising, we cannot be 'passionate' in marketing the advantages of the products we have. Advertising through native advertising requires elegance and creativity so that the content we create goes viral...
