Native advertising is that advertising that matches the form and function of the platform on which it appears. It is so indistinguishable from the other editorial matter. It is mostly online, but is feasible elsewhere too. Generally, native advertising assumes the form of an article or video produced by an advertiser for promotional purposes which match the editorial content. Native here refers to the content coherence. It blends with the surroundings. Somewhere in order to avoid deception, it is indicated in corners, or at the bottom of the ad that it is an ad. This is called disclosure. The Hall Mark of Fame series which first appreared in 1951 is an earliest instance of native advertising. Mostly these ads are publisher produced brand content. The ads that appear along side the search results are native to the search experience. All promoted tweets, stories and posts on social media are native marketing. It is a moot point whether content marketing is native advertising or not.

An ad that is hard to identify as an ad performs better against ad blockers. The disclosures make it easier to block.

Native advertising is highly contextual and audience-centric. It is not much brand-centric. Readers themselves reject the content that sound like a sales pitch. This applies to blogs and content marketing. It is important to know where not to advertise. Or else it leads to brand dilution.

It all boils down to the creativity of the marketer. The communication should add value to the online user’s experience.It should be integrated and relevant. It does so through storytelling.

At the same time, it is important to monitor and track the results. In the light of this feedback, we can modify the ad and improve upon it.

In measuring the effect of the native content, it is important to focus on emotional aspects. The traditional metrics just measure the clicks, and emotional impact is underreported.

Native ads are used to connect with the consumers at a deeper level. They are not short term tactical tools.

Native ads are consumed across multiple platforms — from TV to online to mobile apps. Each brand cannot build campaigns for multiple platforms.

Native ads can use fixed slots, but the better idea is to create these ads dynamically based on user interaction.

To buy native inventory over exchange is challenging. Its major inventory is with the publishers. If negotiations are held with the sales team of the publishers, the ability of the advertisers to negotiate is reduced. It is for the publisher to decide how much advertising-driven content is to be allowed. It is necessary for them to maintain editorial integrity. There should not be content mismatch too.

According to the research project of Science of Engahament ( SoE ) sponsored by BBC, some facial coding techniques have been explored. The maxim is that ‘your face never lies’ holds true.The project measured an individual’s unconscious response to native content. Well-excuted native content is trusted and persuasive. It does exercise emotional impact.

Native ad clients must collaborate with the publisher and must be ready to devote time, effort and resources.

Branded content must be informative and be in tune with the interest of the users.There should be transparency in disclosures. The content must be compelling. It should be consistent across the platforms. They should not be distractive, demanding attention but must sync with the editorial content. There should be experiemantation with content and formats.