In recent years, native advertising has become one of the hottest forms of promoting products and services. However, according to Copyblogger’s 2014 State of Native Advertising Report, 49 percent of 2,088 respondents didn’t know anything about native advertising. If nearly half of people surveyed didn’t understand this popular form of promotion, we must ask, “What is native advertising?”

Native advertising is the online answer to the advertorial. Just as an advertorial is a paid article written to look as if it is a piece of editorial content, a native advertisement is an ad that appears naturally on an online platform. A native advertisement matches the platform on which it appears, so it doesn’t look like a traditional piece of paid content to viewers.

Unlike banner ads (which are formatted more like traditional newspaper or magazine advertisements), native ads are a form of content marketing. Native advertisements flow within editorial content instead of appearing at the top or in the sidebar of a webpage.

Major social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and major news websites like  The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today all offer native advertising options. From sponsored stories or images to sponsored posts or playlists, native advertising takes a variety of forms. Services such as Sharethrough, TripleLift and Nativo connect advertisers with publishers, allowing brands to promote their products across multiple websites.

So now that you understand native advertising, how can it help your small business or nonprofit organization? Native advertising drives brand awareness and can even feature a call-to-action button, encouraging readers (or viewers or listeners) to click through to your website. If you are searching for a way to promote your products or services while offering informational or educational content to your potential buyers, native advertising is most likely for you.

Need help with native advertising? Contact Point Taken today.