Native or natural advertising can be distributed through special affiliate networks. Advertisers see these ads as a perfect way to draw attention to their product, and media buyers consider them a wonderful opportunity to earn money.
However, even an experienced affiliate can get lost in the maelstrom of various offers, inundating the market; they differ in fee, payment methods, GEO, and dozens of other factors. Here we'll show you how to choose the best option possible and provide you with a list of top native advertising networks.
Definition
Native ads closely resemble the content of the website they are posted on, so the user doesn't immediately understand this is an advertisement, treating it as valid information. As you can see, this format quickly builds and solidifies trust in the target audience as it does not force potential customers to buy an item: it is a non-intrusive offer, which works way better than lackluster hucksterisms screaming at clients from their screens.
Still, such ads, disguised as content, come out marked as an advertising piece: there are regulations and laws controlling the sphere, so an attentive eye can spot a teeny-tiny asterisk with a warning.
However, affiliates are nonetheless relatively free in terms of the ad design: there are no restrictions regarding the format or type of native advertising, so focus on consistency, and tailor the ad for the needs of your target audience, making sure that it does not divert attention from content consumption. There's a logic behind it: users uninterested in the content they browse will leave.
Articles. More than 80% of native advertising consists of articles: reviews, expert materials, case studies, or even reports and detailed feedback. Such articles don't normally require immediate action from the user. Usually, this format implies a detailed overview of the problem, intangibly interweaving information about promoted products.
Social media. Native ads organically fit into newsfeeds: users flip through the feeds, not understanding that a post they've just seen is an ad. The rest is paperwork: an offer that piques curiosity will inevitably be checked out by the user clicking the link attached to the post.
Recommendation lists. Recommendation lists are placed on the same page with the material of interest: they represent a set of links to other articles on similar topics. For example, if there's a detailed overview of Berlin, the site can offer a Munich-related text or an instruction on how to get your Schengen clearance approved. As you can see, native advertising is cleverly dressed up as content, and it cannot be distinguished from the recommended material: if the reader is interested in the banner and headline, they will click the link.
Videos. Native advertising has grown popular in the last 2-3 years, and you sure as hell can bump into it watching your favorite YouTube blogger, no matter if you're into Markiplier or Good Mythical Morning. Approximately 70% of users prefer to learn about products and services via videos.
Tests and additional services. This format also organically fits into the structure of the site where it is located. This approach takes time and effort: games, for example, require several months and quite a few people who can find out and eliminate all bugs before release.
Advantages & Disadvantages
Here you can find the advantages and disadvantages of native advertising.
Advantages
Audience loyalty. Readers do not consider such posts as ads: on the contrary, people perceive them as another version of content they'd like to get acquainted with.
Flexibility. You can choose a convenient format and distribution channels based on the product and goals.
Viral effect. If done well, people will eagerly share your ad.
High conversion. AppNexus claims that native ads have an 8.8x higher CTR.
Disadvantages
Costs. Native advertising is synonymous with indistinguishable content placed on the site, so you're supposed to do your best to fit in: hire a designer who'd make a bombastic creative, stimulate your copywriters, and so forth. If you promised valuable information, share it, otherwise the reader, who's seen nothing but your ad, will feel deceived.
Price. Native advertising is always more expensive: consider the cost of content production and publications that are to be adjusted for different platforms. Some products are just not worth it.
Choosing the Network
There are affiliate networks that help you place native ads. Hundreds of these. So, you'll need some guidance to continue, and we are happy to share our observations to give you a helping hand.
Targeting settings. This is an affiliate's major tool: the more flexible the settings, the better the campaign customization. Consequently, the ad will hit the right audience. In some networks, settings include regions and age; in others, you can discover an additional perk — interests. State-of-the-art networks resort to machine learning technologies for better customization.
Initial difficulties. Some sites offer a ready-made set of guides to help you set up your campaign. In most cases, you can also count on a personal manager ready to answer all your questions. Of course, such networks are more expensive, but in the end, beginners can get the best of it, learning and acquiring new knowledge without splurging their budget. Tinker-with-it sort of platforms exist too, so if you're confident enough or do not want to register another expense line in your expenditure list, go for this option.
GEO. Most networks are adapted for the English-speaking part of the Internet: Europe and North America. Options for Asia and Russian-speaking platforms are also available, but Europe and the USA, and/or Canada are top-priority as their users are the most expensive. Choose a network based on the main target audience of the promoted product.
Restrictions. Native ad niches are worth mentioning: some of them do not allow you to promote crypto or adult-related products, so you'll have to do a little digging if this is your primary vertical. To each their own, anyway, so there are different requirements for different ads in different networks.
Replenishment. Have you ever heard of wireless service providers? Have you ever used your smartphone to replenish your balance? Then you're good: native advertising networks operate similarly. Users replenish their accounts and can work with it until it's finally empty. Keep in mind, though, that the amount of replenishment varies depending on the network. In some cases, the minimum deposit is $100; in others, the deposit is at least $500.
Buying Traffic
Affiliate networks offer different ways to purchase traffic.
CPA (Cost Per Action) withdraws money for the target action performed by the user.
CPC (Cost Per Click). Affiliates receive payment for each ad click.
CPI (Cost Per Install). This payment model is designed for mobile applications: money is charged for each user who installs the app.
CPL (Cost Per Lead). Affiliates receive payment for each potential buyer showing interest in the product by filling out a contact form, leaving a request, or signing up for a free webinar.
CPS (Cost Per Sale). This is a variation of the CPA model where payment happens if the user has purchased a product or service.
CPV (Cost Per View). The model implies paying for ad views. CPM, a modernized form of the same model, is a more often occasion: here, the price is indicated for 1000 views at once.
Native Advertising Networks: List
Finally, something you've been waiting for! Please, welcome native advertising networks: the list.
PushHouse
PushHouse is a push ads platform. Campaigns can be launched in 180 countries. The site offers various payment methods, including crypto.
Traffic purchase options: CPC.
Targeting options: GEO.
Restrictions: no restrictions; 18+ offers can be launched.
Difficulty: low. Lots of tutorials and tech support that quickly responds.
Clickadu
Clickadu is an international clickander and popunder network. Provides 6 different advertising formats.
Traffic purchase options: CPM.
Targeting options: GEO.
Restrictions: no restrictions; 18+ offers can be launched.
Difficulty: low.
TapClick
TapClick is an international platform for buying and selling mobile traffic. The platform works with 200 countries and can be beneficial for both affiliates and site owners.
Traffic purchase options: CPM, CPI, CPC, CPA.
Targeting options: GEO, devices.
Restrictions: only mobile apps, entertainment topics, and online stores are available.
Difficulty: low. TapClick provides automated solutions without the hassle.
BigClick
BigClick is a teaser network specializing in adult and gambling topics.
Traffic purchase options: CPM.
Targeting options: GEO, devices, axes.
Restrictions: the site must comply with the internal rules of the site.
Difficulty: medium.
LadyClick
LadyClick is an intelligent teaser network specializing in female traffic: recipes, motherhood, esotericism, beauty and fitness. The network reaches more than 400 million users and supports computers and mobile devices.
Traffic purchase options: CPM.
Targeting options: GEO, devices, axes, gender.
Restrictions: the site must comply with the internal rules of the site.
Difficulty: medium.
Efficacy Alert
Speaking of campaign efficacy, we usually mention three criteria.
Quantitative Metrics
Impressions. The number of times users have seen the ad. Every time it appears in front of the user on the screen, the impression is counted. The CPM and CPV models are based on this metric.
Unique display. A variation of the previous metric, demonstrating how many times the ad has been shown for the first time.
Click. The number of clicks on an ad; the basic unit for advertising calculation. Used in the CPC model.
CTR (Click-Through-Rate). The click-through rate of an advertising banner, or the number of clicks on it in relation to the number of impressions.
Qualitative Metrics
Scroll depth. Percentage of all users who scrolled the page to the end. Do not confuse it with reading: if a person quickly scrolls the page to the end, this is a scroll depth. If they did this at a moderate speed, this is an additional reading.
Engagement. The degree of user interest in the offer. The user clicks on the link and closes it immediately? Low engagement. They scrutinize every page, reading the article for a long time? High engagement. Simple.
Medium scroll. Page depth. But this time we define how far, on average, users scroll through a particular offer.
Efficiency Metrics
Expenses. In affiliate marketing, this concept implies money spent on a specific action, for example, when you decide to sell a product or attract a new subscriber.
Prime costs. The cost of 1000 impressions and 1 click are the main metrics of any advertising account. The calculation of CPM is based on the publication price and the number of viewers. Their number can be predicted. CPC is calculated from the cost of placement and the number of clicks made.
Recommendations
Native advertising is a long-running type of content, so shocking, flashy, and catchy creatives are certainly out of place, and experiments with banners are strictly prohibited. Still, beginners are welcome to disguise their ads as informational content.
The click-through rate is not too high in native advertising: this phenomenon can be explained by its similarity to ordinary informational posts. If this thought pushes you to the CPC model (cost-per-click), you're on the right way.
Native advertising normally requires a pre-lander to warm up the audience. Driving traffic directly to the offer is a mistake you want to avoid: in this case, people will be scared away by the pressure they feel, and they won't accomplish the target action.
