Native advertising is the term used to describe the act of displaying ads to consumers while they are in the context of the product/service being advertised. One example is airing a LeBron James shoe commercial during an NBA game. In this way the advertiser is not only being less intrusive to the audience, but is also catching the maximum number of relevant audience members, which is LeBron James fans. So it’s a double-positive for the advertiser: they are being less annoying, while being more relevant to the audience.
That idea is taken to the next level with digital (internet) advertising. That’s because, in the example we are already working with, not everyone who is watching the game is in the market for a new pair of shoes. But with Google Adwords, for example, you can target people who are not only interested in your product or service, but who are immediate potential customers. They are people who are ready to buy the shoe now, not just looking for an image of it. This is done through the use keywords, negative keywords, and geo-targeting to narrowly target your audience.
Additionally, with the help of smart phones and social media giants like Facebook, native digital advertising is expanding each year. Smart phones have spread faster than any technology in history, and as such, there are expected to be over 200 billion apps available for download by 2017. This is something Facebook has already started taking advantage of through the use of their mobile app and News Feed advertising. Smart phones are the perfect platform for native digital advertising because once the user is logged in and interacting with an application regarding a subject or event, it will be a seamless transition from that interaction to an interaction about a related product that your business is offering.
Here is where it becomes the responsibility of the advertiser not to abuse this power. If you don’t know what you’re doing, or are too aggressive you will turn a lot of people off, and through Darwinism, you will eventually be forced to go away by depleting your funds with no revenue results. Or you can rely on an experienced team of digital marketers who can use the new platform advantageously, and help your sales soar and your actually make your advertising costs shrink.
Give social media and digital advertising a try, get your business online, and call us if you need any help. Together we can make your business marketing a slam dunk.
Matthew is the President of Infront Webworks and is a New England native now calling Colorado Springs home. Matt attended The University of NH where he pursued a BS in Natural Resource Economics & Business Administration. Aside from Infront; Matthew has owned and managed two other online agencies based on the seacoast of New Hampshire and been a key player in multiple technology mergers & acquisitions. When he’s not bathing in technology, online marketing & business; he’s probably spending time with his wife and daughter, boating, skiing the trees, hiking or cooking..he is a foodie for sure!
