Many marketers are quick to assume that search and social channels hold the user acquisition key. While this isn’t completely false, today’s brands are doing themselves a disservice when putting the majority of ad spend into one basket.

The “Walled Gardens” of Google and Facebook perform best when users are looking for something specific or getting recommendations from their peers. But, what about reaching users that may not even know your product or service exists? Don’t turn a blind eye to untapped revenue – this is where the power of native takes center stage.

Understanding native ads

Offering an ideal solution for mobile advertising, native ads flawlessly blend into the content users are already consuming across the “Open Web” without causing disruption. But what exactly makes native ads so powerful for user acquisition campaigns? Native ads mimic the look, feel, and function of the surrounding content, creating a less intrusive and more engaging experience for users. 90% of leading publishers have adopted native advertising, which highlights their undeniable impact in capturing user attention and optimizing user experience.

Popular types of native ads include:

  • In-Feed Ads
  • Sponsored Content
  • Content Recommendation Ads
  • Branded Content

Learn how to diversify your mobile media mix with native ads in Perform[cb]’s blog with AppsFlyer.

Experiment with native ad formats

Running the right native ad format can be the difference between converting a new high-intent user and getting lost in the noise.

In-feed ads: These ads appear within the natural flow of content. They feel natural to the user experience, resulting in higher engagement rates and better user acceptance.

  • Tips:
    • Contextually tailor ads to match the style and tone of surrounding content.
    • Use compelling visuals and concise copy to grab attention quickly.
    • Test different placements within the feed to identify optimal performance.

Sponsored content: Creating branded articles, videos, or other multimedia content that aligns with the publisher’s platform and audience interests, providing value to users while subtly promoting your app.

  • Tips:
    • Focus on providing informative or entertaining content that resonates with your target users.
    • Disclose the sponsorship clearly to maintain transparency and trust.
    • Collaborate with publishers to ensure content fits seamlessly into their platform.

Content recommendation ads: These ads suggest relevant articles, videos, or products based on the user’s browsing behavior or interests, providing additional value while subtly promoting your app. Incorporating widgets featuring personalized recommendations has been shown to boost conversions by 15% to 20%.

  • Tips:
    • Monitor performance closely and refine recommendations based on user engagement and feedback.
    • Test different content formats and recommendation algorithms to optimize performance.

Branded content: Branded content involves collaborating with publishers or influencers to create custom content. By leveraging the credibility and influence of these partners, branded content authentically reaches and engages target audiences, notably being 22 times more engaging than display ads. Moreover, users exposed to branded content are 14% more likely to seek additional content from the marketer.

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  • Tips:
    • Choose partners whose audience aligns with your target users and brand values.
    • Allow partners creative freedom while ensuring brand messaging remains consistent.
    • Measure the impact of branded content campaigns using metrics such as engagement, brand sentiment, and conversion rates.

Benefits of native ads for mobile advertising

As mobile advertising evolves, so do user expectations. Today’s users are savvy and can easily spot standard display ads from native content. To capture their attention, ads must feel authentic and interactive. Crafting top-quality content is only half the battle; it is equally important to present it in a manner that encourages user interaction and engagement.

Mobile native ads dominate over 84% of the total mobile ad spend, reaffirming their unparalleled effectiveness in grabbing user attention. With such a significant portion of ad spend allocated to native ads, many of your competitors are likely already reaping their benefits – don’t neglect the potential of this ad format.

Native ads offer various benefits for mobile advertising:

  • Visibility: Native ads capture attention effectively on mobile devices due to their visually engaging nature. They are seamlessly integrated into the user experience, ensuring higher visibility compared to other forms of advertising, as users look at native ads 53% more frequently than display ads.
  • Enhanced user experience: Native ads blend in with the content of the app or website, providing a non-disruptive and cohesive user experience. This can lead to higher engagement rates and better brand perception among users.
  • Increased engagement: These types of ads often generate higher engagement rates compared to traditional banner ads. Native ads can be interactive, allowing users to engage directly with the content, such as by swiping, tapping, or watching videos. 70% of users are more likely to engage with a native ad than a traditional banner ad, highlighting the effectiveness of native advertising in engaging online audiences.
  • Enhanced purchase intent: Mobile advertising platforms often offer advanced targeting options based on user demographics, interests, behaviors, and location. This enables app marketers to reach their target audience more effectively, leading to higher conversion rates and improved return on ad spend (ROAS). 71% of users claim native ads increase their purchase intent, highlighting the effectiveness of targeted advertising in driving sales.
  • Brand awareness: Native ads contribute to building brand awareness and recall as they are designed to blend with the content users are consuming. This can result in better brand recognition and an increased likelihood of users remembering the advertised app.
  • Combats ad fatigue: As users become desensitized to traditional banner ads, the engagement rates of such ads dip significantly. When integrated with native advertising, however, it can help mobile marketers craft more personalized campaigns that keep audiences engaged and less likely to suffer from ad fatigue.
  • Measurable results: Mobile advertising platforms offer robust analytics and tracking tools, allowing mobile marketers to monitor the performance of their native ad campaigns in real-time. This enables them to make data-driven decisions and optimize their ads for better results. Perform[cb] is integrated with industry-leading MMPs, including Adjust, AppsFlyer, Branch, Kochava, and Singular.

Eager to craft a successful outcome-based user acquisition strategy but not sure how to get started? Download Perform[cb]’s Mobile Manual.

Stand out by blending in

Why shout when you can speak volumes with subtlety? Incorporate native ads into your mobile marketing strategy to blend in like a pro-scale user acquisition and CLV like no other.

Ready to take action? Reach out to Perform[cb]’s team of user acquisition experts.

Eager for more? Unlock the secrets to scaling your user acquisition efforts with Perform[cb]’s Mobile Manual: Your Complete Guide to Mobile App User Acquisition. Let’s take your mobile marketing strategy to the next level!