The rise of the Internet along with online marketing has opened multiple doors to modern day businesses. It’s also offered some incredible opportunities when it comes to reaching their audience and expanding their customer base. That said, the rise of digital advertising has also made it much more complex to decide which channels companies should use to grow their business.
Two types of ads in particular have made their way into the modern day business’ marketing arsenal: native ads and display ads. While the two of them have some similarities, there are some key differences that make them more suitable for particular goals and purposes. The question is: How do you know what type works best for your business? Also, how do you know when to use each? To answer these questions, we’re going to go over the definitions of both ad types, their similarities and differences, and which one works better in particular cases.
What are display ads?
Display ads – as the name itself suggests – are the type of ads that you’d typically see displayed on website pages in order to promote a particular product or service. Brightly-colored and incorporating eye-catching text and images, display ads are designed to stand out from the rest of the content where they’re served. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and you’ll typically find them either on the side of the web page or at its top, although they can also appear while you’re scrolling between paragraphs.
First appearing in 1994, display ads – often referred to as banner ads or Google ads – have been around for quite some time now. They’ve evolved quite a bit, with today’s display ads incorporating clickable elements and interactive pieces of audio or video content. Display advertising is considered the “old school” approach to advertising online, and was perceived as a leader at doing so. That is, up until the appearance of native ads.
What are native ads?
Back in 2011, the term was coined to refer to the type of ad that would become display ads’ fierce competitor and take over the throne, becoming the ultimate online marketing leader. The ads in question are native ads, and are considered the “new school” approach to spreading the word about a brand in the online space. Native ads come in a variety of formats these days. They often appear as clip ads or video ads, as well as mobile app install ads. They’re adapted to fit the style and the tone of the website they’re served on, thus ensuring a seamless flow.
This, along with its other benefits, is a solid reason for a rising demand for companies such as Datasys that offer native advertising services. Offering intelligent marketing solutions, these professionals can help you come up with effective native ad that’s creative without being intrusive. This is why more marketers are taking advantage of this popular marketing tool, so much so that companies worldwide have spent $85 billion in 2021 on native advertising, with the prediction that those numbers will more than double by 2028.
What are the similarities and differences between display and native ads?
One of the key features that these two ad types share is that they’re both used to inform the viewer about a particular service or product. They both come in a variety of formats, and both of them are in high demand as they serve as excellent tools for boosting a digital marketing strategy.
However, there are some key differences. Unlike their counterparts, native ads blend in with the content displayed on a web page. Rather than being hard-selling, native ads employ a soft approach. Thanks to their ability to mimic the look and feel of the rest of the displayed content, native ads aren’t as clear about promoting something as display ads are. And while display ads are often interactive, native ads are static, typically involving recommended or branded content.
When do you use display ads and when are native ads more suitable?
Both display ads and native ads have their specific roles. The key is learning how to use each one of them to your advantage. This will largely depend on what your business goals are and what you are trying to achieve.
For instance, if your goal is to boost brand awareness or deliver a powerful visual message, display ads are a much better choice. The same goes for businesses that are looking to target a specific, niche audience, or the ones looking to employ a retargeting strategy. As for native ads, they’re a better option if you’re working with a tighter budget, prioritize tracking campaign performance, or are aiming for brand content amplification. Obviously, there is no one-size-fits-all approach here. However, given the benefits of each type, it’d be best to use a combination of display and native ads and leverage the advantages of both.
Employing the most suitable ad type as key to optimizing digital marketing campaigns
As you can see, both native and display ads have their own benefits and drawbacks. It’s important to be wary and factor them in when deciding which ad type to implement into a digital marketing campaign. By understanding how they work and when to use each, companies can make smarter moves and reap the rewards of their informed and well-thought-out business decisions.
