In The Know

Are you looking for an impactful way to reach supporters and build momentum for your cause? While you can certainly try traditional advertisements, it may not be enough to grab the attention of a modern audience. In fact, some people may automatically put up their guard when they see an ad pop up on their screen. 

This is where native ads shine.

Native advertising is a modern approach to advocacy ad campaigns, involving a more subtle touch to advertising that feels more natural and less pushy. Here’s a look at how U.S. consumers feel about ads and how native content can help you break through barriers to create better campaigns. 

How Do Americans Feel About Ads?

Generally speaking, U.S. consumers aren’t very responsive to ad content. This is especially true if you’re trying to push ads where people don’t expect it — people are most receptive to ad content on websites related to shopping, news, entertainment, and social media. 

However, even ads in these specific areas can irritate consumers and cause them to avoid your content altogether. Making sure your ads aren’t too pushy or uninteresting can help you capture the viewer’s attention and boost your conversion rates. 

What Is Native Advertising?

Native advertising involves creating paid media that blends in with the platform’s regular content. The goal is to make your ads appear less like traditional advertisements and more like part of the user’s natural experience. Unlike intrusive banners or pop-up ads, native ads match the format, tone, and style of the surrounding content. 

For advocacy, native advertising aims to share your stance or mission on an issue in a way that clicks with readers rather than coming across as traditional advertising. By integrating content with the media where it’s published, you can create more engaging and effective experiences. You’ll be able to reach a wider and more receptive audience. 

Why Native Advertising Works in Advocacy

Native advertising offers unique advantages that align well with advocacy work, including the following benefits:

Increased Engagement

By blending with regular content, native ads can achieve higher engagement rates than traditional content. That’s because the content tends to feel less intrusive than traditional ads, which encourages viewers to interact with your message and consider your cause.  

Credibility

Publishing content that feels natural and authentically helpful can make your message more credible, especially if you’ve teamed up with a trusted platform or publisher. Building trust is essential for your advocacy group’s success, and native ads enable you to connect without appearing too pushy or promotional. 

Targeting Opportunities 

You can target specific audiences or demographics through native ads. Let’s say you run an environmental advocacy group. You could place native ads on a site that focuses on eco-conscious living. 

Types of Native Advertising for Advocacy

There are a few different ways to blend ads into the digital experience. You can use the following strategies to maximize your reach and impact: 

Sponsored Content

Sponsored content is one of the most popular forms of native advertising. Here, you’ll team up with a social media influencer and pay them to create content on your behalf. They will create a video that matches their usual style and format, but it will feature your products or services.

There are a couple of different ways that influencers format content. Sometimes, they will weave your ad into their long-form video. This is common among YouTubers. If your influencer partner primarily uses short-form videos on platforms like Instagram, they may do an entire clip dedicated to your ad. 

Social Media Native Ads

Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great options for running native ads. You can promote or boost posts to ensure they appear on more users’ feeds. These types of ads can stop users mid-scroll and help boost awareness about your cause. 

Top social platforms excel at captivating user attention. They also have sophisticated marketing tools that you can use to engage in precision targeting and ensure your messages reach the right audiences. Native Story and Reel ads are particularly useful for connecting with people who are already interested in your cause. 

Video Content and Storytelling

Video ads are powerful in advocacy because they allow for storytelling. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok provide the perfect space to share videos that look and feel like regular content.

Keep in mind that not all of your posts have to be paid ads. You can also publish regular content to build an organic following and raise awareness about your cause. While the organic approach takes time, it’s also cost-effective and sustainable. 

Best Practices for Native Advertising

Here are a few tips to help you make the most out of your native advertising strategy:

• Know Your Audience: Research your ideal demographic and ensure you know their interests and pain points
• Be Subtle: Native ads should feel natural, with subtle but clear messaging 
• Measure and Adjust: Track the results of each campaign, build on what works, and fix what doesn’t

You’ll also need a wealth of timely, relevant data to inform your native advertising campaigns. That’s where Aristotle, a leader in political data, can provide invaluable support. 

Guide Your Native Ad Strategy With Aristotle

Aristotle is widely regarded as a leader in political data. Our team also provides dynamic marketing, analytics, and compliance tools for advocacy organizations. We can design a communications strategy to fit your organization’s needs and target those you are most interested in. Schedule a demo to explore our data solutions and inform your advocacy activities with Aristotle.