Despite native advertising increasing brand advocacy among consumers, the traditional medium continues to be disruptive with 40% of 18- to 24-year-olds using ad blockers, according to research from Oath.
However, UK consumers are open to immersive, relevant native content experiences, especially on mobile – providing more opportunity for advertisers in 2019.
Cutting through the clutter
The comprehensive study tested the reactions of over 6,000 consumers across the UK, France and Germany to primarily understand the value of native ads beyond traditional click-through rate measurement.
Exploring the value beyond last-click, the study revealed that trust associated with premium publisher environments helped to improve brand affinity scores from native ads, driving a 10% increase in positive brand associations from UK consumers. The positive reaction to native ads was found to be greater on mobile with a 28% increase over traditional display ads.
According to the findings, native ads are still proven to provide a solid online experience with content looking more natural on mobile to consumers (20%) while also increasing page engagement by 21%.
Meanwhile, it was found that in-feed native ads deliver greater viewing and brand impact compared to the bottom of page native ads, with over double the average time spent in view.
Furthermore, the environment that native sits within can also affect impact, with premium website environments found to be 23% more likely to deliver brand impact across mobile and desktop.
“Native ads have continued to present themselves as a winning format in the industry worldwide. Newer formats that deliver impactful and engaging experiences in digital environments are as powerful a proposition for brand-building as they are for conversion,” said Anna Watkins, managing director, Oath UK.