Native advertising

What it means

Native advertising is paid content that matches the form and style of the setting in which it appears. A typical example is a sponsored article on a news site, a promoted post on a social network or recommended content among regular articles that looks like editorial copy.

Unlike classic display advertising, which people often ignore, native advertising offers content with value for the reader, such as a guide, research or a story. People therefore read it and are more likely to remember the brand. It is closely linked to content marketing.

Native advertising must be clearly labelled as advertising, for example as a commercial article, sponsored content or advertisement. If readers could not recognise that the content is paid for, it would be hidden advertising, which is an unfair commercial practice.

How it works in practice

When commissioning a sponsored article, the company agrees with the publisher on topic, length, placement, publication period and labelling. Good native content is not just a product description; it solves the reader's problem and mentions the product naturally, for example as one of several solutions.

The same rules apply to working with influencers. Paid or otherwise rewarded posts must be clearly labelled, including those featuring gifted products. Unlabelled influencer marketing can lead to sanctions for both the advertiser and the influencer.

Links in native articles should carry the sponsored or nofollow attribute so that they do not influence search rankings as paid links. Success is measured by readership, time spent on the article, clicks and conversions, not just impressions.

What to watch out for

Under consumer protection rules, the advertiser is also liable for hidden advertising, not just the media outlet. Fines can be high, and the loss of trust is an even bigger cost when readers discover that an article they trusted was paid for.

For health, financial and similar sensitive topics the rules are stricter and claims must be substantiated. A native article about taxes or investments that promises unrealistic savings may be misleading advertising regardless of labelling.