Mobile native ads best practices

A three times Pulitzer Prize winner American novelist Thornton Wilder said "In advertising not to be different is virtual suicide". This is more true for mobile native ads, which has to be designed to be fit in.

The request of being different raises the question of every marketers whose planning to be native - will mobile native ads really deliver promises as the ad says. The answer is probably lies in the understanding of the intent behind being native and implement is in the right way.

There is no doubt about mobile advertising, mobile native ads generate a higher level customer interaction and engagement compared to other display rich media. Further, marketers and advertisers welcome the uplift in brand awareness, consideration and purchase intent, which proves native mobile advertising is equally an effective tool for middle- or upper funnel brand objectives.

Advertisers best practices

Relevance - however relevance is relative, it ensure the mobile ad is relevant to customer. This relevance lies at both advertisers and publisher side. But when planning mobile native ad, advertisers need to take into account the customer's context when reading the message. Message has to be delivered in the most native manner across all interfaces, those are ideal for capturing customer attention.

Interest - in the really fragmented world of attention, catching target audience's eye and interest requires creative content writing for mobile native ads. This is where native ad optimization comes in, optimizing the headline, thumbnail brand assets that makes the native ad difference for better customer engagement. Cathy headline and images are must for catching customer attention.

Agility - however viral advertising is personal, it is mostly free even when it comes from a brand. Proliferation of social networks, and the always in hand mobile devices makes viral trends commonplace. Utilizing the latest viral trends and opportunities is a successful way to leverage public interest for mobile native ads.

Measurement - Mobile native ads have to had positive response both on direct (CTR, CVR etc.), indirect and inferred metrics (brand awareness, purchase intent etc.). The identification of the right metrics is critical to align native ads properly with campaign objective, because different forms of native ads have impact on different metrics to be measured. .

Final thoughts

Summarizing the best practices of mobile native ads for advertisers, the following points have to be taken to improve native ads effectiveness and influence on campaign objective

• identification of customer context that are most relevant for the campaign, optimize and customize message and format
• catchy and interesting creative to get customer attention
• leverage social networks and viral trends
• identify the right metrics and conversion that will be measured and optimize campaign accordingly.

Tibor Nemes