What Is Native Advertising?

RevContent’s guide to native advertising: what it is, how it works, how to spot it, and how brands and publishers use it.

Definition

Native advertising is paid media designed to match the look and placement of the content around it, such as sponsored article recommendations below a news story or in-feed listings on a publisher site. RevContent is a native advertising platform that places these ads across 4,000+ publisher sites, 500+ email newsletters, mobile apps, and Apple News.

How native advertising works

A native ad takes the format of the page it appears on. On a news site, it looks like a recommended article with an image and a headline. In a newsletter, it looks like a story link. In an app, it sits in the feed.

Most native ads are bought on a cost-per-click (CPC) or viewable cost-per-thousand-impressions (vCPM) basis. The advertiser bids for placements, the platform serves the ad, and the publisher earns a share of the revenue.

How to identify native advertising

The ad is still labeled as paid. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission describes native ads as often "indistinguishable from news, feature articles, product reviews, editorial, entertainment, and other regular content," and requires a clear, prominent disclosure whenever a reader could mistake one for editorial content.[1][2] That is why native advertising is also called sponsored content, partner content, or branded content. Common disclosure labels include:

  • Ad
  • Sponsored
  • Sponsored by
  • Partner content
  • Recommended by
  • From Around The Web
  • Recommended For You
  • Sponsored Articles

Common types of native ads

Content recommendation ads below a publisher article

Content recommendation units

Sponsored article and product links below or beside an article, often labeled "Sponsored" or "Around the web." Platforms like RevContent power these on publisher websites across the open web.

In-feed native ad inside a social media feed

In-feed ads

Ads that appear inside a list of stories on a publisher homepage, in an app, or in the feeds of social platforms and forums such as Instagram, TikTok, X.com, Threads, Reddit, Quora, and Nextdoor.

Sponsored listing at the top of search results

Sponsored search listings

Paid results marked "Sponsored" in search engines such as Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo, usually at the top of the results.

In-newsletter ads

Image-and-headline units placed inside an email newsletter between editorial items.

Apple News ads

Native units placed inside publisher channels on Apple News.

Native ads vs. display ads

Display ads are banners in fixed sizes, such as 300x250 or 728x90, that sit apart from the content. Native ads use the page's own format, which helps them avoid banner blindness. Native ads can also be targeted by contextual signals that indicate interest and purchase intent.

53%

more often consumers looked at native ads than banner ads[3]

18%

higher lift in purchase intent from native ads[3]

2013 eye-tracking study by IPG Media Lab and Sharethrough.

Native ad drawing more attention than a banner ad

How big is native advertising?

$147.98B

eMarketer's forecast for U.S. native display ad spending in 2026, up 13.1% from 2025[4]

~$300B

Total U.S. internet advertising revenue in 2025, according to the IAB and PwC[5]

Native advertising benefits advertisers, publishers, and users

Illustration of a brand growing with native advertising

For advertisers

Native ads reach readers while they are engaged with content they chose. RevContent connects more than 1,500 performance advertisers with over 75 million people each month, with targeting by location, device, language, and time of day, and conversion tracking by pixel or server-to-server postback.

  • Reach motivated readers to drive sales
  • A wide range of formats for creative campaigns
  • Brand messaging that respects disclosure rules
  • Efficient spend with targeted, CPC or vCPM buying
Illustration of a publisher earning revenue from native ads

For publishers

Native units earn revenue from space that banners often leave unused, such as the area below an article. They also work in channels banners can't reach, including email newsletters and Apple News. RevContent works directly with more than 1,000 publishers across 4,000+ sites and 500+ newsletters, and reviews every ad before it serves.

  • Ads that fit the page and reduce ad fatigue
  • Higher click-through than traditional banners
  • Revenue without sacrificing reader satisfaction
  • Placements less likely to be removed by ad blockers
Illustration of a reader engaging with relevant content

For readers

Native ads are less disruptive than banners, and they are always labeled as paid.

  • More relevant, engaging ads
  • No disruptive banners interrupting the page
  • Clear "Ad" or "Sponsored" disclosure
  • A transparent form of promotion

How to succeed in native advertising

  1. 1

    Set specific goals.

    Use the SMART criteria (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound) to add a target and timeframe to your main objective.

  2. 2

    Know your audience.

    Identify who you want to reach, where they are in the funnel, and what they need, then write ads in language those buyers use.

  3. 3

    Measure what matters.

    Track quantitative results such as spend and conversions, plus qualitative signals such as repeat engagement and loyalty, since a customer's lifetime value is greater than a single purchase.

RevContent for publishers

Earn from your website, newsletter, apps, and Apple News with one partner. 1,000+ direct publishers, 4,000+ sites, and no minimum traffic requirement.

Publisher sign up

RevContent for advertisers

Reach over 75 million people a month across 4,000+ publisher sites, 500+ newsletters, and apps, with CPC or vCPM buying.

Advertiser sign up

Frequently asked questions

Is native advertising the same as sponsored content?

Sponsored content is one type of native advertising. Native advertising also includes in-feed ads, content recommendation units, sponsored search listings, and in-newsletter ads.

Do native ads have to be labeled?

Yes. In the U.S., the FTC requires a clear, prominent disclosure, such as "Ad" or "Sponsored," on any native ad a reader could mistake for editorial content.[2]

How are native ads priced?

Most native ads are priced per click (CPC) or per thousand viewable impressions (vCPM). Advertisers set a bid, and the platform charges when the ad is clicked or viewed.

What is a native advertising platform?

A native advertising platform aggregates ad space from many publishers and sells native placements on it to advertisers, handling ad serving, targeting, and payment for both sides. RevContent is a native advertising platform founded in 2013 and headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. What is a native ad network?

Get Started with RevContent

Sources

  1. Federal Trade Commission, Enforcement Policy Statement on Deceptively Formatted Advertisements, 81 Fed. Reg. 22596, issued December 22, 2015.
  2. Federal Trade Commission, Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses, December 2015.
  3. IPG Media Lab and Sharethrough, Exploring the Effectiveness of Native Ads, 2013.
  4. eMarketer, FAQ on native advertising: Formats, AI opportunities, and the best metrics for 2026, January 15, 2026 (December 2025 forecast).
  5. IAB and PwC, Internet Advertising Revenue Report: Full Year 2025, April 16, 2026.