What is Advertorial?
An advertorial is a blend of advertisement and editorial content intended to educate readers while simultaneously promoting a product, service, or brand. Occupying a unique niche in the content marketing landscape, advertorials are designed to look like regular articles or features within a publication. They aim to provide value by offering insights, tips, or information while subtly guiding readers toward a specific commercial interest. By mimicking the editorial style of the medium they're published in, advertorials can effectively engage audiences, cleverly integrating promotional messages with informative content. They are typically marked with disclosures such as "Sponsored Content" to differentiate them from purely editorial pieces.
Key Takeaways
- An advertorial merges advertising with editorial content to create informative yet promotional material.
- Advertorials are designed to resemble regular editorial content, providing value while subtly endorsing a brand, product, or service.
- Disclosure is necessary to indicate the content's promotional nature, maintaining transparency with the audience.
- Effective advertorials can enhance brand awareness and engagement by leveraging the credibility of the host publication.
How to Write an Effective Advertorial
Crafting an effective advertorial requires balancing informative content with subtle promotion. Start by thoroughly understanding the audience of the publication where the advertorial will appear. The content should address a problem or need relevant to the audience while introducing the advertised product or service as a potential solution. Keep the tone consistent with the publication's editorial voice to maintain authenticity and ensure that any advertising elements are integrated naturally. Finally, include clear, honest disclosures to maintain transparency and trust with readers.
Examples of Successful Advertorials
The New York Times famously published an advertorial titled “Women Inmates: Why the Male Model Doesn’t Work” for Netflix's series "Orange is the New Black." By providing a deep-dive into real world issues that the fictional series touches upon, the advertorial added value for the reader while connecting Netflix's content subtly. Another example includes a native advertorial series by The Atlantic for the Church of Scientology, which, despite controversy, highlighted the potential impact and reach of effective advertorials in significant publications.
The Bottom Line
In an age where audiences are bombarded with overt advertisements, the advertorial offers a compelling alternative. By structuring promotional content to provide informational value, companies can engage their audiences more effectively, creating a symbiotic relationship between advertising and editorial contexts. For startups, digital agencies, and direct-to-consumer ecommerce brands, incorporating advertorials into a marketing strategy can facilitate brand awareness and foster deeper connections with potential customers by building trust through valuable content.
