A multitude of factors, from a website’s credibility to how the information is presented, can influence how consumers perceive sponsored content, says a new report from the U.S. Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Edelman Berland.
The report, Getting Sponsored Content Right: The Consumer View, sets out to understand how consumers perceive sponsored content and the factors influencing their attitudes.
It is based on 5,000 interviews with people who visited U.S. news sites via desktop computer, with interviews conducted after they were exposed to mock in-feed ads resembling those common on business, entertainment and general news sites.
Content marketing, or native advertising, is a growing area of importance for both new and traditional media companies. In Canada, for example, both Postmedia and St. Joseph Media recently brought aboard top-flight editorial talent to help execute their content marketing strategies.
Of those surveyed by the IAB and Edelman Berland, 90% said that relevancy is the top factor in creating interest in sponsored content.
The findings also suggest that perceptions of the advertiser itself can determine the effectiveness of native advertising, with 81% of respondents citing brand familiarity and trust and 82% citing subject matter expertise as crucial in driving interest in sponsored content.
A positive view of a news site’s credibility can produce a 33% increase in the perceived credibility of sponsored ad content on the site, while 60% of respondents said they are more open to digital advertising focusing on a story rather than simply selling a product.
Survey respondents indicated that sponsored content was more appealing and interesting, and less intrusive, than other online ad formats including banners, pop-ups, expandable ads and video ads.
Only 38% of respondents indicated that sponsored content adds value to the site experience, although that number increased to 45% among visitors to business sites (and fell to 27% among readers of news sites).
