For a company credited with popularizing the banner ad format, Yahoo's recent announcement that it would end the use of mobile banner ads -- embracing in-feed 'native ads' instead -- was more than a little surprising.
But according some of our work over at AdsNative [www.adsnative.com], the shift to native
ads that appear directly in a user's editorial feed is an emerging trend that benefits many other companies, too.
To implement native advertising more efficiently, I strongly recommend that you follow Yahoo's lead in five key steps when thinking about these types of ads for your new or existing site:
Step 1: Invest First in a 'Responsive' Website
Before Yahoo introduced native ads, they significantly improved how their web properties adapt and respond to a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Step 2: Use Unique Native Ad Types
Because native ads are defined less by their size and shape than banner ads, the design of native advertising should more closely mirror your unique
content and audience preferences.
Step 3: Enhance the User Experience
Yahoo recognized that intrusive, untargeted ads only impede the user experience and ultimately erode your long-term monetization goals.
Step 4: Launch with Mobile First
Because mobile traffic is now worth less revenue for many publishers -- with high revenue growth coming soon -- it is a good way to initially experiment and test without affecting larger revenue streams.
Step 5: Keep it Simple
User turnkey platforms such as AdsNative [www.adsnative.com] to simplify the implementation process, use less team resources, and create scalable native ad units.
Follow these simple steps and you'll be rolling out native ads efficiently, quickly, and perhaps even as successfully as Yahoo!