Nine out of 10 publishers will be offering at least some form of native advertising formats by the end of this year, according to hot-off-the-presses research being presented by Online Publishers Association chief Pam Horan at OMMA Premium Display in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
According to the just-completed survey of OPA members, 73% of publishers currently offer native, while 17% are in the process of figuring out how to do it. Only 10% said they do not offer it.
In terms of defining what “native” actually means, Horan said the research suggests a consensus is emerging. The two top elements: content that is integrated into the design of the publisher’s site and lives in the same domain (cited by 93% of respondents), and second, that it “lives within the editorial stream” (86%).
Horan said that it’s more of an “evolution than a revolution” of what publishers have already been offering.
In terms of what brands are looking for from native ad formats, Horan said the two top criteria are increasing consumer engagement with the brand, and boosting brand life, both cited by 81% of respondents.