Let's face it, the Internet population is basically a teenager: We are completely self-obsessed, totally unpredictable, and almost entirely motivated by looking cooler than we actually are. Remind you of high school? We can't help it. We all construct our digital lives so that we are the center of attention. Every device, every screen, every digital moment is there to serve us. It's not really THE Internet, it's MY Internet. It's a world I create and a world I control, and anything that doesn't directly provide value to me is an annoyance. Parents of teenagers will recognize the attitude. And …

While native advertising is quickly becoming available through programmatic channels, media planners need to consider the inherent distinctions between native and display when formulating the targeting parameters for their campaigns.

Advertisers embrace native because the ads produce results beyond what they have come to expect from banners, and publishers like the format for the same reason. Moreover, consumers have shown a real willingness to engage with these ads, as several recent studies have demonstrated. Here are five major trends we're observing today in native:

According to a 2014 survey conducted by Outbrain, over 40% of marketers are investing in content-driven marketing. This ever-growing group of marketers is hip to the fact that an investment in content allows brands to inspire and involve consumers in ways that positively drive business.