Is Native Content Bad for You?

My thoughts on this are still evolving, but I want to talk about a topic that is affecting you right now. If you're an online marketer, a blogger, a media buyer or an advertiser then this is closer to you than most people.

I'm talking about online advertising. Over the past few years, marketers have been developing a new way of advertising to you. 2017 may be the year when it grows up and becomes mainstream.

This new model is euphemistically called "native advertising" and it's the central topic of my video below. It's a very close cousin to "influencer" marketing.

It's not that I don't like the new model. I love it! For us, advertisers and marketers, it's a boon. But for you as a consumer it sucks.

Over the past 15+ years, you've been complaining about ads on websites. So much so that enough of you have adopted ad-blocker programs.

The other day my friend came over and told me about a little raspberry pi machine that can block advertisements at your network level. You don't even need a browser plugin. Amazing.

But the problem is that marketers, advertisers and every one of us that works in this space still needs to advertise products and services to you. And most of the time, they are good products and services you actually want; advertising has gotten smarter over time.

Maybe too smart.

Blocking ads and the expectation that all content should be free has pushed the industry to native content and influencer marketing. What's the problem with native content? I think it hurts you as a consumer and adds unnecessary red tape for us publishers.

More of my thoughts in the video, I'd love to hear yours too so let me know in the comments here or in the video.