What are advertorials?
Advertorials are advertising designed to look like an editorial article. They read like a regular article or blog post, but they are in fact an advertising campaign meant to promote a product or a service. Advertorials are used in magazines, in online publications and on social media platforms.
Why do advertorials exist?
Advertorials are contested, but they can be an effective way for companies and brands to promote their products or services. What matters is that they are used in a transparent and honest way, so that they win the trust of readers instead of losing it.
In short, an advertorial is a form of advertising built in the shape of an editorial article, in order to create a higher level of credibility and trust with readers. Contested as they are, they can work for companies and brands as long as they are used transparently and honestly. In that respect advertorials sit close to content marketing and influencer marketing, where paid and editorial content also meet.
What rules apply to advertorials?
Advertorials have to be clearly labeled as advertising, so that readers know they are not reading neutral editorial content. An advertorial should also state the intentions behind the article clearly and honestly, including an obvious note that the piece is advertising.
Where paid placements fit next to your organic work is a question of strategy, and it is part of day-to-day SEO support.
