Struggling to get your head around native content? Follow a few of my favourite tips to getting it right.


The below tips are a guide only and subject to change depending on specific briefs from clients and campaign objectives. As always - editors and writers should use their own discretion when creating content! But hopefully the below offers some food-for-thought. I would particularly recommend you follow tip number 9 though. Especially on cold, dark Monday mornings when inspiration seems a long way away.

Tip 1: You are writing content that you want your end user to engage with; you want them to like and share the content. So think like a person, not a brand.Yes, it is branded content, but that doesn’t mean your target customer cannot enjoy the content you are promoting to them. It also doesn’t mean that the content you write should read like an advert. It should read like an informative piece of content. That they like! You may want to follow these points:

Write to entice. No one likes to be bored by what they read. The time span for online content to strike as a hit or a miss can be judged in split-seconds these days.Make sure your opening paragraph is enticing. Short, punchy, eye-catching sentences.

Tip 2: Use Emotive Words. Words are important. Use simple sentences. Short sentences can get the point across. But use effective, emotive words that your customers respond to: TERRIFIC, BEST, FIRST-CLASS, EXCLUSIVE, BREATHTAKING, TOP, EXCELLENT. But be careful not to go into click-bait territory with over-sensationalism.

Tip 3: Re-enforce the message you are trying to get across in your headline in your opening paragraph.

Tip 4: Do not be Afraid to go into Detail
Remember that there are no established rules around how long or how short the content you create should be. It will largely depend on the product or service that you are looking to promote; and what your overall required outcome should be too. For example, if you are looking for visitors to click off your ad and visit a site, then less content within the advertising is relevant – ideally with leading sentences such as ‘Find out more on our website’, to encourage users to click through.

If however you are not worried about click-throughs to a website, but simply want brand uplift and engagement, as many brand advertisers are these days, then do not be afraid to give plenty of information in your post.

Research from the 1950s - the heyday of written word content advertorials - looking at reader habits around print advertorials, found that the fall off in readership from 500+ words was limited. Basically – if someone is reading 500 words about your product, the chances are they will continue reading to 800+ words. Why? Because they are interested in your product or service.

Think about it: how many long articles do you read online when you are really interested in a topic? Provided the content is presented well, written well and keeps you informed, there is nothing wrong with creating more content.

In fact, the freedom that Native content allows in this regard is undoubtedly one of its major benefits.

No one wants to be confronted by a bland page of text. This didn’t work in print and it certainly doesn’t work online. So incorporate the below into your Native posts.

Sub-Headings: Sub-headings attract readers. At a glance it means they can decide whether to continue reading or click-off somewhere else. Use them to draw readers along.

Add Images: Good images can really help your Native campaign. If it is a ‘First-Look’ style piece then there is nothing wrong with basing your post around a lot of images, with perhaps just a sentence or so to go alongside each one. Think Buzzfeed Lists as a good example. This can also include infographics too of course. Photos of people do even better!!

'The most amazing post on native advertising
I've read in the last 2 hours'

Quotes: Big, bold, punchy quotes can help break up the text and pull readers in. If possible, include external reviews of your product, or even customer testimonials; third-party testimony about how good your product or service is always works well for building appeal.

Interaction: Do not be afraid of encouraging interaction within your Native placements either. It is possible to embed simple polls/surveys into your Native posts, as well as forms for additional data-capture opportunities. Make it quirky and easy to take part and you are likely to be surprisingly rewarded by consumers.

Tip 5: Don't assume readers are dumb-ass suckers who don't know the content they are reading is created by a brand!! Disclosure is everything with Native advertising and brands should be happy to label their content as promoted by them. For content creators this means treating your target audience like real people, not suckers.

Tip 6: Tell a story, speak to your target audience and their emotions. Don't be cynical, but engage with them on a personal level. It's hard with some brands, but every single product or service advertised fills a personal, emotional need to someone!!

Tip 7: Take a risk. Back up that risk. If you think something will work for a brand around native content, tell them. Even if they don't like it, it helps brands see the creative possibilities that native offers.

Tip 8: Don't be boring.

Tip 9: Listen to techno. Busy offices, emails, phone-calls, Whatsapp, Skype, Facebook, Twitter - the distractions are endless. When I need to get creative (and be left alone for a time), I plug in to some techno. Repetitive beats, no distracting vocals. It helps me work. So much so that I can't look at a brief any more without it. Find what works for you.

Tip 10: If you are struggling with ideas and content, contact me. I can share some examples with you. Or you could sign up to our weekly Thursday In-Feed NewsletterNote: This is branded content after all, so we had to insert a plug!!