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In-feed Native Ad – No.1 Ad Format in China
Source: | Author:QS | Published time: 2021-12-31 | 1137 Views | Share:


Encompassing 32.9% of the market share, in-feed native ads have become the fastest-growing ad format in China. Major media platforms such as Douyin, Baidu, and Qihoo 360 have incorporated in-feed ads into their flagship product. If you want to succeed with your promotion campaign in China, consider incorporating in-feed native ads into your next marketing campaign. 


What are in-feed native ads?

In-feed native ads are one of the most common ad formats under the display ad category. They appear amongst the newsfeed of social media apps, or in between paragraphs in articles, etc. In-feed native ads are effective, as the ad is non-intrusive and can be disguised somewhat at times as part of the article. 


After opening an app, when users scroll down to view more content, in-feed native ads will appear between the content, and take the same format as other content on the feed. These ads do not disturb users' reading, which is better than other display ads for user experience. Advertisers can also choose their target audience based on age group, location, interest, behavior, etc. The resulting ad visible to users are aligned with what the user needs and or likes. 


 

The in-feed ad in Toutiao APP


How can in-feed native ads be utilized during the promotion period?

1. Planning before the promotion starts

a) Planning ad budget and bidding price vis-à-vis the brand's current situation:

Analyze the sales and revenue of different product lines, previous promotion statistics, and available budget. Then, decide on an appropriate campaign budget, and customize your bidding strategies. 


b) Identify your major selling point by analyzing your competitor's ad

Analyze your competitor's ads to identify their major selling point. If your brand shares a similar selling point, it is imperative to develop solutions to make your advantages more attractive. If your brand shares different selling points, then the next step is to draw attention to the discrepancies between your brand and your competitors’, and emphasize your uniqueness.


c) Identify your conversion type and choose the appropriate in-feed ad format

Re-confirm your brand's promotion purpose and need, and choose the most suitable in-feed native ad format for your ad, such as video, single-image, etc.


Using Douyin’s in-feed ad as an example, the Oceanengine ad platform supports various conversion types like app download, sales lead form, purchase, etc. Brands can choose a suitable conversion type based on their actual needs. 



d) In-depth analysis of product details to customize targeting strategy:

Creating ad creatives, landing page, and customizing targeting strategies such as age group and location.


Again, using the in-feed native ad of Douyin as an example, it is possible to locate the target audience of an ad by gender, age group, location, interest, behavior. It is also possible to target viewers or followers of specific Douyin KOLs. Customized DMP is also supported (refer to our DMP introduction here: https://so360.hk/news-details?article_id=242).


 


2. Formulate account structure

Formulating a clear account structure helps the optimization process after the promotion starts. You can separate your ad into the different aspects below.

a) Group by creatives: separate ads based on the usage scenario of the product.

b) Group by products: separate ads by different product lines to be promoted.

c) Group by location: separate ads by different service locations.

d) Group by time: separate ads by different promotional periods.


Example: Separate ads by device+product / age / location


3. Preparing advertising materials

Preparing ad materials that align with the account structure. Short video and image are two of the most popular in-feed native ads.


For instance, the most popular in-feed native ad format of Douyin is vertical short videos. The horizontal short video, horizontal image, vertical image, multi-images, and small image are also supported.


 


By preparing multiple sets of advertising materials based on the nature of the chosen media, and optimizing their ad regularly, brands can maximize their campaign performance. 


For more advice on in-feed native ads, contact our marketing consultant at: enquiry@so360.hk. 


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