Over the past several months, we have worked with Sharethrough to complete the industry’s first native ad effectiveness study using both eye-tracking and survey-based techniques. The goal of the study was to measure visual attention and brand lift for native ads from top brands, including National Geographic, Southern Comfort, and a premium travel brand in comparison to traditional display ads. After surveying 4,770 consumers and using eye-tracking technology on 200 consumers, some of the more telling statistics were:
- Consumers looked at native ads 53% more frequently than display ads.
- 25% more consumers were measured to look at in-feed native ad placements (the most common editorial native ad format) than display ad units.
- Native ads registered 18% higher lift in purchase intent and 9% lift for brand affinity responses than banner ads
- 32% of respondents said the native ad “is an ad I would share with a friend of family member” versus just 19% for display ads.
