Advertorials: How to make a fast and lasting impact

By Kristi Tolentino
Editorial Intern

We are exposed to thousands of advertisements per day, often without realizing it. Out of those, we may only remember a handful. Those that do make it through often do so in disguise.

Advertorial content, which combines editorial style with a promotional message, is one of the most effective ways to get our message past a person’s filters. However, achieving success through this approach requires effort.

Above all else, the advertiser and publisher must work together. For the publisher to create the appropriate content, the advertiser must be sure about its target audience and objectives.

On the other hand, the publisher should research the company and its clients. This provides a better understanding of how to convey the right message.

To produce the best work, the publisher should treat the advertorial as a story rather than an advertisement. Readers take interest in the core content, not the sales message. They trust the publication to provide them with quality stories, whether sponsored or not.

It will be more difficult to keep the reader’s trust and attention if they feel they are being sold something. Thus, it’s necessary to be more creative.

The publisher must logically weave the promotional message into the story so that the reader doesn’t immediately feel it is an advertisement. Overall, the reader should be entertained—or at least learn something new and useful.

Photos and graphics are also helpful in grabbing the attention of your audience. Not only can these visuals pull readers into the article, but they can also make it memorable. Humans are visual creatures, after all.

However, it is best not to overuse visuals. The focus should be on the takeaway. If both advertiser and publisher put in the necessary work, the rest should fall into place.