native advertising
/ˈneɪtɪv ˈædvərtaɪzɪŋ/
CommonPaid content that looks like editorial content to blend into a platform.
Legal when properly disclosed. Widely criticized for deliberately blurring the line between journalism and advertising. The smaller and less visible the disclosure, the more it crosses into deceptive territory.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | That Forbes article is native advertising. The brand wrote it, Forbes just published it. | The article looks like journalism but is actually a paid piece from the brand. | reddit, 2023 |
| 02 | Half the stuff in your feed is native advertising now. The 'sponsored' label is six pixels tall. | Social feeds are full of paid content designed to look organic, with disclosure that is deliberately hard to see. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | Publishers are surviving on native advertising deals because display ads pay nothing anymore. | Media companies rely on branded content because traditional ad revenue has collapsed. | reddit, 2023 |
Use it when
- A paid article or post is formatted to look like regular editorial content.
- Discussing the blurring line between advertising and journalism.
- Describing sponsored content that matches the platform's organic format.
Do not use it when
- The ad is clearly labeled and visually distinct from the content.
- There is no disclosure at all.Use “undisclosed-ad” instead.
Native advertising vs undisclosed ad
native advertising
Native advertising is paid content that mimics editorial but carries a disclosure, however small.
VS
undisclosed-ad
An undisclosed ad carries no disclosure at all, making it deceptive and an FTC violation.
Origin and context
The term gained traction in digital media around 2011-2013 as publishers sought ad formats that performed better than banner ads. Became a major industry category by 2014.
- First seen
- early-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/native-advertisingUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0