Why More Networks Equal More Stability
Diversifying networks has never been more important for marketers.
Meta has long been the go-to for digital advertising or even information gathering. But, they’ve had a number of struggles over the last few years, and consumers have been moving to different platforms to get their daily dose of brand knowledge.
Take Gen Z, for example, who predominantly gathers information from TikTok, with 35% expressing that a potential ban would critically impact their access to information, underscoring the platform’s engaging and interactive nature.
Advertising platforms are subject to shifts due to various demographic preferences and other factors. The unpredictability of networks means that relying solely on one could risk obsolescence. Diversification is not just beneficial; it’s essential for staying relevant in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Essentially, you need a mix of social media advertising and native networks:
What is the difference between social media advertising and native networks?
“Social media marketing is a type of digital marketing that uses social media platforms to promote your brand and offerings to your ideal customers. Your posts will likely include a combination of text, images, videos, and stories that position your brand in a positive light and capture a relevant audience. Depending on your budget and particular goals, social media marketing might also include paid social ads that allow your brand to appear in front of the right people at the right times.”
According to Forbes
“Native advertising is a paid strategy where ads fit seamlessly with organic content. Users most commonly see them as social media ads in their feeds, but they also appear on blogs and news websites, looking like other editorial posts. Native ads are subtle and use content that better engages users.”
According to Single Grain
They are both different but also similar in many ways. Hence, the perfect marketing strategy balances the two well — relying on one marketing network simply isn’t enough anymore.
Here at GeistM, we take that into consideration, offering a range of networks to help diversify your marketing strategy:
5 Native Networks to Add to Your Marketing Strategy
TikTok
While you might think TikTok is only for GenZ and dance videos, you’d be surprised to find that all age ranges exist on the platform. While 36.2% of their audience falls within the 18-24 age range, forming the majority, it’s crucial not to overlook the 7.9% aged 45-54 and the smaller, yet still significant, 6.2% who are 55 and older.
Although it might be one of the newer platforms, with over 150 million users in the US and an estimated 55.5 million users making purchases through the platform in 2023, TikTok Shop is a great place to make a mark for your brand.
It’s not just a platform that people doom scroll on. The viral #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt tag shows that it’s a great platform to advertise. In June 2024, the beauty brand, Canvas Beauty, set a TikTok US record with a 6-hour live stream that generated $1 million in sales.
Nextdoor
The neighborhood network is real. You can reach your consumers where they are by targeting them through location, demographic segmentation, and interests. With over 88 million users (known on the platform as “neighbors”), it’s a network with great potential.
According to Nextdoor, 25% of all conversations involve neighbors asking for recommendations for local businesses. And 79% of customers say they trust online reviews as much as the personal recommendations they receive from those in their network. So, if you can get one neighbor talking about your brand, chances are you can get the whole neighborhood to chime in.
Pinterest is an exciting platform that depends heavily on engagement. Half of its user base considers it a shopping destination, and users save over 1.5 billion Pins across more than 10 million boards every week.
It’s a platform that relies on visuals, and the more engaging the visual, the better the performance. Plus, its “ready to buy” consumer base is great for traffic and sales for premium products. A study by Pinterest recently showed that “content related to the seasons, holidays, or other everyday moments is incredibly popular on the platform. If your business offers products or services that fall into these categories, you’ll see 10 times more awareness and 22% more sales.”
Taboola
Many of us might not have realized, but Taboola has been around for years — a decade, in fact. It’s one of the most dominant native networks for advertisers, reaching over 1.4 billion unique monthly users. According to data released by Taboola, “it serves a staggering 450 billion content recommendations every month.”
Taboola excels in advertising, offering robust ad placements and audience targeting options complemented by a user-friendly interface. What truly distinguishes Taboola ads is their credibility. Endorsed by leading publishers such as NBC News and Business Insider, these high-profile affiliations underscore Taboola’s reliability and effectiveness. This makes it an essential tool for anyone looking to enhance their content marketing strategy.
Outbrain
This independent native advertising platform hosts thousands of publishers, enabling businesses to place native ads across the “open web”—beyond the confines of paid search and social networks. This strategy allows companies to engage with a vast consumer audience directly on their preferred websites, where they are spending increasing amounts of time.
According to Outbrain, “these ads reach approximately 1 billion consumers each month outside of social media”, offering significant exposure and engagement opportunities.
When a consumer clicks on a native Outbrain advertisement, they are directed to a content page—be it a blog, video, or product information page—tailored by the advertiser. A well-executed Outbrain native ad can significantly capture and hold people’s attention. In fact, Outbrain reports that native ad campaigns benefit from 28% higher time spent and 180% higher leads.
Why GeistM for Native Advertising?
Incorporating a diverse range of networks into your marketing mix enhances stability and reach. At GeistM, our growth analysts possess extensive expertise that enables your brand to advertise across multiple networks effectively. We’ve cultivated strong partnerships with these platforms, ensuring a seamless integration of your campaigns.
Moreover, our in-house content and creative team specializes in crafting targeted content uniquely tailored for each platform. Leveraging our expansive network of owned and operated publishers, we can revolutionize your performance marketing strategy to not only identify but also directly engage your audience across various networks, maximizing your marketing impact.
