Apple News Gets Sponsored Content That Look Like Normal Articles

According to a recent support document published by Apple, the company is planning to monetize its Apple News service for iOS by allowing ads that resemble normal articles. The new format will be “displayed directly in the content feeds, inline with News articles” and carry an appearance nearly identical to that of normal articles. The sponsored posts can link to an article in the News app. The advertising format is available for both the iPhone and iPad versions of Apple News.

Apple News – Portrait iPhone Ads

As you can see in the example, the ads will be set in the same font as other articles in the News app and the only differentiating factor between the sponsored posts and normal articles is a small “Sponsored by” indicator beneath the article preview. Apple wants the new ads to look like normal content, so users who are averse to ads may not notice them. The “Sponsored” tag is due to a new FTC guidance passed in December that forces advertisers to clearly mark content as sponsored.

Native ads display directly in the content feeds, inline with News articles. They will be set in the default font used in News. Each ad includes a title, text excerpt and a small image, and is distinguished by a ‘Sponsored’ callout. The sponsored advertiser name is optional. If an advertiser name is not provided, the reader will see ‘Sponsored’ in the banner. Please note, if the title wraps to four lines (especially on iPhone and iPod touch), the excerpt will not be displayed. Native ads can link to an article in News.

Currently, Apple News has almost no sponsored content, as publishers are not sure how to monetize their content. The new ad format would clearly label branded content in the app, as well as give publishers a new way to sell and promote sponsored posts.

Apple announced earlier this year that it was shutting down its iAd network, moving towards an entirely self-serving setup for developers and publishers. Since the launch of Apple News, Apple has struggled to monetize the service. Earlier this year, it is also rumored that Apple is working on paid subscription content for Apple News, but it has not come to fruition yet.

Source: Business Insider