Boardroom Definition

An Advertorial is a form of paid media where the marketing message is presented in the style of an objective editorial or journalistic article. Unlike a standard display ad which focuses on visuals and slogans, an advertorial focuses on storytelling, detailed information, and persuasion. It leverages the credibility and voice of the host publication (e.g., The Wall Street Journal or Vogue) to build trust with the reader, often educating them on a problem before positioning the brand as the solution.

Because Advertorials are long-form, the primary metric is Consumption, not just the click. Efficiency is often measured by the Scroll Depth and Active Time on Page.

The Read-Through Rate Formula:

$$ \text{Read-Through Rate} = \left( \frac{\text{Users who scrolled to 75% of page}}{\text{Total Unique Pageviews}} \right) \times 100 $$

The Cost Per Read (CPR), unlike CPM, which pays for the opportunity to see, CPR pays for the action of reading.

$$ \text{CPR} = \frac{\text{Total Campaign Cost}}{\text{Total Completed Reads}} $$

The "Time" Correlation: successful advertorials typically exhibit a "Time on Page" that is 2x-3x higher than standard branded landing pages.

The Real Scoop

In 2026, "Advertorial" feels like a vintage term, often rebranded as "Branded Content" or "Partner Studios."

In many cases the best Advertorials are not written by the brand's copywriter; they are written by the publisher's own internal "Brand Studio" (like T Brand at NYT or WP BrandStudio at The Washington Post). Why? Because they know exactly how to mimic the tone and voice of their own journalists.

While the job of most standard display ads is to push Awareness, Advertorials are typically meant for Consideration. They are one of the few formats that allows you to explain a complex value proposition (e.g., B2B software or pharmaceutical mechanism of action) without boring the audience. If you try to jam a 500-word explanation into a Facebook post, you fail. In an advertorial, that depth is the feature, not the bug.

Watch Outs

  • Falling into a Puff Piece Trap: If the content reads like a press release (e.g., Our CEO is a visionary...), readers will bounce immediately. The content must offer genuine utility, entertainment, or shocking stats before mentioning the product.
  • SEO Penalties: Google strictly requires that paid links within advertorials use rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" tags. If you try to use advertorials to build "dofollow" backlinks for SEO, you risk a manual penalty that can de-index your site.
  • Trust Erosion: If the disclosure (e.g., "Paid Post") is hidden or tiny, readers feel tricked. This "deception tax" damages brand sentiment permanently. Transparency is non-negotiable.

External Resources