Understanding Different Types of Online Advertising: SEM, Display Ads, Native Ads, Paid Social, and Over-the-Top (OTT)

With the rapid evolution of digital marketing, it’s important to understand the different advertising options available to effectively reach your target audience. At Vortex Solution, we help our clients implement the best online advertising strategies. This article explains the most common types of online advertising, from search engine marketing (SEM) to Over-the-Top (OTT) ads.

SEM, also known as PPC (Pay-Per-Click), is a form of advertising where the advertiser pays each time a user clicks on their ad. This type of advertising is ideal for people who are already actively searching. Through SEM campaigns, your ads appear at the top of search engine results, like Google, for relevant keywords that your potential customers are using when searching for similar products or services.

Example: A user searching for “comfortable running shoes” on Google will see your PPC ads if you have targeted those keywords.

Display ads are visual ads that appear on various websites in the form of banners or inserts. Unlike SEM, they target people who may not be actively searching, but who might be interested in your products or services based on their profile, browsing history, or online behavior.

These ads are effective for brand awareness. They reach audiences that haven’t yet expressed a direct intent to buy but might develop an interest in your products by seeing them regularly.

Example: A banner ad for a sportswear brand appears on a news site or a fitness blog.

Native ads blend in with the page content, offering a less intrusive experience for users. This type of advertising is designed to look like the editorial content of the website it appears on. Native ads are particularly effective for users looking for information, often giving the impression of being a recommendation or useful resource.

Example: A sponsored article on a news site explaining the benefits of plant-based proteins, sponsored by a nutrition brand.

Paid social advertising allows you to reach users on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok. These platforms offer highly precise targeting options based on user demographics, interests, and behaviors. Paid social is ideal for building a community around your brand and engaging users in a more personal way.

Example: A promotional video ad for new sports equipment targeting young adults on Instagram.

Over-the-Top (OTT) ads are video advertisements that run on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV, and other services that bypass traditional television. These ads target users who consume video content online via connected TVs, computers, or mobile devices.

The advantage of OTT ads is that they offer extensive targeting capabilities, allowing you to reach a more segmented audience, especially “cord-cutters” who no longer watch traditional TV.

Example: A promotional video for running shoes shown before a series on a streaming platform.

Choosing between SEM, display ads, native ads, paid social, and OTT depends on several factors, such as your target audience, campaign objectives (awareness, engagement, conversion), and budget. At Vortex Solution, we help our clients navigate these different options to create an integrated advertising strategy tailored to their needs. For athletes, for instance, it is often strategic to combine SEM campaigns with display ads on sports or running sites.

We understand that every business has unique needs and goals. That’s why we work with you not only to help you choose the best type of advertising for your targets but also to measure the effectiveness of each campaign. With advanced tracking and analytics tools, we provide clear reports and insights to continually optimize your advertising investments and maximize your return on investment.

To learn more about our online advertising services and how we can help you make the most of your advertising investments, contact our team today.