Native advertising is a buzzword many of us hear about and many consumers don’t always understand. We’ve all seen them. You click on a headline thinking it is any interesting story only to find out it’s advocating a product or a program. They can be annoying for some and they can be very effective for others, depending upon your purpose.

Often called sponsored content, native advertisements can be found in print materials, such as magazines and newspapers and are created to resemble the design, style and functionality of news or feature articles, product reviews, entertainment and other material that surrounds it. For example, you see a headline for a news article on medical condition. Once you begin reading, you discover it’s actually an ad for a medication for the condition.

The Better Business Bureau along with industry consortium, The Digital Advertising Alliance, have developed several self-regulatory principals to address native advertising and online behavioral and ethical standards.