The word is a blend of advertisement and editorial. Advertorials started in print magazines and newspapers, and the same idea now lives online as sponsored articles, sponsored posts and branded content.

What makes an advertorial different from a normal ad?

• Format. It reads like an article, with a headline, sections and useful information, rather than a short sales message.
• Purpose. It teaches or explains something first and introduces the product as part of the answer.
• Life span. Online, an advertorial can keep being read and found in search long after a display campaign would have ended.
• Disclosure. Readers should be able to tell that a brand is involved. Most publishers label advertorials as sponsored content.

Advertorial examples that work

The advertorials that earn attention tend to follow a few patterns:

• A how to guide that solves a real problem, with the brand's tool shown as one way to do it
• A comparison or roundup where the product sits next to the options buyers already know
• A case study or story from the founder that explains why the product exists
• A data piece built on the brand's own research, written up for a general reader

What they have in common: the reader would want to read the piece even if no brand was involved.

How to run an advertorial on my blog

On lilachbullock.com an advertorial is published as a sponsored article: a new post on a topic that fits your product, with your link in the body. If a full article is more than you need, a link insertion into an article that already ranks, or a product placement in a roundup, can do the same job faster.

1. Use my contact form or email [email protected] with your website, your target URL and the topic or category you have in mind.
2. I reply with what fits: a new sponsored article, a link in an existing article, a roundup placement or a newsletter feature.
3. You send the article or the points you want covered, or I write it so it matches the rest of the blog.
4. We agree the details and I send a PayPal invoice.
5. I publish and send you the live link.

Who it suits

• SaaS and software companies selling to small businesses and marketers
• Agencies, consultants and service businesses
• Ecommerce brands with a product that fits a marketing, productivity, AI or small business topic
• Brands launching something new that needs more than a paragraph to explain

Why run it here

I've been publishing since the dial up days, and the blog covers marketing, AI, social media and small business. I've spent 23 years in marketing, built, scaled and sold a digital marketing agency, and been listed by Forbes in the Top 20 Social Media Power Influencers. I've also reviewed and ranked more than three hundred tools, so I know what readers want to see before they try one.

I write and edit for my readers first, which is what makes an advertorial on the site worth reading. If your topic doesn't fit, I'll say so in the first reply.

Frequently asked questions

What is an advertorial?

An advertorial is an advertisement written in the style of an editorial article. It informs the reader first and features the brand where it helps, instead of selling in a short banner or ad.

Is an advertorial the same as sponsored content?

Advertorial is the older print term. Online, the same format is usually called a sponsored article, sponsored post or branded content.

Can I run an advertorial on lilachbullock.com?

Yes. Advertorials run as sponsored articles on topics that fit the blog: marketing, AI, social media, productivity and small business. Use the contact form or email [email protected].

Can I write the advertorial myself?

Yes. You can send a finished article or the points you want covered. I edit for my readers and tell you what changed.

How long does the advertorial stay live?

Placements are permanent.

How do I pay?

By PayPal invoice, once the details are agreed.