What is sponsored content and how do publishers sell it?
What sponsored content is, how it differs from native ads and branded content, and how publishers sell and measure it.
Written by Samhub with the help of AI·Updated 13 Oct 2026·3 min readSponsored content is an article, video or other content paid for by an advertiser and published in the publisher’s format, clearly labeled as sponsored.
Sponsored content vs related formats
| Format | What it is |
|---|---|
| Sponsored content | Paid content in editorial style, labeled as sponsored |
| Native ad | An ad unit that matches the look of the page |
| Branded content | Content built around a brand’s values or story |
Labeling
Readers must be able to see that content is paid for. Clear labels such as “Sponsored” or “In partnership with” protect trust, and are required by marketing rules in most markets.
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How to sell and measure it
Sell an audience
Promote the content to the readers the advertiser wants.
Agree the goal
Reach, time spent or visits to the advertiser’s site.
Report results
Readers reached, attention and actions after reading.
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Frequently asked questions
Close. Advertorial is the older print term for paid content styled like editorial.
Usually a publisher’s content studio, separate from the newsroom.
Per article or package, often including promotion to guarantee a number of readers.
Not when it is clearly labeled and genuinely useful to readers.
Related terms
Content made around a brand’s values or story.
Ads that match the look of the surrounding content.
Ads in printed newspapers and on news sites.
The document that sells your audience and ad formats.
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