Dive Brief:
- The next big thing in native advertising could be "sponsored comments" from Disqus.
- The product allows advertisers to target verticals and readers with native-looking ads in the comments section — an area thus far not monetized by publishers.
- Publishers that have sold sponsored comments spots include Rolling Stone, US Weekly, and Evolve Media. Brands that have purchased the ads include Ziploc, Maker Studios, and the New York Times, which bought the spots to advertise stories on other publishers' sites.
Dive Insight:
If a web page is thought of in terms of real estate, the comments section would be undeveloped land. There's a danger in advertising there, however, as it's often a minefield of heated discussions and complaints. But the advantages could prove worthwhile. Readers who comment are more engaged in the story, which could make them more valuable to advertisers — assuming the ad is relevant to the article's content. If commenters tolerate the ads, it will be interesting to see how well they perform.