I believe we need to follow technological developments closely and quickly. The more AI-generated content is curated and served to readers, the more important the human element becomes: what moves us deeply, provides real understanding, and above all, is true, and that it is a human who has ensured that. Already, you can see a lot of very good content that is entirely AI-generated, but it still lacks depth.
Research shows that:
- Websites with writer bylines see longer visit duration
- Human-written texts with the same number of characters as AI texts are read for longer
- If content is flagged as AI, perceived credibility decreases
- People change their behavior if they know a text was written by AI
But if the technology is used correctly, it can help us deliver more and better content faster and to more people.
Key Insights
I have had the honor of working with Content Advertising, primarily Native Advertising, since 2015 when it was relatively new in Sweden. One of the key factors has been the collaboration with our various editorial teams, who trust us to create the right- and high-quality content. We aim to provide value to our readers while communicating what the client wants to convey, and it is this balance that is crucial. Over the years, many have realized the value of Content Advertising and the impact it creates by engaging users/readers. Therefore, it becomes increasingly important to educate the market about the different solutions available.
When we talk specifically about Native Advertising, it's basically a creative product, but when it strays too far from the editorial content, it becomes something else, a different content product. Native, in its pure form, is commercial editorial content. I firmly hold on to what Native should be, and Native evolves alongside how editorial content develops. We should definitely challenge, but we must not undermine the foundation of what Native is and should be.
Signature Work Achievements
Something I am very proud of is how I have managed to unite 200 publishers in Sweden under a single Native product. Regardless of which title the reader chooses, our native product is recognizable. Of course, we adapt the content to follow the publisher's tone, but it would have been impossible to work with different appearances and markings for 200 publishers. In addition to this, I am proud to have contributed to the IAB Sweden Task Force in refining and clarifying the various products available. Instead of casually calling everything Native Advertising, we have established the umbrella name Content Advertising, and each product under it gets its own spotlight. This enables product development and provides advertisers with a better understanding of which product to purchase and what to expect from each product.
Career Lessons
It is still predominantly men who hold leadership positions in many of the companies we work with as clients. However, approximately 50% of our readers are women. This makes it of utmost importance that we ensure women's voices are heard and that we create content that resonates with the female audience.
And for your everyday work: With knowledge and competence, stand up for what you believe in. Share knowledge and increase understanding of how to best work with different types of content products. Be inspiring and engaged. I am passionate about what I do, and it makes people listen and builds trust.
