Advertorial
A paid sales message written and laid out like an article so the reader gets the story and evidence before the pitch.
See it
What it is
An advertorial is paid advertising written and laid out like an editorial article. Instead of opening with a product grid and a buy button, it uses a headline, a story or argument, evidence, and a transition into the offer. The format predates the web in newspapers and magazines; online, it often sits between an ad click and a product page.
Reach for it when the reader needs context or education before the offer makes sense, especially for an unfamiliar category or a problem people do not yet know how to name. It should still read briskly: one claim, evidence for that claim, then a clear next step.
Gotcha: editorial styling does not make paid promotion editorial. In the US, the FTC's 2015 policy statement on deceptively formatted advertising treats an unlabeled advertorial as deceptive. Label the page clearly as an advertisement or sponsored content before the headline, identify the advertiser, and never invent a reporter, customer quote, study, or publication masthead. Hidden sponsorship burns trust precisely because the format borrows trust from journalism.
Ask AI for it
Build a WordPress-ready advertorial for [offer] using only [approved claims, sources, quotes, and images]. Put a persistent 'Advertisement' label and the advertiser name above the headline. Structure it as a headline, short dek, problem-led opening, three evidence sections with source links, a clearly marked transition to the offer, and one CTA. Return publishable copy and semantic HTML using an `<article>` element with CSS `max-width: 70ch`. Do not imitate a real publication masthead or invent a byline, quote, result, review, study, source, urgency claim, or product fact.