Transformation of Content Under the Influence of Native Advertising in Ukrainian Online Media

Abstract

The article focuses on analysing the changes in the structure and content of Ukrainian online media under the influence of native advertising as a modern communication tool. The aim of the study is to explore how native advertising contributes to the transformation of contemporary Ukrainian media, particularly its economic model, editorial policy, and content structure. The study employed general scientific methods of cognition: analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, systematization, typologization, and a comparative-structural approach. The research findings demonstrate that native advertising serves as an effective communication format that combines journalistic style with commercial intent, integrating seamlessly into the media flow. It is concluded that native advertising ensures high audience engagement due to its informational value, stylistic alignment with the platform, and the absence of direct calls to action. The study explores the transformation of genre structure in media content, highlighting the growing share of analytical publications, interviews, interactive special projects, and personalized formats. The findings show that journalists are increasingly involved in producing native content, which helps maintain audience trust and strengthens media reputational resilience. At the same time, the study identifies risks associated with vague labelling, lack of regulatory frameworks, and insufficient transparency, which may lead to the replacement of editorial discourse with commercial messaging. It is concluded that the spread of native advertising in Ukraine’s online media segment is gradually shaping an integrative model in which the boundaries between journalism and marketing become increasingly blurred. This model is based on principles of expertise, credibility, visual coherence, and ethical transparency, contributing to the development of a new content consumption culture. The practical value of the research lies in systematizing principles for the effective and ethical implementation of native advertising in Ukraine’s digital media.