sponsored content

American  

[spon-serd kon-tent] / ˈspɒn sərd ˈkɒn tɛnt /

noun

1. advertising that a brand pays an online publisher to create and seamlessly integrate, conforming to the design, format, and content of the website or social media feed where it is published.

   It’s hard to distinguish your search results from sponsored content, so you have to pay attention to what you’re clicking.

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Etymology

Origin of sponsored content

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

OpenAI also recently introduced ads into the chatbot for free and Go users, leading to concerns that higher-paid tiers might eventually see sponsored content.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

Traditional search engines usually give less weight to sponsored content: articles or blog posts that a company pays for but that look like regular editorial content.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

Beyond OpenAI, Microsoft has been running contextual ads and sponsored content in its Copilot AI assistant since 2023.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

Unlike some types of sponsored content, the first season of “Roomies” doesn’t explicitly market Bilt’s brand.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

Many social media sites allow users to make money from their posts or to share sponsored content.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2024