Publisher Guide: Native

Advertorials and pre-landers for lead gen

This guide explains how to build a pre-lander or advertorial that sits between your ad and a Summit lander. By the end you will be able to outline the page section by section, label it clearly as advertising, handle testimonials and claims the way FTC guidance describes, and pass your sub IDs through to the tracking link so every lead is attributed.

Pre-landers are most common on native ad networks, and the same rules apply when you use one with Meta. This guide is a general summary and is not legal advice.

Published 5 October 2026. How we write and check guides: editorial standards.

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What a pre-lander is for

A pre-lander is a page you build and host. The reader lands on it after clicking your ad, reads it, then clicks through to the Summit lander through your tracking link. An advertorial is a pre-lander written as an article. A pre-lander does three jobs that a short native headline cannot:

Explains the topic. What to do after a crash, or how to tell when a roof needs replacing.
Filters the reader. People without the situation or project stop reading. People with it keep going.
Sets up the next step. It tells the reader that a short form comes next and what happens after they submit it.

The pre-lander never replaces the Summit lander. The lead submits the form on the Summit lander, where consent is captured and recorded, and the consent language on Summit landers is not changed or removed. Our traffic guidelines apply to pre-landers and advertorials the same way they apply to ads.

Step 1: Outline the page

Use this order for a first version. Keep the page short enough to read on a phone in a minute or two.

01
Advertising label
A clear "Advertisement" or "Sponsored" label at the top, above the headline, in readable type.
02
Headline
Repeat the promise of the ad headline so the reader knows they are in the right place.
03
Opening
Two or three sentences that describe the situation in general terms: what many people face after a crash, or what a failing roof looks like.
04
Useful body
Three to five short points the reader can use even if they never click: steps to take, warning signs, questions to ask.
05
The next step
Explain plainly that the button leads to a short form, and that the reader may be contacted about their options or a quote.
06
Button
One clear button linking to your tracking link with sub IDs. Repeat it lower on the page.

Write who is behind the page in the footer: your business name and contact details. A page with no owner looks like it is hiding something, to readers and to ad reviewers.

Step 2: Disclose that it is an ad

The FTC's Enforcement Policy Statement on Deceptively Formatted Advertisements says that ads should be identifiable as advertising, and that a format is deceptive if it misleads people about its commercial nature. Its companion Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses gives practical examples. In general terms, that means:

Label the page as an advertisement where the reader will see it before they start reading, not only in the footer.
Use plain words such as "Advertisement" or "Sponsored". Vague labels may not be understood.
Make the label large and high-contrast enough to notice on a phone.
Do not dress the page up as an independent news site: no fake mastheads, no news logos, no invented reporter bylines.
Do not imply the page comes from a law firm, insurer, contractor, government agency or news outlet if it does not.

The FTC's .com Disclosures guide covers how to make disclosures clear and conspicuous on small screens.

Step 3: Handle testimonials and endorsements

Quotes from "real people" are common on advertorials, and they carry rules. The FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking explains them in question-and-answer form. In general terms:

Use only testimonials from real people who said what you quote, with their permission.
Do not invent names, photos or stories, and do not use stock photos presented as the person quoted.
Do not present a testimonial as typical if most people would not have the same experience.
Disclose any connection between you and the person, such as payment.
For MVA, do not quote settlement amounts or case results. For home improvement, do not quote savings you cannot support.

If you have no real testimonials, leave them out. A clear explanation of next steps does the same filtering work without the risk.

Running native or Meta traffic through a pre-lander? Apply with your sources, states and expected volume.

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Step 4: Keep claims accurate

Pre-lander claims to rewrite in each vertical
Vertical	Rewrite this	Into this
MVA	"Accident victims are getting huge payouts"	"After a crash, many people speak with a lawyer about their options."
MVA	"You may be owed money for your injury"	"Learn what steps people often take after an accident."
Home improvement	"New program gives homeowners free windows"	"Compare window replacement quotes from local installers."
Home improvement	"Cut your energy bill in half"	"Older windows can let in drafts. Here is what to look for."

Every claim on a pre-lander must be true for the offer the reader will see next. See ad claims to avoid in accident offers and ad claims to avoid in home improvement offers. MVA pre-landers lead to legal services, so also read attorney advertising rules for MVA traffic.

Step 5: Pass sub IDs through to the tracking link

Add the sub ID values from your ad click (site ID, campaign ID, ad ID) to the pre-lander URL as parameters.
On the pre-lander, read those values and append them to the tracking link on every button. Your tracker can do this for you if you use one.
Add one more value that names the pre-lander version, so you can compare versions by sold leads.
Click through from a live ad on a phone and confirm the values arrive on the Summit lander.

Leads are reported by tracking link and sub ID. Ask during onboarding how reporting is delivered. See tracking links and sub IDs explained.

Step 6: Test pre-lander versions

Change one part of the page at a time and compare versions on sold leads and returns. Good first tests are the headline, the length of the body, and the wording of the next-step section. A longer page usually sends fewer clicks to the lander, but those readers may be better qualified. Only sold leads tell you which version wins. Load speed matters too: test the page on a phone over a mobile connection, and cut heavy images.

Pre-lander launch checklist

Run through this list before any traffic reaches a new pre-lander or a new version of one:

The "Advertisement" or "Sponsored" label is visible at the top on a phone screen.
The headline matches the ad that sends traffic to it.
Every claim is true for the offer on the Summit lander that follows.
Any testimonial is real, used with permission, and not presented as typical when it is not.
No news-style branding, and no suggestion that a law firm, insurer, contractor or agency wrote the page.
Your business name and contact details are in the footer.
Every button links to the right tracking link for the offer, with sub IDs filled in.
The page loads quickly on a phone over a mobile connection.
The page follows our traffic guidelines and the ad policies of the network or platform sending traffic.

Common mistakes

No ad label, or a label hidden in the footer. The page reads as editorial content.
Fake news styling. Mastheads, logos and bylines that suggest a news outlet.
Invented testimonials. Made-up people and stories.
Collecting the lead on the pre-lander. The form and consent belong on the Summit lander.
Dropping sub IDs at the button. Every lead loses its site and ad data.
Different promise on ad, pre-lander and lander. Readers who feel misled do not complete the form.

Frequently asked questions

Can I collect the lead on my own pre-lander?

No. The pre-lander links to the Summit lander through your tracking link, and the lead submits there, where consent is captured and recorded. If you already run your own forms with consent capture, see sell your leads.

Do I need an "Advertisement" label on a pre-lander?

FTC guidance says ads should be identifiable as advertising. Read the FTC's native advertising guide and label the page clearly. This is not legal advice.

Can I use a pre-lander with Meta ads?

Yes. Meta reviews the destination, so the pre-lander must follow Meta's policies as well as our traffic guidelines. See Meta ad policies for lead gen affiliates.