What is the key difference between 'matched content' and standard AdSense ads?

The key difference between 'matched content' and standard AdSense ads is that matched content promotes a publisher's own content to their audience, while standard AdSense ads display advertisements from external advertisers. Matched content units recommend articles or pages from the same website to encourage users to explore more of the publisher's content. This helps to increase page views, time on site, and overall user engagement. Standard AdSense ads, on the other hand, are paid advertisements from external companies that are displayed on the publisher's website. While both can generate revenue (matched content indirectly through increased engagement and ad viewability), their primary purposes are different: matched content aims to retain and engage the existing audience, while standard AdSense ads aim to monetize the website's traffic through external advertising.