The Rise of New Video Advertising Formats
Between cable watchers, cord-cutters, streamers, and all that fall between, the video landscape continues to become more fragmented with the ways consumers watch. Pair these changes with increased screen time since the onset of COVID-19, and people are increasingly turning to video channels as a source of both entertainment and information.
With the staggering amount of video channels advertisers have to choose from when crafting a media campaign, it is helpful to understand the differences and benefits of each one. Keep reading to learn more about the different video advertising formats advertisers can use to reach viewers.
Popular Video Advertising Formats for 2021
In-Stream Video
When it comes to in-stream video across mobile, desktop, and tablets, consider it a catalyst for spreading awareness and reinforcing brand positioning to reach your audience by serving ads on relevant sites tailored to your message and market. It is also a great addition to a plan with lower-funnel channels such as Display, Paid Search, and Paid Social to create an omnichannel, full-funnel experience from awareness to action.
Given the busy nature of customers online today, it is essential to ensure that advertisers design a brand message and creative that catches the users’ eye. Here are some key considerations when crafting your video advertisements:
Identify your ultimate campaign goal: Are you looking to drive users to click through to a website while they are watching? Or is it more critical for them to finish your ad to get the full message from start to finish?
For Clicks
Focus on developing a clear call to action throughout the video, such as “Click Now” or “Visit Our Website.” A call to action can be displayed as text on the bottom throughout your video or highlighted in other visuals. In these cases, prioritize longer videos between 30-60 seconds so that there is ample time for the user to gather the information they need and decide whether or not to click.
For Completes
Incorporate a signature hook and cohesive story in the video to draw the audience in and keep them interested from beginning to end. Keep the video concise and to the point, around 15 seconds, so that users can watch the entirety with ease.
While video has been around in the advertising world for some time now, it is constantly taking new shapes and forms. For instance, in addition to standard video, other forms of video include Native Video, which serves directly within the natural feed of a site’s content, and high impact video, a video style that comes in large screen formats such as “skin overlays or homepage takeovers.
Connected TV & OTT
According to eMarketer, people without traditional TV services (cable or satellite) will outnumber those with it within the next three years. Alongside this migration to the expanding list of streaming platforms and smart TVs, a whole new method has emerged for advertisers to reach users via video.
Like standard forms of video, CTV and OTT provide a great way to spread awareness among your audience in a highly visual format. CTV/OTT also has high viewability and completion rates, meaning within this channel, you have the full attention of your audience uncluttered by other ads. Similar to standard video, if your team is looking for a full-funnel approach, utilize CTV/OTT for awareness and brand perception, and follow up with another ad in channels such as Display, Video, Social, or Search to drive a desired action by the user.
Social Video
Social is an integral part of how we stay connected to the world and is a way to discover products or services. According to Animoto, video content ranks as the top content type that users want to see from brands on social media. With that said, as an advertiser, there can be an overwhelming amount of social platforms to choose from. Here are the top tips to keep in mind when deciding which platform is best for your brand.
YouTube
Since the early 2000s, YouTube has been an outlet for valuable information plus amusement and leisure. It is also one of the most common search engines globally, proving itself to be a major contender when deciding on a Social video platform. Youtube can attract users during all decision-making stages, from awareness to purchase. Sample video placements include in-stream video, discovery ads, and bumper ads.
Facebook & Instagram
These platforms provide a wide array of formats to choose from based upon the nature of your campaign or vertical – from Stories to Instagram & Facebook Feed videos and Explore page videos.
Tik Tok
Tik Tok, a platform that has exploded in popularity over the past year, provides a seamless reel of content to consume. With their in-feed and brand takeover ads, Tik Tko also offers a unique opportunity to reach a younger audience – 41% of its users are between the ages of 16-24.
Snapchat
Snapchat thrives with its creativity and interactive formats. Ads are also ordinarily short and sweet – according to Snapchat Ads, 0:03 – 0:05 is the best length of a video to drive action.
For B2B plays, utilize LinkedIn native video ads to ensure you are reaching users in a business mindset as well as to get granular with title and B2B interest targeting.
Launch a Twitter video campaign to gather views, followers or amplify a promoted tweet campaign. According to Twitter, there has been an 84% year-over-year increase in watch time on their platform, showing that users increasingly turn to Twitter as a video media outlet.
With its inspirational nature, Pinterest provides a great opportunity to reach niche interest audiences in contextually relevant formats. One of Pinterest’s top tips for seeing engagement on ads is to pick a strong cover image to draw the user in before watching.
How Digilant Can Help with Your Digital Video Advertising Strategy
Digilant works with top-tier DSPs such as The Trade Desk, MediaMath, DV360, and Xandr to execute digital video and OTT and CTV campaigns, as well as running managed service across all major social platforms. Our team of digital media experts provides insights into where your audience is online, their propensity to consume certain forms of video content, and strategic channel recommendations to ensure you reach all of your digital video advertising goals. Interested in learning more about Digilant’s video solutions? Let’s talk.