Do you know how to take advantage of the current most successful ad format?
Video ads are becoming an increasingly popular tool for communication with customers in companies’ marketing activities and are expected to become a staple in digital advertising. Last year, users watched an average of 100 minutes of video per day. In this article, we’ll talk about the types of video ad formats, mention some of the most popular types of ads right now, give you ideas for your video ads, and how to get the most out of them.
Why are video ads successful?
Online video marketing supports three key stages of brand development: differentiation or standing out, customer retention, and growth. According to global research, 54% of consumers want to watch more videos from companies they like and are customers of. Video can affect emotions in a way that words can’t – for example, by taking advantage of body language and more, and thus easily gives your business a human face. Two of the main goals of any company are to keep its current customers and constantly attract new ones. Studies show that over 90% of companies have acquired new customers through video advertising and over 60% have enjoyed a return on investment from video advertising on social media. An eloquent evidence than that the company can grow through video advertising!
Different video platforms have different video formats, content style requirements, different users and set of best practices. It is good to distinguish them in order to use them successfully.
Types of video ad formats
Digital video ads are divided into linear and non-linear.
Linear video ads
Linear video ads can be broadcast between streaming video content and TV ads. Of course, ads need to be relevant to the content they air in, from music to sports to beauty products. Depending on where they are broadcast, there are In-stream and Outstream video ads.
In-stream linear ads are those on pages with video content and are integrated into the video content itself. We divide them into pre-roll (before users watch their selected content), mid-roll (in the middle of the user-selected content) and post-roll ads (after the user-selected content). Pre-roll is suitable for building brand awareness, mid-roll can enhance the viewer experience, and post-roll adds value to your campaign through a clear and concise call to action.
Outstream video ads can be included on both pages with video content and pages without video content, i.e. only with a text one. They diversify standard text pages and can be used to increase brand awareness, drive online purchases, reach key users and expand the reach of an advertising campaign.
Non-linear video ads
They stream along with the video content without interruption, and if the viewer clicks on them, they will pause the video content and be taken to your page. These ads are also suitable for live streaming of various events.
Non-linear video ads are divided into:
Overlay – broadcast over the video itself and cover between 10 and 20% of its lower part. You could introduce a product or brand in them, but the risk is that you might cover an important part like subtitles from the video itself and it could annoy the user.
Non-overlay – displayed alongside the video content, not on top of it. That’s why you can use them to interact with it in some way without annoying viewers or hiding anything from the video they’re watching.
Companion – These contain the features from both linear and non-linear ads. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes such as text, static display ads, or rich media. They do not disrupt video streaming.
Interactive video ads
Interactive video ads are triggered when a user completes a level in a video game, clicks or hovers over a certain part. This is also one of the reasons they offer better engagement.
The current most popular video advertising formats
Outstream video ads
Outstream video ads can also be interstitials, in-read, in-feed. They are without a sound. You can place them at the top right corner of the page, at the sidebar or anywhere else you like. The page does not need to have a video player to display them. They can appear alongside articles or on social media like Facebook. As an advertiser, you can be sure your video will be viewed by your target audience as they only play when they are 100% viewable – automatically pausing while the user scrolls down and only resuming when they scroll back up. Also, you will only pay if the video has been watched for a certain amount of time. According to studies, they are watched 25% more than Instream videos.
Rewarded video ads
Users love them and so do advertisers. Why? Because if they watch them, users get something. They can appear in a game, for example, and if watched, the player receives an additional bonus for the game in question. The good thing about these ads is that since they are shown when the user is looking for some incentives, the user is really interested in the offer and the ads do not attract fake clicks. These ads have a high engagement rate; however, sometimes potential customers are only interested in the associated incentive.
Bumper video ads
We all want to watch shorter and more engaging ads. Also, when we’re looking for something to watch, we often scroll through multiple videos. Right between them you can place your Bumper ad. With their duration of 6 seconds, they can improve the reach of your brand. Since users can’t miss these ads, you can use them in the best way to make a lasting and positive impression on the users. Bet on bumper ads if you want to increase the recognition of your brand, but you are not necessarily looking for conversion. These ads are managed by Google and are very profitable because you will only be charged when your ad is shown 1000 times.
CTV commercials
Ads on CTV (connected television) are also gaining momentum. They are a good alternative to traditional TV and offer good targeting, so don’t overlook them.
Read more about CTV here: Connected TV advertising – digital advertising on television (digital-marketing.bg)
Facebook and Instagram stories ads
You must have come across them. They are embedded between stories in each user’s personal feed. They are convenient and easy to implement because you can link them to your own Facebook profile and even if you don’t have a website, they will be useful to you. Another big plus of these ads is the high rate of personalization thanks to the information about the interests of everyone who is on social networks. Also, we should not miss the fact that the consumption of stories increases along with the increase in the creation of stories. In them you can place either a striking call to action or a link. The good thing is that their reporting in this case is clear, although even without links you can also track user engagement and direct sales. Probably their only drawback is their brevity. But this will not put off users!
What topics can you cover in your video ads?
Company culture
Use company culture videos to show the human face of your brand. By interviewing your employees and showing them in different contexts – while they are doing their work or having fun together, you can lift the curtain on what work life is like in your company. You don’t necessarily have to be serious! You can rely on animation, puppets or even ask your employees to do something out of the ordinary. But aim to show what sets you apart from the rest.
Video interview / Q&A / Live
A great way to answer your customers’ questions and show them that you not only value feedback, but that you really care about them. It can be in the form of a live broadcast on a social network or a pre-recorded video. You can also make a live dedicated to a completely different topic related to a current event, for example.
Video for a product / Explanation of how your business operates / Event
Product videos are focused on the qualities of one of your products or services and should be made extremely professionally. With them, you can reach both current and future customers. You can also develop an explainer video that clearly explains what your company does. Don’t forget videos from your company events to promote your most important initiatives.
User-generated videos
Encourage your customers to make videos of your products through a competition with prizes, for example. What better way to stimulate the creative cells in them and thank them for it!
Webinar / How To / Educational Video
Webinars are still very popular because you can really educate your audience on topics that matter to them. You can also use them to drive customers from your free services to your paid ones. In addition to slide presentations as the background of a video call, you can show your product in more detail or conduct a round table with different participants. On the other hand, in how-to videos, you can answer a specific question or explain step-by-step how your customers can use a particular product of yours. They build trust and present your brand as a useful resource. In educational videos, for example, you can use your blog content as the basis for a video script.
Case study video
Curious for both users and those interested in what goes on behind the scenes of your work. A great way to show that you are an expert among the competition. And if you turn them into an engaging short film, they will be even more convincing and engaging.
Custom videos
According to studies, 80% of consumers would make a purchase from a company that offers a personalized experience! You can add your customer’s name to them and use them as event invitations, a holiday card or to thank them for their purchase. Through specific video platforms, you can create them and include their name in a generic ad clip.
Short videos about social networks
These short videos often include transitions, captions and video effects, and are less than a minute long. While original creative video concepts can appeal to many, the best performing TikTok Videos and Reels often simply use a currently popular song, format or trend and cash in on it.
Paid videos on social networks
In addition to getting more clicks compared to a static ad, video ads also give you more creative freedom to show your brand identity and connect emotionally with your audience. Using animated illustrations also seems to be a hot trend in social ads right now. Now it’s good to think mobile first and make ads that can be understood without sound but with subtitles, for example, because 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. The golden rule is that the first 3 seconds of your video grab attention.
As you can see, video ad formats are becoming more and more diverse. It’s good to be aware of the latest trends and update your video marketing strategy. And if you reach out to us, we will help you with this.
Read more about video ads here: Video advertising for impressive digital experience
Call us for an advice on the most suitable video ads for you! We can also develop them and place them in the most suitable media to achieve your goals!
