Online video consumption is growing fast, with video traffic expected to account for 79% of all consumer internet traffic in 2018. Inevitably this has led to a corresponding rise in video advertising as brands take advantage of the increasing consumer appetite for video. Total revenue from video ads will more than double from £316m this year to £717m in 2018.
Online video advertising presents brands with unique opportunities for interactivity and personalisation, particularly when compared with more traditional formats such as broadcast TV. Consumers access branded videos using a range of devices including smartphones, tablets, desktops, and connected TVs, and a recent survey indicates that viewing a video ad across multiple screens can cause a significant uplift in purchase consideration, recommendation intent, and brand impression.
So with cross-channel branded video becoming an integral part of any marketing campaign, how can advertisers make the most of this opportunity and create branded videos that will provide maximum ROI?
Here are five considerations that marketers need to make when planning their cross-video campaign:
Targeting is key, as the relevancy of the audience will directly affect the success of the advert. It is important to pinpoint your audience and to understand their behavioural patterns to best capture their attention. For example, consider the time of day your target audience is most likely to be engaging with certain media devices, from mobile to TV. Reach is critical for campaign success, and with the average household owning more than 4.4 connected devices it is imperative that brands run campaigns over multiple screens, so take into account the types of device your audience is most likely to use.
Length is a key consideration when creating a branded video, and online video ads generally tend to be shorter than TV ads, focussing on one primary message rather than multiple messages. Not surprisingly short-form ads of under 20 seconds have a higher completion rate compared to long-form ads and they are typically more memorable. However, longer ads are able to convey more complex messages and are ideal for the consideration phase, so advertisers may want to use different length ads at different levels of the sales funnel.
Interactivity is one of the most obvious benefits of online videos, with viewers able to follow links to discover more about the brands and messages that interest them. Interactive features within a video ad increase audience engagement, ad awareness, and message association, so should be at the top of any advertiser’s wish list.
Frequency is a delicate matter in video advertising as multiple exposures are required to build brand awareness, but overloading viewers can result in brand fatigue and indifference. Advertisers can avoid bombarding viewers by creating a range of video formats and messages – ideally using sequential videos to tell a story and move the consumer along the conversion path – as well as employing frequency capping.
Criteria for the content of successful online video ads is distinct from TV ads. Creative designed specifically for online tends to perform better than repurposed TV content in raising brand awareness, brand favourability, and purchase intent. Videos should leverage content that is emotionally engaging – particularly in the initial frames – and include an element of human interest relevant to the target audience.
Branded videos are experiencing huge growth as brands maximise on the consumer enthusiasm for online video across a wide range of devices. But to get it right advertisers should consider reach, length, interactivity, frequency, and content when designing branded video campaigns. Only then will they realise engagement with modern consumers across all screens.
By Paul Lyonette, UK Country Manager at YuMe.
PrivSec Conferences will bring together leading speakers and experts from privacy and security to deliver compelling content via solo presentations, panel discussions, debates, roundtables and workshops.
For more information on upcoming events, visit the website.
comments powered by Disqus