[Display Advertising] 05. Video Advertising

Importance of Video Ad
- On average, US adults spend 1 hour and 8 mins per day watching online video(YouTube platform)
VIdeo + Content Marketing strategy

- Creative possibilities

• convey emotions
• rich imagery
• tell stories

- Online video consumption is growing
- Video consumption is an important part of the mobile experience
- Online video offers powerful targeting
- Often part of a larger content strategy

Online video ads: types and formats

1. Instream vs. Outstream Video Ads

- Instream video ads:
These are video ads that are played before (pre-roll ad), during (mid-roll ad) or after (post-roll ad) a video. These ads typically cannot be stopped from playing. In some cases the user can skip the ads after a few seconds.In some cases, a group of ads will play subsequently. Such a group is sometimes referred to as an Ad Pod.

- Outstream video ads:
These are video ads that take place outside of the in-line video experiences. There are several types of outstream ads:
- Native Video: Video ads integrated into the format of a website. These ads typically include a headline, a description, and context for the ad. (ex, on Yahoo website...etc.)
- In-article Video: Video ad that plays between paragraphs of editorial text content (within the article)
- In-feed Video: A native video ad in a social feed (e.g. Twitter), often paired with a headline, description and logo (ex, Twitter)
- Interstitial: Video that appears between two content pages (sometimes also referred to as a transition ad, an intermercial ad or a splash page)

Autoplay vs. Interactive Video Ads
- Autoplay Video Ads: Video ad starts playing without any user interaction
- Interactive Video Ads: Video ads that respond to user input. That input could be starting, pausing or stopping the ad. But it can also be other actions like clicking, filling out a poll inside the video, etc. The interaction is meant to engage the user more with the ad.

Long Form vs. Short Form Video
- When we talk about long or short form video, we refer to the video the ads are being showed in.
- Long Form Video: Longer pieces of video content (more than 10 mins), typically telling a full story (e.g., movies, original series, etc.).
- Short Form Video: Video with a duration of less than 10 mins.

Vertical Video
- While most video plays in landscape orientation, with the orientation of a typical mobile phone device, videos in portrait orientation have become more popular. Vertical Video refers to video that displays in portrait format, no matter how it was shot initially. (ex, Snapchat)

Video Ad Platforms

Tips for effective video ad online
1. Target your ads to your audience: sophisticated targeting is the hallmark of online advertising
2. Create high quality video: make sure your video puts your product or your message in a good light
3. Focus on the beginning of the video: because users can skip the video after a few secs
4. Make your ad work without audio: in many video platforms, ads will start playing without user interaction but also without audio(until the user interacts).
5. Use short video ads: users have little patience for ads, especailly when they are consuming short form video conetnt. Keep your ads short - research shows that 15 sec video ads perform well online. Shorter ads (e.g. the 6 second bumper ad on YouTube) are becoming popular as well.
6. Choose the tone of the ad based on your objective: You can use different tones to bring your message across in a video ad. You use humor, emotion or you can keep things informational
7. Include a call to action: add a button users can click where you can provide a call to action. Or, include a URL or a reference to your FB page for instance, to make sure users know how to follow up on your msg.

Google Ad Words Video Ad Formats
True View video ads: You're only charged when viewers watch or interact with elements of your video.
- It's a win-win: Viewers see videos they're curious about, and you get more views from an audience you know is interested. Because you choose what you want to pay for a view, you get the right audience at the right price. Unlike cost-per-impression (CPM) pricing, you won't need to pay every time your ad is shown.
- Freedom to customize: You can also run videos longer than 30 seconds, so you can experiment with different formats. You can try longer product demos, customer testimonials, or a how-to video demonstrating your product in action.
- Broad reach: TrueView ads can appear on both YouTube and other publisher sites in the Display Network for desktop computers and high-end mobile devices. Note that video content for TrueView ads must be hosted on YouTube.

TrueView in-stream ads:

When should I use it? Use this format when you have video content you'd like to promote before other videos on YouTube and across the Google Display Network.
How does it work? Your video ad plays before, during, or after other videos.
Where can the ads appear? TrueView in-stream video ads can appear on YouTube watch pages and on videos on partner sites and apps in the Display Network.
How will I be charged? You pay when a viewer watches 30 seconds of your video (or the duration if it's shorter than 30 seconds) or interacts with your video, whichever comes first.

TrueView video discovery ads (this format is formerly known as “TrueView in-display ads.”):

When should I use it? Use this format to promote a video in places of discovery, including next to related YouTube videos, as part of a YouTube search result, or alongside other content across the Display Network.
How does it work? Your ad consists of a thumbnail image from your video with some text. While the exact size and appearance of the ad may vary depending on where it appears, video discovery ads always invite people to click to watch the video. The video then plays on the YouTube Watch page or on your channel page.
Where can the ads appear? On YouTube search results; Alongside related; YouTube videos; On the YouTube homepage; As an overlay on a YouTube watch page; On video partner sites and apps across the Display Network
How will I be charged? You’ll be charged only when viewers choose to watch your ad by clicking the thumbnail.

Bumper ads are a short video ad format designed to allow you reach more customers and increase awareness about your brand.

When should I use it? Use this format when you’d like to reach viewers broadly with a short, memorable message.
How does it work? Your bumper video ad is 6 seconds or shorter and plays before, during, or after another video. Viewers do not have the option to skip the ad.
Where can the ads appear? Bumper ads can appear before other videos on YouTube or on partner sites and apps on the Display Network.
How will I be charged? You pay based on impressions. Bumper ads use CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions) bidding, so you pay each time your ad is shown 1,000 times.

Youtube Director App can help you create video ads on a small budget

Two tactics to use are:

1. Pause keywords with high CPC cost
2. Expand the list of keywords with keywords similar to the best performing keywords

* Video Advertising Glossary: 
http://dvglossary.www2.iab.com/#block-block-1