It should come as no surprise to American marketers that video with short form was the top content format in 2024. As video content overtakes text-heavy content formats-what is either in the form of live streams, YouTube videos or Instagram-stories-shell marketers include a plan to use i-stream video ads in their strategies.
I’m sure you already know how effective the combination of video and marketing tactics can be. In-stream ads allow you to get your brand in front of your audience when they are already eating content.
Using the right combination of tactics – as a strong hook, compelling message and visually exciting creative – will increase the chances of viewers who engage in your ad. But it also helps to have the right data. Below I will break down the basics of using in-stream videos as well as some successful tactics that marketers have experimented with.
Table of contents
What are in-stream ads?
A video advertisement in stream is a promotion created by a brand that runs before or during a video on a streaming platform, such as YouTube. Apart from appearing in popular videos, these ads can also appear in stories or live streams on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
To give you a visual of what an in-stream ad looks like, here is a screenshot of a cool pharmacy ad that appeared during a YouTube video that I have recently seen:
The benefits of i-stream video ads
When done right, there are a handful of perks for advertising in stream. To find out exactly what the benefits are, I prayed video marketing experts for their insight.
Ad sequencing
According to Maria Harrison, the president and co-founder of Bullseye Strategy, the digital agency for a record for the Corcoran group, is an advantage of I-Stream video ads that they allow ad sequencing. This is a powerful tool that allows marketers to control the order that viewers watch a number of video ads.
“This creates a coherent narrative or history of history to engage the audience, improve brand -backing, message storage and user engagement,” says Harrison. “Ad -sequencing can drive a deeper sense of commitment and attachment to a fire because of our ability to bring a brand to life through a relatable history of the target audience. These ads can really allow potential customers to imagine themselves as part of the story made in the ads. “
Targeting capacities
Your video may be targeted at the audience that looks like your brand or can be placed in videos that match your ad’s keywords. With these types of targeting options, you can present your ad to viewers that match your audience demographics or interests.
Because these viewers may have similar interests and purchase motifs as your customers, a well-targeted In-Stream ad can eventually result in a greater chance of purchases.
Attention
Another advantage of I-stream ads is that they command attention in a way that other ad formats cannot.
“In-stream ads are grabbing attention because they are impossible to ignore,” says Justin Belmont, CEO of Digital Marketing Agency Prose. “They are perfect for storytelling, fire building and driving quick actions such as clicks or enrollments.”
Short form
Another advantage of stream ads is that these videos don’t have to be incredibly long or detailed. Depending on the platform you use, you can often start ads as short as five seconds.
Although this gives marketers a limited time to get an attention of an viewer, it also means that they will have to produce less content than they would do for a long -shaped marketing video.
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Increased ROI
Apart from the length and targeting of capabilities, the last and most obvious fringe of in-stream ads is their ROI potential.
Harrison shared with me the incredible results of an in-stream video ad campaign that her team created for the Corcoran group using YouTube video ads and YouTube Select Reserve.
“The campaign focused on warm, inviting and ambitious announcement and shows the joy of finding the perfect home during the holidays,” says Harrison. “This approach reverberates strongly with the audience and ran an increase of 198% in visitors directly to the place and a 48% increase in primary conversions (direct) year-over-year during the three-week campaign.”
Sounds good, right?
Although perks above may have you ready to invest in stream ads, there are still a few things you need to research and keep in mind.
Types of in-stream ads
Although ads in-stream are shorter and may be fed with your audience with advertising tools, your content still has to convince these viewers to click on the ad link and buy your brand’s product. Therefore, it is important to consider the type of in-stream ad that would work best for your campaign.
Here are the most common in-stream ad types:
- Bouncy ads. These ads can be skipped after a few seconds.
- Non-slip ads. These ads cannot be skipped and the viewer is forced to watch the entire ad before their selected video continues to play.
- Bumper ads. Video ads that are six seconds or less. These cannot be skipped and played before, during or after a video.
- Pre-roll ads. Ads played before video content.
- Mid-Roll ads. These ads appear midway through a video, usually at natural intervals.
- Post-roll ads. Ads played after the main video content.
- Interactive video ads. These ads have interactive elements, such as polls or clickable buttons.
- Overlay ads. Ads that appear as a banner or graphic overlay at the bottom of the video content.
- Runble video ads. Ads with integrated e-commerce features that allow viewers to click and buy directly from the video. An example of this is the cool pharmacy ad I shared earlier in the article.
Here is an example of an in-stream video ad from Airbnb, which is both springbar and shopping, as shown with the CTA buttons:
The type of ad you select determines your total message and content. For example, if you create a springbar ad, the primary message must be delivered within the first few seconds.
“Non-slip ads give us more time to build the story within the ads,” says Harrison. “Although they can frustrate a user who is eager to reach their selected content.”
Best practice for using video ads in stream
As I’ve posted, there are solid advantages and disadvantages to advertising in stream. While the disadvantages should not scare you from trying this marketing tactic, you still need to remember them to create a video that can avoid constant jumps from your audience. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
One challenge is keeping viewers engaged long enough to recognize the brand and pay attention to the message.
We address this by using exciting or interesting visuals designed to quickly grab the viewer’s attention. It is critical to deliver the core notice within the first few seconds of the ad before they have the chance to either skip it or mentally free it from it.
Another challenge is finding qualified audiences – in the event of the Corcoran group, qualified home buyers. We overcome this by crossing referring audience attributes, such as demographics, behavior and interests, to ensure that we are targeted at those who are most likely to intervene. In addition, we depend on constant testing and refinement, analyzing benefits data to optimize creative, messaging and targeting for best results.
Focus on the hook.
Based on what consumers told us, you have anywhere from one to five seconds to grab your viewer’s attention before they zone out or skip your ad. You rarely have more than 10 seconds to swing them.
“People usually skip ads if they think it’s boring, irrelevant or too long,” says Gerti Mema, marketing manager at Equipment Finance Canada. “We address this by keeping the message short, immediately sharing the value the viewer can benefit from.”
So start your ad with an action -packed scene or briefly explain your product as soon as possible. Don’t take the time to get to the point-even the ad platform you are using allow a video of 30 to 60 seconds.
Refine your target audience.
The audience will either skip your ad because they just don’t want to see an advertisement or they are bored with your content because it’s not relevant to them or the video. Therefore, it is important to create ads that are hyper-targeted to your target audience and focus on a brand-related topic they value.
“A challenge with in-stream ads is finding qualified audience-in cases of the Corcoran group, qualified home buyers,” says Harrison. “We overcome this by crossing referral to audience properties, such as demographics, behavior and interests, to ensure that we are targeted at those who are most likely to intervene.”
Use examples as inspiration.
Fortunately, millions of brands have already tested in stream advertising. While this means that the pool of advertising can be competitive, it also means that there are plenty of effective ads out there that you can see for inspiration.
In my experience as a marketing employee, if an ad makes me pay attention, I know they are doing something right.
Next time you watch a video that begins or contains an in-stream ad, watch the content. Take a mental note on why you do or don’t want to skip the ad. If you are considering engaging in the ad and tapping to learn more about a product, ask yourself, “How did this content persuade me to click?”
Always test and refine your message.
Like any advertising strategy, you are constantly testing and analyzing your in-stream video ads. Look at benefit data and break down your creative, messaging and targeting against optimizing your ads for best results.
“We always test different versions of the ad to see what connects best to our audience,” says Mema. “Messages that feel personal and relatable can encourage viewers to intervene and make sure to incorporate the action pages seamlessly into the ad.”
To get the most out of video tream ads
What I like most about I-Stream video ads as a marketing employee is that they are an opportunity to get in front of your audience when they are already engaged.
To make the most of your video stream ads, I suggest you start by finding out what type of in-stream ad would work best for your product, a message and audience. Then create your short ad using a strong hook and a memorable message. From there you need to look at your ad service to understand user behavior. If you chose a springbar ad, viewers immediately jumped or did they linger for a few seconds? Use these insights to adjust your messages, creativity and hook to your future video ads.
I-stream video ads are a great way to get ahead of a targeted audience and seize their attention. The next time you stop and watch a video ad that appears before a video, I suggest you hang out whatever grabs your attention. Use this as inspiration for your next in-stream ad.
The editor’s note: This post was originally published in July 2020 and has been updated for understanding.