Rachel Richardson, Vicky Papadimas and Kevin Dwyer
As the influence of digital video advertising is ever-changing, Bidtellect continues to improve its video products to best meet advertisers’ demands. Each video product is unique and requires strategic planning to determine a product that best suits the client’s needs. This planning prompts questions such as:
What is the client’s goal of the campaign?
Broad vs. Leaned-in audience: This is where you would want to understand if the client is looking to drive completes of the video or are they running a longer form video that requires a more engaged audience? Is the client looking for a CTR or a completion rate goal? The answer here will not only help our team determine the best video product but will also allow us to optimize towards the client’s KPI.
What creative assets do they have?
Long vs. Short: If an advertiser is looking to run long-form video, i.e. more than 30 seconds long, it would be important for the content to be contextually relevant to the potential user so there is a higher likelihood that they will watch the video and consume additional content on the landing page. Whereas, if an advertiser is more interested in providing short-form content for brand awareness, we would probably recommend one of our products that doesn’t rely on the user to initiate the video to be played, such as Outstream Autoplay or Autoplay Preview.
What pricing are they looking for?
Ad impression vs. Video start: There are two pricing models currently available to our advertisers, CPM and CPP. The CPP option is only currently available for our Outstream Autoplay and Autoplay Preview products, while CPM pricing is available for the In-Feed product or for either of our Autoplay products.
These answers give Bidtellect a blueprint to work from to recommend the ideal video product. Outlined below are Bidtellect’s three video products: Native In-Feed, Native Autoplay, and Outstream Autoplay. Now that we have outlined some of the questions that are important to know the answers to, let’s discuss those different products a little more in depth.
In-Feed Video:
The In-Feed Video reflects a more traditional video product, compared to the newer Autoplay video offerings. Rather than starting when the video is 50% in view, Native In-Feed relies on user initiation to begin the video. Specifically, the user must first click on the ad for a modal window to open for the video to begin playing, then the user must click a second time to be brought to the advertiser’s landing page.
In-Feed tends to generate lower CTRs compared to Autoplay videos because the unit requires two clicks to get to the landing page. In addition, you can expect lower video starts and completions with this product, however, if the client’s goal is user engagement, this product may be the best-fit as you can trim your audience through the initial click and creative message.
As for the video asset itself, In-Feed is commonly associated with longer videos that are over 30 seconds long. In-Feed may be the better product to utilize, when video length is 60+ seconds. In addition, In-Feed creative requires both short and long copy to accompany the video. This gives a marketer the opportunity to draw attention to the user through creative messaging and strong imagery.
For a live example, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdWNs05muDo
Outstream Video Autoplay:
Available on both desktop and mobile devices, Bidtellect’s Outstream Video Autoplay option is found within content. The video player only appears once the ad unit is in view, then the video starts when 50% in view, stopping once out of view. Sound begins when the user hovers over the video. Upon clicking the video, the user is directed to the landing page. The video and player will disappear from the page after the video has completed if no action is taken with 5 seconds of completion. This video offering is available on a Cost per Play or CPM pricing model, and prices will vary based on targeting.
Outstream Video Autoplay is a great option when the key performance indicator of a campaign is either plays or video completes. Length of video is an important factor when considering this video execution. If you use a video that is too long, it could impact your video metrics and increase the likelihood of users bouncing. When a video’s length is greater than 30 seconds, the completion rate lowers; the longer the video, the less likely a user will complete a video in its entirety. Generally, a 15 second or 30-second video is recommended, as we tend to see VCR’s anywhere in the 70%-90% range.
For a live example, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSesLSvkn3o
Autoplay Preview:
Autoplay Preview is a Premium In-Feed video product that starts when the video is 50% in view for at least one second. The video will appear like a traditional native ad and the user has the option to click on the thumbnail to expand the video into the modal. If the user does not click to expand the video, it will continue to play until it is no longer in 50% view. Once the video is no longer in 50% view, the video will pause until the user is back in viewable range. This product is less invasive than other video products, due to the expand and sound option both being initiated by the user. Once expanded, the user has the option to complete the video and move forward to the landing page, via secondary click.
The Autoplay Preview product is only supported on Desktop, where Bidtellect has the most premium and exclusive Direct Supply inventory. Similar to Outstream Autoplay, Autoplay Preview is priced on a CPM or CPP pricing model that varies based on targeting and KPI. Much like Outstream Autoplay, Autoplay Preview is a great option for clients that are looking to measure plays or video completion rate (VCR). While this product is similar to Outstream Autoplay, the completion rates tend to be slightly lower. Videos under 30 seconds perform best, as shorter video times have a higher probability of being completed by the user. Since video in this format is presented as a native, In-Feed ad, a headline and description are required by our publishers. This also gives you the opportunity to engage with your audience through the right text messaging and imagery.
For a live example, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdhfTGyWOtc
Native video is becoming more popular relative to traditional media outlets as advert
isers look for options to increase brand awareness in a more engaging manner. When it comes to native video, the most important thing is understanding the goals clients are striving to achieve. Once we understand the Key Performance Indicators, we can then customize a strategy that best fits our client’s needs. When the proper targeting strategy aligns with relevant creative and a clear goal, Native video proves to be a successful strategy for innovative advertisers looking to stay competitive.
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