Why video is the obvious choice for advertisers promoting their brand

Easy to understand. When a number of formats compete for the attention of users, the winner will be the format that does a better job of attracting attention and is easier to perceive. This is video advertising’s distinct advantage: it tells a story while visualizing it at the same time.

Engaging and easy to remember. Video involves high levels of engagement — 77% of users will watch a clip 8-11 seconds in length in its entirety. Another important advantage of video is its memorability. 80% of users can remember a clip they saw the previous month.*

Increasing consumption of online video. In 2018, the average time spent watching videos on the internet grew by 11 minutes, and in the future this figure will only rise. At the same time, young audiences, mainly from large cities, increasingly prefer watching video online to television.**

How video is changing

The video ecosystem, like any other ecosystem, is not static: developing technologies and user interests force it to evolve. New video formats appear, along with platforms to distribute them and new devices where users can view them. Here are some of the most recent trends that you should know about to keep your campaigns up to date:

1. Average clip length is decreasing

The more video content that is created, the tougher the battle for users’ attention. When users have a wide choice of what and where to watch, it becomes all the more important that ads be relevant, exciting and worthwhile. The increasing popularity of shorter clips is a result of the fact that clips 5-7 seconds in length get the most full views.

2. Video advertising is gaining momentum on mobiles

More and more businesses are using mobile ads to avoid missing any chance to establish contact with their customers. This trend is also relevant for mobile video advertising, as 28% of users only watch video content on mobile devices. As IAB experts expect, the key to success for video advertising in the near future will be a high-quality user experience on different devices and different platforms.***

IAB experts predict the following developments in video advertising:

• Requirements for video content will get higher and higher.
• Machine learning-based buying and cross-platform campaigns will only increase in significance. So half the battle for video advertising in the near future will be creating a high-quality user experience on different devices and platforms.
• Advertisers face a long-term challenge of finding a balance between positive user experience and value for advertisers.

7 keys to an effective clip

1. Concise

Avoid long introductions — get right to the point. 8-16 seconds should be enough to give a clear idea of your offer without losing the user's interest.  

2. Cross-platform

Keeping in mind the competition for users' attention, it is vital to offer a high-quality experience of your ads. So when setting up your video ads, make sure that your creatives are adapted for all platforms and devices.

3. Connection with the brand

Users remember the brand in addition to the video clip itself. Make sure the video content reflects the company's strategy and branding. Check the colors of the fonts or animations, make sure that your logo is present in the creative and pay attention to the voice of your brand, so that users will be able to tell your messages apart from that of your competitors.

4. Personalized

Another advantage of online video advertising is the ability to adapt creatives for different audiences and show each user what will be interesting to them. You can target people with certain interests and online behavior with the help of Yandex’s machine learning technology.

Imagine that you are advertising new, inexpensive apartments outside the ring road with spacious parking lots. Your target audience includes users with both a short-term interest in "Residential real estate in new buildings" and behavioral signs that they are drivers. In the creatives appearing to this audience, you can focus on current discounts, for example, offering a free parking spot for users who buy an apartment.

5. Interactive

Give the user the opportunity to interact with your ad and proceed through several steps of the sales funnel if they are ready and willing. When setting up your video ads in Yandex.Direct, add a packshot – a clickable image of the object advertised that will remain visible for a few seconds after the video finishes playing. Packshots give users the chance to click on the ad if the offer piqued their interest.

6. User-friendly

Add scrolling text to the clip — users will get the message of your clip even if their sound is muted (or if they are in a situation where they can't turn on the sound, e.g. at work). You can add scrolling text to your video creative in Yandex.Display.

7. Emotional

Now that you've determined who your customer is and adapted your content for them, it's time to add some emotion. Imagine how your product or service can improve your customer's life and what problems it solves. If you can tell a story, make it colorful — show situations similar to real life so that potential customers can see themselves in it. This kind of video ad can will find a response among users.

If you want to increase awareness of your brand, the time to invest in video advertising is now. CPM video ads in Yandex.Display and Yandex.Direct are ideal for raising brand awareness. They have an influence on users’ interest on search while also playing a role in implementing your brand strategy.

Good luck with your video campaigns!

* Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/02/03/video-marketing-the-future-of-content-marketing/#58b91dbd6b53

** Source: https://futurevideo.tass.ru/novoe-mediapotreblenie.html

*** Source: https://www.iab.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IAB-Video-Landscape-Report-May-2018_-4th-Edition_Final.pdf