Building Audiences With Online Video Ads

A new white paper produced by video ad technology provider Mixpo describes how broadcasters and cable can use online video ads to build audience awareness and increase viewership. The findings are based on interviews with leading network O&Os, affiliates, networks and syndicators; first-party quantitative surveys; third-party research; and Mixpo’s insights and data.

Online video advertising has only been around since late 2008 when pre-roll ads first appeared on YouTube, the report says. “A lot has changed since then. Video ads today can be made interactive, localized and personalized — like custom apps tailored for each individual. They can run inside short- and long-form video content, inside banners, on mobile screens and inside mobile apps.

“At their simplest, online video ads provide an effective medium for broadcasters to reach viewers where they’re at and to target specific demographics. Video is also a vehicle through which to reach audience at scale during the day.”

Among the report’s key findings:

• Well executed tune-in video ad campaigns can expect an uplift of approximately 20% in viewer intent to watch. Ads can garner much higher uplifts, but results depend on conditioning the control group, ad format, and survey placement. 
• The average time spent with a video ad promoting a tune-in message is 25% higher than the average for non-tune in advertising. Using video ads to promote a tune in message, advertisers can increase ad effectiveness as well as consumer engagement.
• Personalized tune-in ads are more effective. Ads that contain localized information such as call letters and logos drive engagement rates up to 27% higher and view rates up to 30 percent higher than those that do not. 
• The shorter the ad, the higher the completion rate — but not by much. The difference in completion rates for a 15-second spot versus a 30-second spot is less than 10%, indicating that a 15-second ad is only marginally more effective than a 30-second one.

To view the full whitepaper, click here.