What Is Video Advertising?

We all watch online videos in some form today. Whether it’s checking out the latest viral crazes on Facebook, or catching up with our favorite TV shows, we flock en masse to consume video content, and we just can’t seem to get enough of it. Now factor in video advertising into the mix.

The boom is wholly due to the rise of digital media and the proliferation of ever more sophisticated mobile devices, improved broadband coverage and 4G services. And our insatiable appetite for video has not gone unnoticed by advertisers, and as a result, there has been substantial growth in the video advertising market too – with the latest projections suggesting that video ad spend will reach a staggering $6 billion by 2018.

Advertisers love video advertising because videos are fairly inexpensive to make and post, and they can stay online attracting views for as long as you want. 

Video Formats

There are many different options when it comes to video advertising. Here’s a quick rundown of the most common ones:

Linear Video Ads: More commonly known as pre, mid and post-roll ads, linear ads take over the full video player space. They’re linear because they run in line sequentially with the content, for example a pre-roll will appear as (ad-video); a mid-roll will be (video-ad-video) and a post-roll will appear as (video-ad). Linear ads can be 15 or 30-seconds long and do not allow for fast forwarding through the ad.

Interactive Video Ads: These ads completely take over the screen and pause the video content while they play. They allow a variety of interactions, like clicking for more information, signing up for a newsletter etc., and are usually a mix of video, animation or static images as well as interactive elements. They can show up before, during or after the content plays and are generally 15-30 seconds in duration.

Overlay Video Ads: These ads run simultaneously with the video content, usually in the form of an interactive banner ad in an overlay. Clicking on these ads pauses the content and the ad opens in a full screen player. Generally, a non-linear video ad will run for 5-15 seconds before rotating to another ad or reducing in size.

Companion Video Ads: Companion ads, by definition, play alongside the video. They are displayed in the web page around the video player and often take the form of display banner ads. They offer a persistent visual for a brand or product while the video is being watched, without taking up video player space. They can include text, static images or rich media.