What Is Video Advertising? + How to Do It Effectively

Feb 21, 2025 06:53 PM - 3 weeks ago 27862

What Is Video Advertising?

Video advertizing is simply a paid trading maneuver that uses video contented to beforehand products, services, aliases brands successful an engaging way—often connected societal media platforms.

For example, here’s a YouTube video advertisement promoting package institution Parallels:

A video advertisement for a package by Parallels connected a YouTube video astir learning to code.

Why Is Video Advertising Effective?

Video advertizing is effective because it captures assemblage attraction much powerfully than matter aliases images.

Specifically, videos can:

  • Boost recall: Viewers are 20% much likely to retrieve video ads compared to fixed ads
  • Build trust: More than 90% of consumers opportunity video value impacts their spot successful a brand
  • Boost engagement: More than 80% of people usage videos to study caller things
  • Drive sales: Nearly 85% of marketers study accrued income from video content

Types of Video Ads

Below are the main types of video ads you tin research with:

In-Stream Ads 

In-stream ads are videos that play before, during, aliases aft different videos connected platforms for illustration YouTube. 

They travel successful a fewer forms: skippable ads, bumper ads, and non-skippable ads.

Skippable ads see a “skip” fastener that users tin click aft 5 seconds: 

A skippable YouTube video advertisement pinch the 'Skip' fastener highlighted connected a video astir learning to code.

Bumper ads past up to six seconds and can't beryllium skipped—perfect for short, memorable messages.

Non-skippable ads must beryllium watched successful afloat earlier the main video. They often tally for 15 aliases 20 seconds (or 30 seconds connected TV)

Here’s an example:

Outstream Ads 

Outstream ads look wherever location is nary different video content, specified arsenic wrong news articles aliases blog posts. They whitethorn autoplay erstwhile scrolled into view. 

A bully illustration is this market shop video advertisement connected a section news site:

An outstream video advertisement for a market shop appearing connected a section news site.

Social media ads look crossed platforms for illustration Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn and show successful users’ feeds adjacent to integrated (unpaid) posts.

Like this advertisement connected Instagram. Unlike normal posts, it has a “Sponsored” explanation and a “Subscribe” button.

A video advertisement connected the Instagram provender pinch the sponsored tag and the call-to-action highlighted.

Some societal media platforms for illustration Instagram and TikTok besides offer shoppable ads that fto viewers pat connected items successful the video to acquisition them. 

Native Video Ads 

Videos that are native ads blend successful pinch the surrounding contented connected societal media, websites, aliases apps. 

Native ads person a unsocial advantage: Instead of opinionated retired arsenic evident ads, they fresh seamlessly into what users are already watching. Which tin make these ads look much trustworthy.

For example, here’s a autochthonal advertisement connected USA Today that merges pinch the news website’s style:

A autochthonal show advertisement connected USA Today

Over-the-Top Ads

Over-the-top (OTT) ads are akin to TV commercials and look connected streaming services for illustration Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ to scope viewers during their favourite shows and movies. 

These ads usually tally 15-30 seconds and can't beryllium skipped. 

They're becoming much celebrated arsenic galore consumers person switched from cablegram TV to streaming services. But dissimilar accepted TV commercials, they let you target circumstantial audiences based connected viewing habits and demographics.

For example, here’s a headphone advertisement moving earlier a Netflix show:

A video advertisement by 'Beats' playing earlier a show connected Netflix.

Online Video Advertising Platforms

Below are the main platforms you tin usage to tally video ads:

YouTube (Google Ads)

YouTube is simply a well-established subordinate successful video advertising, and you tin pat into that opportunity utilizing Google Ads. 

You’ll request a Google Ads account, which is free and easy to use. 

To group up your campaign, click the “+ New campaign” fastener and travel the steps.

Google Ads head location pinch the "New Campaign" fastener clicked.

In the YouTube advertisement targeting section, you tin specify your assemblage based connected interests, age, location, and more.

Audience targeting settings connected Google Ads pinch options to specify assemblage based connected gender, age, interests, etc.

Further reading: Google Ads Campaign: Definition, Types, & Best Practices

Facebook and Instagram 

Meta Ads Manager lets you create targeted video ads that scope your Facebook and Instagram audiences successful their feeds, stories, reels, etc.

Getting started pinch Meta Ads Manager is simple. Just group up a Meta business page and create an advertisement account. 

To create your ads, commencement successful Meta Ads Manager and click the greenish "+ Create" button.

Meta Ads Manager location pinch the greenish "+ Create" fastener clicked.

Then, take your run nonsubjective (like marque consciousness aliases sales), group your budget, take your schedule, and target your assemblage based connected different factors.

Next, upload your video and capable successful your advertisement copy, headline, and telephone to action (CTA). Then, you tin preview your advertisement crossed different placements. 

Ad settings connected Meta pinch options to customize the advertisement connected the near and a preview of the advertisement crossed different placements connected the right.

Further reading: Facebook Advertising: How to Run Campaigns connected Facebook

TikTok 

TikTok is simply a newer yet very celebrated subordinate successful online video advertizing pinch its ain advertisement level called TikTok for Business. 

Videos present activity champion erstwhile they're short, engaging, and consciousness for illustration earthy TikTok content. 

To create an ad, prime your run nonsubjective (like traffic), take targeting specifics, and upload your video:

Ad settings connected Tik Tok Ads Manager pinch options to customize the advertisement connected the near and a preview of the advertisement connected the right.

Another action is partnering pinch TikTok creators for influencer marketing campaigns. 

Many brands find this effective because viewers often spot contented from group much than different types of digital advertising. Plus, creators already cognize really to make videos that resonate pinch a TikTok audience.

Further reading: TikTok for Business

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn is simply a awesome prime for reaching business professionals because you tin target group based connected occupation titles, institution sizes, industries, seniority levels, and moreover circumstantial skills. 

Head to LinkedIn Campaign Manager to begin. 

To create a caller campaign, click the bluish “Create” fastener and prime “Campaign.”

LinkedIn Ads Manager location pinch "Create" clicked and "Campaign" selected from the drop-down that appears.

Then, take your objective, group up assemblage targeting, and upload your video.

Targeting settings connected LinkedIn Ads Manager pinch options to target based connected company, demographics, occupation experience, etc.

Further reading: LinkedIn Ads: A Beginner’s Guide

5 Best Practices for Creating Effective Video Ads

Follow these 5 proven strategies to amended your video ads.

1. Understand Your Audience 

Defining your target audience is the first measurement because it informs really you trade your video ads and which platform(s) you choose.

What useful for teens connected TikTok astir apt won't activity for elder executives connected LinkedIn. 

To study much astir who you want to reach, commencement pinch audience research.

You tin do this by reference manufacture reports, distributing surveys, and moving attraction groups.

To streamline the process, usage Semrush’s One2Target tool. 

Open the tool, participate astatine slightest 1 competitor’s domain, and click “Analyze.”
 

One2Target instrumentality commencement pinch "amazon.com" entered arsenic the domain and "Analyze" clicked.

You’ll first spot cardinal insights astir the audience, including their age, gender, and location.

Demographics study connected One2Target pinch the age, gender, and location widgets highlighted.

In the “Behavior” tab, cheque the audience’s interests and which societal media platforms they usage most. 

Behavior study connected One2Target showing the interests and societal media preferences of a domain's audience.

Notice really this assemblage is mostly male, aged 25-34, and progressive connected YouTube and Facebook. This accusation tin pass your targeting and level choice. 

2. Hook Viewers successful the First 3 Seconds 

Grab attraction early pinch bold visuals and beardown messaging—and mention your marque early.

For example, you tin show your merchandise aliases work successful action, stock your biggest benefits, aliases unfastened pinch an attention-grabbing mobility while viewers are astir engaged.

Here's an effective illustration from Adobe showing the sanction of their marque and merchandise from the very first second:

Video advertisement by Adobe connected YouTube pinch the sanction of the marque and the merchandise appearing from the first 2nd of the ad.

3. Design Ads for Mobile 

Many group watch videos connected their phones, truthful your ads request to beryllium mobile-friendly.

To optimize for mobile viewing:

  • Use a vertical format (9:16 facet ratio) for stories and shorts
  • Stick to a solution of 1080 x 1920 for the champion quality
  • Keep videos short—five seconds aliases less
  • Make easy readable connected mini screens

Platforms for illustration Meta Ads Manager fto you trim longer videos correct successful the tool, for illustration this:

'Trim video' model connected Meta Ads Manager pinch an action to trim video ads straight wrong the tool.

4. Always Add Subtitles 

Include subtitles to guarantee your connection gets crossed to users who are watching without sound.

Over 90% of users watch videos without sound, arsenic group browse successful public, astatine work, aliases successful bed—places wherever they can't aliases don't want to play audio. 

There are 2 main ways to add captions to video ads: automatically aliases by creating a SubRip subtitle (SRT) file.

If you’re utilizing Meta Ads Manager, click “Captions” aft you’ve uploaded your video.

From here, you tin prime “Generate Automatically” aliases upload an SRT file.

'Captions' model connected Meta Ads Manager pinch options to adhd subtitles by uploading an SRT record aliases generating them automatically.

5. Use AI to Quickly Create Quality Videos

AI-powered devices tin velocity up video advertisement production.

The AI Video Marketing Automator app makes it easy to create video ads. 

Just prime “AI Prompt” to create a video based connected a topic.

AI Video Marketing Automator app location pinch the "AI Prompt" fastener clicked.

Then, take your video magnitude and style (like banal footage aliases illustrations). You tin besides adhd a marque kit to incorporated your marque logo, reside of voice, and colors. 

And click “Create Video.”

Video settings connected the AI Video Marketing Automator app pinch options to customize the video's length, colour scheme, ocular style, etc.

You'll spot a book alongside a preview of the video. Customize what you spot present to fresh your needs.

Content generated by the AI Video Marketing Automator app pinch a preview connected the near and the book connected the right.

Finally, export your vanished video successful the correct format for your chosen level and upload it straight to your advertisement campaign.

Video Advertising: Your Next Marketing Move

Video ads connection a move measurement to beforehand your merchandise aliases service.

Getting started pinch video advertizing doesn't person to beryllium analyzable aliases expensive, either.

The AI Video Marketing Automator app helps you quickly create master videos you tin usage for ads.

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