Three Types Of Video Ads Brands Should Explore On YouTube

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by Jessica Klein

When you post an advertisement, what’s better—forcing viewers to watch, or letting them choose whether or not they want to engage with your content Let’s skip the pondering and focus on the latter (read: the obvious answer). Lucky for brands, YouTube offers TrueView video ads—you know, the ones that let you skip after the first five seconds (That’s why they’re also known as “skippable” ads.) This means that brands only have to shell out cash for advertisements people watch for at least 30 seconds.

However, that’s not the beginning and the end of TrueView opportunities on YouTube, as told by the YouTube Playbook for Brands. Figure out how to showcase your brand’s content best in each of the following ad formats on the digital video platform…

1. The In-Stream

As described above, these ads appear at the beginning of creator videos on YouTube. That familiar, black and white button in the bottom right corner of the video lets viewers say farewell to the ad after as little as five seconds, meaning that if you put your ad here, you’ve got to make those first, crucial seconds very compelling. Try for a video ad with a plot that viewers will want to watch unfold.

2. The In-Display

This video ad looks like any other thumbnail in the suggested videos section of YouTube (as well as on the Google Display Network, which means it shows up on a variety of websites outside of the video platform, too). Again, you only have to pay for every time your ad is clicked, and to get it clicked, you need a good-looking thumbnail. Read here for how to create one.

3. The In-Search

Those videos that show up on YouTube and Google video search above all else—that’s what “in-search” video advertising looks like. Viewers aren’t duped by this commercial tactic. They know that these ads are, indeed, ads. However, to make potential viewers click, you’ll need to compete with whatever they were actually searching for, which are often trending topics, because they’re words that people type into Google on a regular basis. Make your video’s title more intriguing than the latest, popular listicle to help steer internet surfers your way.

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

Brands On Board Instagram’s Hyperlapse Wagon

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If you haven’t already heard, Instagram has launched a new app called Hyperlapse which allows users to capture high-quality time lapse videos even while in motion.

“Since launching nearly four years ago, it has always been a priority to bring the Instagram community simple yet powerful tools that let people capture moments and express their creativity,” reads Instagram’s personal blog regarding Hyperlapse. “From documenting your whole commute in seconds or the preparation of your dinner from start to finish to capturing an entire sunset as it unfolds, we’re thrilled about the creative possibilities Hyperlapse unlocks. We can’t wait to see what you’ll create.”

This type of feat had previously only been possible with expensive equipment that has not always been available in phones. Wired says there is essentially “$15,000 worth of editing technology packed into an app.”

So far, the app has gained some notable recognition and popularity from stars like Jimmy Fallon, who scarfs down a large piece of cake in a matter of seconds using Hyperlapse mode, or National Geographic Photographer David Guttenfelder who captures roaming bison and other wandering wildlife road-blocking the roads that run through Yellowstone National Park (below).

Some other big name brands that have already started posting time-lapse videos for their Instagram followers include Bud Light, Mountain Dew, and even Arizona Beverages, who posted a hyperlapse of a man trying nine different kinds of ice tea in only four seconds.

 

 

 

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Source: AdWeek

 

Brand Interest In Snapchat Influencers Is High

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There is a new effort among brands and marketers to find potential partners with well known Snapchatters. Snapchat has fostered a new flock digital stars that are, similar to Vine and YouTube, gathering attention from some of the biggest marketers.

The only issue facing these brands is the element that makes Snapchat so defined  — its ephemerality. Due to the short-lived nature of “snaps, ” it is difficult for brands to precisely measure how well Snaps do, what their reach is, and how many impressions they make. Basically the only ways to get any idea of this is to measure how many times your Snap is opened, or if a screenshot is taken (the app notifies you when that happens). Additionally, it is impossible to find any “top users” or trending topics on Snapchat and there is no search capability that easily lets users find brands to follow, compared to other social platforms like Instagram and Vine that are much easier to navigate.

Regardless, brands are having no trouble finding fit “Snapchat celebrities.” For example, Shaun McBride, whose Snapchat user name is “Shonduras,” creates Snapchat art that gets an abundance of attention. McBride has also worked on Snapchat campaigns for Disney and the MLS.

Still, the CEO of twtMob Marco Hansell, said that Snapchat has “limited access” in terms of data about who is opening Snaps.

Still, many Viners and YouTubers are now migrating over to Snapchat, which can earn $1000 per Snap, depending on the campaign and the brand they’re creating for, according to Digiday.

How much to charge brands for Snaps remains a puzzle, though. “What is the value of a screenshot versus a view is the question,” asked Hansell, who added that he has seen top Snapchatters command video-like CPMs: $25 per 1,000 opens.

Snapchat, however, doesn’t actively support its creators, whether that be through production spaces or training and resources, unlike the competing platform YouTube which has this capability. Nevertheless, Snapchat is definitely attempting to make gains with this process by meeting with brands and agencies to gain some favor and recognition.

So far, the only company that is truly showing signs of Snapchat integration is Niche, who says it represents about 150 brands, including GE and Coca-Cola, and often marries Vine or Instagram campaigns with Snapchat. However, it hasn’t done a standalone Snapchat campaign yet.

 

Source: Digiday

Facebook’s War On Click-Bait

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With an app like Paper and a keen awareness of just how much traffic they are pushing to publications, Facebook has become more than just a place where you keep up with friends and family. It’s a bona fide news feed.

Some publications have come notorious for creating the sorts of headlines that were typically the domain of grocery store gossip rags, an old practice that has simply transmuted itself into online form. There was a hefty amount of backlash, with some groups taking matters into their own hands, commenting with what the content really is to impose transparency.

It appears that Facebook, too, wants content to be of quality and not spammy-looking. A new algorithm introduced Monday on Facebook’s blog will reduce the click-baiting headlines in a user’s feed as well as assist users to see links shared on Facebook in a better format.

Facebook cites a survey they conducted that shows that people prefer headlines that actually helped them to decide whether or not they wanted to consume the content. A few ways Facebook will determine what is or isn’t click-bait is seeing how long it takes for users to circle back to Facebook as well as looking at the ratio of clicks on the content versus how many people are actually talking about it.

The update will also give preference to sharing links on the feed as opposed to photos with a buried link, giving preference to articles in the feed.

 

Source: Facebook Newsroom

Game Trailers Ramping Up For PAX

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This weekend, the city of Seattle will play host to the latest Penny Arcade Expo, also known as PAX Prime. This event allows various types of gamers, community members and companies to get together and celebrate what they love across a span of four days at the Washington State Convention Center.

With that, several trailers have made the rounds this week, with a few titles slated to be at the event. Although not all the games will make it, you can bet they’ll generate big buzz in one form or another.

 

Brainiac is loose and running wild across the universe in WB Games’ forthcoming Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, which will be released for consoles on November 11. In the game, the Dark Knight, working alongside over 150 different heroes and villains from the DC Universe, will do battle with the super-smart villain, in pure Lego fashion. The game should be available for play this weekend at the PAX Prime event.

 

Basketball fans have a little something to get excited about with the new trailer for NBA 2K15, dubbed the “Yakkem” trailer. The game not only features some ferocious new b-ball action, but also the Inside the NBA set, and plenty of court talk. The game is scheduled for release on October 4, and while 2K won’t have it on the show floor, it will have plenty of other games to offer, including Evolve and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

 

Devolver Digital’s Titan Souls could easily be one of the most anticipated “indie” titles being shown at PAX Prime. You play a lone adventurer exploring strange new worlds, only to come across enormous boss enemies that must be defeated. Be careful, though – one hit and you’ll have to start all over again. Titan Souls should release sometime in 2015, and will be playable at the event.

 

Last but not least, Activision’s Destiny will have some presence at the event, including a devoted panel as well as other activities around the center. Since the game’s release is just under two weeks away, this makes sense. And that didn’t stop the developers at Bungie from releasing a humorous new video, where your cyber companion Ghost (voiced by Peter Dinklage) accepted the recent ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, passing along the torch to various other game characters…and George Lucas.

Source: YouTube