According to data from eMarketer, US spending on Internet video advertising is expected to grow to $4.3 billion by 2011 – and is currently the fastest growing segment of online display advertising. Four industry experts share tips on how to get the most from your online video campaign.
Don’t repurpose TV spots
Online is a user-controlled environment. Most online video content is short form – two to five minutes long – and 30 seconds of advertising for two minutes of content does not work. Focus on creating shorter and contextually relevant video ads or branded content segments that either entertain or provide information based on who the viewer is or what type of content they are looking at.
-Maria Mandel, executive director, digital innovation, OgilvyInteractive
Quality counts
We have found that our clients are reaching their preferred demographic quicker and more effectively through high definition, professionally shot videos that are embedded in their sites. With Boeing, we created a video tour of the fuselage and a documentary series for the Launch of the 787 Dreamliner that increased the time spent on www.newairplane.com from two minutes to 12. Had the video streamed poorly, the time spent would have been considerably lower. We have found, whether shooting video for a specific internet user or for the enthusiast, if the video is not quality and representative of the brand’s strengths, users will avoid it.
-Patrick Sarkissian, president, Sarkissian Mason
Ensure that your digital approach is unique for the space
Watching TV and “watching the Web” are vastly different experiences. People choose to consume video online for many reasons: they enjoy its interactivity, it’s flexible with their schedules and – in certain cases – they can’t get the content elsewhere. With over 500 million hours of digital video consumed in a recent month (comScore: June 2008), it’s crucial for brands to have the right engagement strategy so as to not get lost in the shuffle. Take a cue from the consumers themselves. Re-edit or tailor spots to address the viewing habits of the ever-increasing digital lifestyle we lead. Provide interactivity to allow a video consumer to engage further. Consider developing branded content initiatives so your brand is part of the consumption as opposed to a speed bump in front of it.
-Jordan Bitterman, senior vice president, media & content, Digitas
Keep it simple by leveraging high quality reach distribution channels
Advertising networks are an efficient and cost effective way to advertise with video. For all of its potential, video still has drawbacks including cost, limited inventory and lack of standards, among other complexities. For these reasons, many advertisers choose networks that aggregate video inventory from multiple Web sites, providing advertisers with scalable reach across quality properties. Even more appealing than the price efficiencies is that networks make the complexities of video advertising much less of an issue. Networks provided one point of interaction to handle distribution, targeting, creative specifications, ad serving and reporting. The key is choosing the right network.
-Jerome FitzGibbons, executive VP, Collective Media
