Video Formats Your Brand Should Be Using from Engagement to Purchase

Compelling video content is always in high demand, and for good reason. In an age of limited attention spans, 72% of customers say they prefer to learn about a product or service through a video. Every Ecommerce brand should be utilizing video marketing for quality engagement through each phase of the customer journey. Here’s a quick look at the major video formats, and how your business can turn a simple video ad into your latest full-funnel sales driver.

Implementing Full-Funnel Video Strategies

Video content is more cost-effective than ever, with the ability for even the smallest business to shoot high-quality footage with a smartphone and some clever lighting techniques — and even better, it’s the type of branded content most users actually prefer to see.

To implement video strategy successfully, the goal has to match the platform. It is expected that by 2022, more than 80% of internet traffic will be dictated by video content — exciting, but also a little daunting for advertisers looking to avoid getting lost in the already busy sea of content producers. Marketers should understand what each format offers and how to connect each video type with a measurable goal. For example, live video on Facebook has already been adopted by 42% of social media marketers aiming to connect with users and make branded content feel personalized on a social platform with a wide range of demographics.

Video Formats to Explore

No matter the goal or the platform, the numbers all point to video as the undisputed champion of internet content. Here are the main formats marketers should add to their arsenal:

Pre-roll

Pre-roll ads play just before a viewer’s selected video as short attention-grabbers usually between 30-60 seconds in length. YouTube offers viewers the ability to skip pre-roll ads being displayed just five seconds in, which in turn assists advertisers by only charging for the ad when users opt to watch beyond the five-second mark.

Whether you’re promoting a product before a YouTube video or previewing your brand before your viewer’s next Hulu episode, delivering a message quickly — and to a highly relevant audience — is key. An entertaining first-five seconds can drive new site visitors, but only if messages are clear and targeting is set to a select group of qualified candidates.

YouTube

When it comes to adding robust targeting options to expansive reach, YouTube prides itself on having it all. The world’s most popular video platform boasts an edge in available options for advertisers, including a pool of more than 2 billion monthly active users ready to receive your branded content.

In addition to more standard targeting categories like age, geography, gender and interests, YouTube delivers ads based on recent search history to viewers already seeking video content on topics related to your brand. 

Connect with your audience: Ads that play on or run next to YouTube videos can help you connect with potential customers in a unique and memorable way. You can be personal, share your expertise with the world, or put the camera on yourself and explain how your product or service can benefit your audience.

CTV

An estimated 60% of US advertisers plan to shift ad dollars from linear TV to either CTV this year, with the majority of brands citing increased targeting capabilities, ad spend efficiency, and incremental reach. The prospect of branded video content appearing on the largest TV in the room should excite marketers looking for innovative new ways to approach lower-funnel video campaigns.

Like other formats, CTV offers a look-alike targeting to target households similar to past converters, while third-party targeting harnesses demographic data and behavioral traits like age, gender, income, children, or purchase intent.

CTV ads can also recognize device IDs and understand household connections with IP addresses, which means your ads — already delivered to specific audiences using CTV’s many segmentation options — are eligible for retargeting efforts. With the ability to retarget qualified users post-video view, ad campaigns can drive a measurable ROI and contribute to your most meaningful performance metrics. These new offerings can transform your video ad content from an upper-funnel awareness play to a low-funnel conversion driver.

Social Video

Great video content isn’t limited to brands with expensive equipment or a professional production department. Social media marketing has made it possible for ads shot on mobile devices, live-streams and even user-generated content to be used as an authentic, relatable way to communicate with your customers. As always, knowing your audience informs where to go next with your ads — TikTok and snapchat are built on one foundational format and skew toward younger shoppers, while Facebook can help brands explore different video offerings for a more comprehensive audience.

The metrics for Facebook and other social giants have supported video’s importance for years now. Compared to formats relying on static images, posts with accompanying video average 14% higher engagement, with the opportunity to reach the 75 million users who use Facebook as a video platform every day.