May 4, 2016
2016 has seen some big changes in the world of social advertising and it seems it’s all about video ‘ads’ this year. Nielsen claims 64% of marketers expect video to dominate their strategies in the near future. It’s not difficult to see why, with advertisers being spoilt for choice due to an increasing amount of channels adopting video and offering a variety of ‘Ad’ formats. Both Instagram and YouTube have made recent announcements: Instagram carousel video ads and YouTube bumper ads.
Instagram Carousel Video Ads
Instagram is currently beta-testing the addition of video to its carousel ads format. Taco Bell, ASOS, Macy’s and Airbnb are among the partners currently in the beta stage of testing, with rumours that the format will roll out in Q2 2016. Instagram carousel ads will allow brands to patch together three to five photos and videos into a 60 second video. Much like their Facebook counterpart, video carousel ads will enable advertisers to cram more content into less ad space and show the different dimensions of their products in motion. Essentially, giving them more bang for their buck.
YouTube Bumper Ads
Google has announced that its introducing six-second video ads, dubbed Bumper ads via their Google AdWords platform. Unlike other YouTube offerings, these short format ads will be un-skippable and will be shown before and in-between video viewing. Google claims the Bumper ads formats is better-suited for the smartphone video users. Mobile users tend to consume short video content and wouldn’t necessary have the patience to watch a 30 second ad.
The opportunity has never been bigger for content creators and brands to connect with video viewers. It will be interesting to see which formats perform better as the verdict is still out on the optimal video length.