Last week in part 1 of our deep dive into paid search trends in 2022 we looked at automation (and AI), first party data strategy and how businesses could start to experiment with TikTok.
As it’s the time of year when we all try to make armchair pundit style predictions; we will carry on looking at where paid search is headed in 2022. This week we will be looking at video and another channel for ads that many companies may not be investing in, but really should start…
Let’s go back to the future (of paid search).
Paid Search Trends 2022 – Stop The Skip With Pre-roll Video Ads
Mobile video ads have exploded in recent years and it’s estimated by Statista that the mobile video ad market in the U.S. will be worth $53.9 billion by 2025.
But there is one issue that advertisers should face before dropping budget on some lovely new video ads. The dreaded skip button.
Users on YouTube hate ads. Which is not surprising. Ads on YouTube are not like ads on Television. YouTube video is not edited in a way that takes ad breaks into account. So, to users, ads just appear out of nowhere. This disrupts whatever someone is watching and annoys people. In fact, 73% of consumers dislike repetitive messaging on video ads and it increases negative sentiment by 15% every quarter. 100% of people hit the skip ad button when they are able to.
Which is a problem if you want to start advertising on YouTube! So, how do you stop the skip?
You have 6 seconds to make your case. Which is why brands now prefer very short form, but highly engaging 6 second video ads. Which are commonly referred to as “pre-roll” or “bumper” ads, when referring to YouTube.
This can help marketers avoid annoying users, get their message across and avoid the skip button.
Creating video ads can be difficult and time consuming. But a strong video ad, targeted at the right potential audience, can bring amazing returns. If you need some help with micro-storytelling and implementing your video ad campaign, talk to us here at MAQE. We would be happy to help!
Actions You Can Take:
- Focus on a 6 second pre-roll video ad campaign for your brand
- Make your ad relatable, human and emotional
- What about your brand embodies those three core characteristics?
- With the right campaign strategy, you can see explosive growth
Paid Search Trends 2022 – Outstream Video Ads, Just Stay Muted
If you hate it when a page you are visiting starts playing a video ad at an ear-splitting volume, you are not alone.
In fact if you have an autoplay video ad on your site you are basically saying that you hate your users.
Having autoplay video ads on a site can cause people’s machines to lock up. You might think that no one is using hardware that old, but plenty of potential customers do. If you have a giant video asset that auto plays and stops them from making a purchase they will not come back. They will likely also bad mouth your brand to just about everyone they know.
If you have placed an ad on an external site that does the same thing, they will remember your brand. But not in a good way.
Outstream video is a popular alternative to this.
What’s Outstream video?
Outstream videos are integrated into the content that the user is viewing. They are (usually) muted by default and start when the user hovers over the video. However if you use video assets for social media advertising you may want to actually create your videos to be viewed without sound.
According to publishers, 85% of video views on Facebook happen without sound. 79% of videos on the LinkedIN feed are watched without sound. So whenever you create video assets, make sure you have good, localized subtitles.
Outstream video ads have a 2.5% higher click through rate and are viewed 25% longer. So do not be afraid to experiment with them in 2022.
Actions You Can Take:
- Always design your video ad content to be viewed without sound
- Use this same content across paid social media and in video ads
- Try not to annoy users; Do not use autoplay with sound
Paid Search Trends 2022 – In-game ads
Mobile gaming has been huge for years; but it’s getting bigger. According to Appsflyer, 2020 saw a 45% increase in gaming app installs vs 2019 levels. With organic installs growing by 33%.
In fact, 69% of U.S. gaming consumers would rather give up social media and TV than their gaming apps.
This level of attachment and engagement is of special interest to digital marketers. Because these users are, unlike on YouTube, paying attention and even appreciating in-game ads.
In emarketer.com’s report, respondents were twice as likely to pay attention to advertisements in mobile games than other ads on the internet or in print. A staggering 67% of U.S. parents said they would engage with a video ad in a game in exchange for a reward.
Brands and advertisers have traditionally ignored in-game ads, but they are certainly making up for that error now. Verticals such as healthcare, automotive and general consumer packaged goods have all seen increased engagement from in-game ads.
Big brands are getting involved in gaming and the figures are increasing. So if you have not considered the mobile gaming space as a channel for paid advertising opportunities, it’s time to get started.
Actions You Can Take:
- Do not be scared of gaming as an advertisement channel
- Think about rewards you can offer gamers for engaging with your brand
- Gamers are a broad demographic; 63% are females
Come back next week for part 3 of our paid search 2022 deepdive! We will be looking at the value of authenticity, local search and other search engines…
Talk to MAQE
Do you need help getting started with in-game ads? Or coming up with a solid video ad strategy that can engage users? Talk to MAQE via [email protected]. We would love to talk to you.