Woman watching a video on a mobile video advertising platform.
Do you know what mobile advertising platform is best for your business? Mobile video advertising isn't as simple as placing a video ad with an advertising network. You have several options to choose from—some of which are more effective and reach more viewers than others.
Key Takeaways
Mobile video advertising can appear on streaming video services, web pages, and mobile apps
Digital video advertising is growing rapidly—and the majority of consumers today spend more time on mobile devices than on computers or in front of TV screens
There are three primary types of mobile digital advertising platforms: OTT/CTV networks, display advertising networks, and mobile app networks
For many advertisers, OTT/CTV platforms reach more users across more devices than other platforms
What Is Mobile Video Advertising—and Why Is It Important?
Mobile video advertising describes any advertisement targeted at mobile device users, such as smartphones and tablets. Mobile video ads can appear in over-the-top (OTT) content (on networks such as Hulu and Pluto TV), websites and blog posts, and mobile apps and games. Some of these ads look like traditional commercials, although targeting specific user groups or individual users is available. Programmatic video ads use automated technology to insert targeted ads into specific programming in real-time.
According to the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report: Full-Year 2021, digital video advertising is one of the fastest-growing internet advertising channels, growing more than 50% over the previous year. According to the IAB, mobile video advertising comprises more than 20% of all digital ad spending.
Mobile video advertising is particularly effective with millennials. IAB Europe reports that 98% of those between 18 and 34 use mobile devices to watch video content daily.
Devise distribution of video content consumption in 18-34 year-olds.
It's no surprise that 99% of marketers use video marketing, and most intend to increase their spending on video campaigns. People like to watch videos across all sorts of devices.
What Are the Different Types of Mobile Video Ads?
Mobile advertisers can choose from several types of video ads. The most common types of mobile video ads include:
Instream ads are ads that appear before a video starts to play (pre-roll), in the middle of video content (mid-roll), or after a video ends (post-roll. On some platforms, viewers can't skip these instream ads.
Outstream ads reside on web pages outside traditional video formats and often automatically play when a user opens a page. Users can typically skip or stop these ads.
Interstitial ads are short but intrusive video clips that pop up and cover the entire screen, typically in mobile video apps.
Gamified ads are interstitial ads that let users play a game or otherwise interact with the ad.
In-app ads appear within users' feeds on social media apps.
Of these ad types, instream ads are typical on OTT streaming video services, while out-stream ads are common on web pages.
Video marketing trends for 2022.
What Are the Most Popular Mobile Video Ad Platforms?
Advertisers have several ways to get their mobile video ads in front of users. OTT/CTV (connected TV) networks, display advertising networks, and mobile apps are the most popular platforms.
Video Advertising on OTT/CTV Networks
More than three-quarters of all streaming video viewing occurs on mobile devices via subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) and advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) services. AVOD networks, such as The Roku Channel and Tubi, present a unique opportunity to reach these mobile users—as well as viewers watching on more traditional home-based TVs and devices.
Mobile video advertising via streaming video is most like traditional broadcast advertising. Instream ads run just like traditional commercials and typically feature high-quality production values. Streaming video ads are targetable at specific content or defined viewer types. Many AVOD services limit ad skipping, so viewers must view the entire ad—unlike web-based advertising, which is easily skippable.
That makes mobile video advertising on OTT/CTV networks uniquely effective. According to Wyzowl's Video Marketing Statistics 2022 report, 93% of marketers say video marketing increases brand awareness—and 81% say it increases sales.
Mobile streaming video statistics.
Video Advertising via Display Advertising Networks
Using a display advertising network is the way to go if you'd rather place your mobile video ads on web pages. These advertising networks, such as AdColony, Airpush, the Google Network, and Meta Audience Network (for Facebook and Instagram ads), serve up ads on their networks of sites and across other third-party websites.
Video Advertising in Mobile Apps
Many of these same mobile ad networks also offer ads embedded in various mobile apps and games. This type of advertising reaches users who prefer to use mobile apps instead of visiting sites in their mobile web browsers.
How to Choose the Right Mobile Video Ad Platform For You
Which mobile video ad platform is right for your business? When making a choice, ask the following questions:
How do your customers spend their time? If like most users, they spend a lot of time watching streaming video, then an OTT/CTV platform is the right choice.
Where do your customers spend their time? If your customers split their time between mobile devices, computers, and big-screen TVs, an OTT/CTV platform can reach them across all these devices. (Display advertising networks and mobile apps can't reach living room TV viewers.)
Do you want to target specific customers? All mobile video ad platforms can do this, but only an OTT/CTV platform lets you target customers across multiple types of devices.
Do you want to reach customers inside a mobile game or app? Only mobile app platforms offer this type of reach.
Do you want to send customers directly to your website after viewing your ad? Display advertising platforms most effectively offer this capability.
Do you want to offer a high-quality viewing experience? Streaming video ads on an OTT/CTV platform offer the best quality experience—especially when viewed on a large-screen TV.
In short, each mobile video advertising platform offers its unique advantages. However, traditional advertisers and those that recognize the unique benefits presented by 15, 30, and 60-second commercials will find an OTT/CTV platform most appealing and effective.
Improve Mobile Video Advertising Performance with Penthera's 2nd Look
Mobile video advertising isn't perfect. Many mobile video advertising platforms, especially on streaming video services, suffer from issues such as empty ad slots, repeated ads, delays in ad startups, and serving viewers irrelevant ads.
Penthera's 2nd Look solution mitigates these and other ad-serving issues. By shifting the timing of when ad decisions to when the ads run, 2nd Look helps AVOD providers deliver more targeted advertising to viewers and increase ad inventory fill rates. Providers get improved ad yield and higher ad revenues, while mobile video advertisers get more efficient ad spend and increased viewer engagement.
Contact Penthera today to learn more about how 2nd Look improves advertising on OTT/CTV platforms.
