Video consumption is growing. There are currently 15 million active monthly YouTube users in Australia, and now Google has extended the reach of video campaigns for advertisers beyond YouTube by including video in the SERP’s (search engine results page) – but only on mobile devices.
The new format is called outstream video ads and is built exclusively for mobile browsers and apps. Outstream ads show on Google video partners, which are high-quality publisher websites and mobile apps where you can show video ads, including TrueView in-stream and bumper ads (short videos of six seconds or less).
So what’s in it for you?
1) Reach:Video partners help you engage new users outside of YouTube, so you can increase the reach of your video ads. You can use the same targeting options across YouTube and video partners and measure your performance accordingly.
2) Impact:Ads on video partners can help customers become more aware of your products and more interested in your brand. Also, when you include a video within your website you are 53 times more likely to gain a front page google result.
Key things to consider:
- The combination of video and text ads increases visitor engagement by 22%.
- By 2019, 54% of ads on Google will be video based.
- Video content has shown to improve CTR (click through rate) on your website by two to three times.
- The average website visitor spends 88% more time on a site that includes video (more ‘dwell time’ = positive SEO benefit).
While this article started out with Google’s new video ad platform, the broader message is around the importance of video in your marketing strategy in general, especially in a world where so much information is consumed by video. Research shows that where there is text and video on a web page, 72% prefer to watch the video, with conversion rates much higher where video is included.
Wondering how your business could utilise video? Consider some of these thought starters:
- ‘How-to’ videos – product assemble / troubleshooting / key functions.
- Client testimonials / case studies.
- FAQs – you should have this section on your website already, and if a visitor ends up there they need help – provide a quick video under each question.
- Myth busting – not in the blowing things up kind of way, but discuss myths associated with your industry.
I hope that’s got you thinking about how you can incorporate video into your marketing plan, and just know that by doing so you’ll boost your exposure and reach well beyond what you thought was possible. Good luck and…. ACTION!
About the author
Paul Carroll has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, and is currently CEO at Pure SEO Australia.
