What is Mobile Video Advertising and How Does it Work

Mobile video advertising remains a hot topic of discussion among marketers because the benefits offered by mobile video ads are huge. There has been a notable surge in online activity, with a substantial rise in the number of individuals relying exclusively on smartphones to access the Internet.

So, we've figured out that mobile video advertising is very relevant and necessary for every brand and marketer associated with it. In this article, you'll learn what it was designed for and how to use it to increase conversions.

What is mobile video advertising?

Mobile video advertising refers to dynamic, visual advertisements specifically designed for consumption on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Interactive mobile video advertising can take various forms, such as pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll ads, and is strategically placed within mobile apps, websites, or social media platforms. 

Benefits of mobile video ads

Mobile video ads offer a plethora of opportunities for advertisers and marketers:

• Engagement. Mobile app video advertising offers a compelling advantage — the ability to engage viewers at any time, anywhere. Whether waiting for a bus, standing in line, or enjoying a leisurely coffee break, individuals often turn to their smartphones for quick doses of entertainment.
• Brand awareness. By seamlessly integrating video ads into this on-the-go lifestyle, brands can leverage these moments to capture attention and drive brand awareness.
• Great brand exposure. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have become virtual playgrounds where businesses can strategically position their video ads to target specific demographics to gain better brand exposure.
• Measurability. One of the key strengths of mobile video ads is their ability to evoke emotions and tell compelling stories concisely. Still, these ads are also highly measurable, which means their performance can be tracked with creative tags on demand-side platforms. 

Types of mobile video ads

Mobile video advertising is diverse, taking many forms and presented in many ways. In fact, it has virtually no limitations. The boundary here is where marketers' imagination ends, and their imagination, as everyone knows, is very, very wide.

So let's take a look at mobile video ad formats.

Instream ad units

Instream ad units are typically shown before, during, or after video content within mobile apps or websites. These video mobile ads can be skippable or non-skippable, often appearing within video players, delivering a seamless viewing experience. More than half of YouTube viewers use mobile devices to watch video content, so this type of advertising is very relevant.

Outstream ad units

Outstream video ads, also known as native video ads, are standalone video units that autoplay within content, such as news articles or social media feeds. These ads are displayed without being embedded within video content, making them versatile and enabling placement in various contexts. Outstream ads often have sound-off autoplay, allowing users to engage with the ad by tapping or expanding it for sound and further interaction.
 

In-app advertising

In-app video ad creatives are specifically designed for mobile apps and appear during or between app sessions. In-app video ads can take the form of full-screen interstitials, rewarded videos, or banner ads with video elements. 

Rewarded units

Rewarded advertising is a format that gives users a reward in exchange for their time spent viewing the ad. For example, if your mobile game allows you to pay with coins, you can give users a lot of coins if they view the ads for 30 seconds. 

Social media advertising

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok provide opportunities for mobile advertising to reach highly targeted audiences. These platforms offer various mobile app video ads, such as in-feed videos, stories ads, or immersive vertical videos, designed to seamlessly blend with the user experience and encourage interaction through likes, comments, and shares.

Verticals

With the popularity of mobile viewing and the predominance of vertical orientation, vertical video creatives have gained traction. These creatives are specifically created to fit the vertical format of mobile screens, maximizing visibility and providing a seamless viewing experience without users needing to rotate their devices.

Interactive ad units

Interactive video ads offer users the opportunity to engage and interact with the content, going beyond passive viewing. These creatives may include elements such as clickable hotspots, polls, quizzes, or mini-games, encouraging users to participate and enhancing user engagement and brand interaction.

Augmented Reality (AR) Ads

AR video creatives leverage the capabilities of mobile devices to overlay virtual elements in the real world. Mobile video advertising like this can provide users with interactive and immersive experiences, allowing them to visualize products in their environment, check virtual try-ons, or play AR games. 

Playables

Playable video ads on mobile, also known as "try before you install" ads, allow users to interact with a mini version of a mobile game or app before downloading it. Users can experience a snippet of the gameplay, which gives them a taste of the app's features and encourages them to download and engage with the full version.

Live ads

Live videos take advantage of the growing popularity of live streaming on mobile devices. These creative ad units appear within live streams, providing real-time brand exposure to viewers. Advertisers can sponsor live streaming events, collaborate with influencers, or display overlay ads during live broadcasts to reach and engage audiences during their mobile viewing experience.

Interstitials

Interstitials are a type of mobile video ad that appears in full-screen format between content transitions. Interstitials are typically displayed during natural pauses or breaks in the user's app or website experience, such as between levels in a game, during app launches, or while a webpage loads. 

Sponsored Filters and Lenses

Sponsored filters and lenses are interactive ads that overlay augmented reality (AR) effects on a user's face or surroundings in real time. Popularized by platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, these ads allow users to transform their appearance, try virtual makeup, or interact with branded AR elements. 

360-Degree Video Ads

360-degree units enable users to explore an immersive, panoramic environment by dragging or tilting their mobile devices. These units provide an interactive and engaging experience, allowing users to have a 360-degree view of a location, product, or event. 360-degree ad units can be particularly effective in travel, real estate, or entertainment industries.

Why mobile video ads are effective?

The visual impact of video content cannot be overstated. With the ability to convey messages, emotions, and brand stories in a captivating and memorable way, ads create a strong connection with viewers. Combining moving images, audio, and compelling narratives allows advertisers to leave a lasting impression, increasing brand awareness and recall among the target audience.

Enhanced user experience

One of the key advantages of these units is the enhanced user experience they offer. Mobile devices provide a personalized and interactive platform for content consumption. These ads can be optimized to fit mobile devices' screen sizes and resolutions, ensuring a seamless and immersive viewing experience.

Targeted reach

The targeted reach of mobile video advertising is another crucial factor in their effectiveness. Mobile devices have become a treasure trove of user data, capturing information about demographics, interests, and browsing behavior.

Flexibility and variety

The flexibility and variety offered by these ads further contribute to their effectiveness. Advertisers can choose from a range of mobile video ad formats, including in-stream, outstream, social media ads, interactive ads, interstitials, and in-app videos.

Measuring the performance

Measuring the performance of mobile video ads is vital for advertisers to make informed decisions and optimize their campaigns. Robust measurement and analytics capabilities provide valuable insights into key performance metrics, such as view rates, completion rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

The mobile video advertising industry offers many platform options for analyzing these metrics in real-time, including demand-side platforms and ad networks.  

High CPM and conversion rates

Video mobile advertising has gained significant traction in the digital advertising industry due to its outstanding performance, boasting high CPM and conversion rates. Advertisers and publishers alike have been quick to capitalize on this lucrative opportunity, as these creatives offer a compelling and profitable avenue for reaching and engaging with target audiences.

Fraud protection

Furthermore, in addition to their impressive results, these ads provide an added advantage of superior fraud protection compared to their desktop counterparts, creating a more secure and trustworthy advertising ecosystem.

Advertisers must be able to use all these advantages competently so that their mobile video advertising efforts are not wasted.

Top platforms for mobile video marketing

Here you can find the most popular options for mobile video ads in terms of ad platforms:

Facebook

Facebook platform is a platform offering extensive targeting options based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. Its massive user base ensures wide reach, and the platform's ad formats are optimized for mobile devices, enabling brands to create engaging and interactive ad content.

Google

Google platform leverages the vast reach of YouTube for mobile video marketing. Advertisers can target users based on search behavior, demographics, and video content preferences. The platform offers a variety of ad formats, including skippable and non-skippable ads.

Instagram

The platform supports various formats, including Stories, Reels, and Feed videos, allowing brands to create visually appealing and immersive content tailored to a younger, trend-conscious audience.

TikTok

TikTok platform specializes in short-form video ads for mobile apps, making it perfect for mobile marketing aimed at younger demographics. The platform’s algorithm promotes high engagement and viral potential, offering formats like In-Feed ads, TopView, and Branded Hashtag Challenges.

Snapchat

Snapchat platform offers mobile-first advertising with a focus on vertical content. Its ad formats, such as Snap Ads, Story Ads, and Collection Ads, are designed for quick, engaging storytelling, making it ideal for reaching a younger audience through brief, impactful videos.

Twitter

Twitter platform provides mobile video ad opportunities through Promoted Video, which appears directly in users' feeds. The platform’s real-time nature and trending topics make it effective for time-sensitive campaigns and reaching a broad audience quickly, with an emphasis on concise ad content.

How to create a good mobile video ad?

So, how can you take advantage of the benefits of the video format?

Keep it concise

Mobile users have shorter attention spans, so aim for a video ad that is concise and to the point. Keep the duration relatively short, ideally under 30 seconds, to maintain viewer engagement.

Grab attention from the start

The first few seconds are crucial in capturing the viewer's attention. Start your video ads in mobile apps with compelling hooks or visually striking imagery to immediately grab their interest.

Tell a compelling story

Create a narrative that resonates with your target audience. Craft a story that evokes emotion, solves a problem, or showcases the benefits of your product or service.

Optimize for mobile viewing

Mobile screens are smaller, so optimize your ad for mobile viewing. Use legible text and clear visuals, and avoid small details that may be hard to see on smaller screens. Ensure your ad looks and performs well across various mobile devices and screen orientations.

Focus on visuals and sound

Visuals play a significant role in mobile video ads. Use eye-catching visuals, vibrant colors, and high-quality imagery to grab attention. Additionally, consider using captions or subtitles, as many viewers watch videos with the sound off.

Test and optimize

Regularly test different variations of your mobile video ad to identify what resonates best with your audience. A/B testing can help you refine elements such as visuals, messaging, duration, and CTAs to optimize performance and maximize engagement.

Consider mobile platform specifications.

Different social media platforms and mobile video advertising networks have specific requirements for video advertising on mobile phones. Familiarize yourself with the specifications.

Conclusions

As mobile usage continues to surge, leveraging the power of mobile video ads can help businesses effectively connect with their target audiences and achieve marketing success in the evolving digital landscape.

Such an approach allows you to promote your brand and products, expand your target audience, and increase brand recognition and competitiveness. Start incorporating it into your mobile marketing strategy today to boost your company's revenue and strengthen your market position. How exactly? We're here to help you decide and recommend advertising solutions that will enhance your visibility and effectiveness.

Try our SmartyAds DSP to discover the full power of highly-targeted video ad messaging!