6 Tips for Taking Your Video Ad Content Mobile As consumers increasingly tune in to videos on their mobile devices, young entrepreneurs should consider how best to reach them.
By Matthew Toren •
If it wasn't already, mobile is officially ready for its close up.
On Wednesday, Facebook reported that for the first three months of this year it generated $375 million in revenue from mobile ads. That accounted for 30 percent of the company's first-quarter ad revenue, up from 23 percent over the same period a year ago.
What's more, an April report from eMarketer on mobile advertising showed digital ad spending hit the $4.14 billion mark in 2012, doubling the levels of 2011. And while digital advertising encompasses personal computers, smartphones and tablets, the growth is quickening in the mobile sector, which is up 112.4 percent so far this year as opposed to a 35 percent increase in online viewing.
As both the video and mobile markets continue to heat up, young entrepreneurs keen on building buzz around their companies need to consider how to repurpose their video ads to play nicer with mobile formats. Here are six tips on making videos more digestible for mobile:
1. Make it snappy.
Moving your ads to the small screen means you'll need a laser-focused message. Keep your mobile ad campaign short, engaging and low-key. Also, if text is required, make sure the font is readable and avoid images that require scrolling.
Related: What Makes Your Video Shareable -- And Viral
2. Placement is key.
While ads have generally been at the beginning or end of a video, YouTube recently enabled 'mid-roll' ads, meaning channels are allowing advertisers to play ads during a video. This new format could make sense for you, depending on your objective. For instance, placing your ad before a video will produce the most impressions, ads at the end will garner the highest click through rate and mid-roll ads will have the highest completion, according to the 2012 Adobe Digital Index.
3. Find your audience.
If you are looking to provide your mobile ads on a video platform like YouTube, scope out your target demographic. Users subscribe to a channel which provides consistently entertaining content that suits their needs. Use the demographic information of a channel to pinpoint channels that best fit your target. Once live, take advantage of analytical tools on the video platform.
Related: Amp up Your Revenue Now—with Video
4. Leave them with a smile.
People smile for many different reasons and the ability to capitalize on a happy emotion in a short amount of time, could lead to a lasting impression. Try to incorporate humor, an inspirational tale, an emotional moment or a slice of entertainment for impact.
5. Social media is only a tap away.
Mobile devices and social media go hand-in-hand. Make sure you have sharing components integrated into your video that allows users to post on social media networks, embed in their blogs and email to others.
Related: Want to Go Viral? 4 Ways to get Viewers to Share Your Videos
6. Skip the Flash.
For content you want to release for mobile users, forget Flash. Back in 2011, Adobe announced it will not support a Flash Player plug-in for mobile, resulting in Flash videos not being accessible on smartphones and tables. Instead, opt for HTML5, as it will allow for resizing across various mobile devices.
What other tips do you have for making your videos more mobile-friendly? Let us know in the comments below.
