Digital video consumption has soared the last few years and will continue to do so in the near future. Much of the video content that people now consume is viewed on a mobile device. As marketing success has always been about communicating with customers on their terms, advertisers need to integrate more videos into their digital strategy.
Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram recognize the impact of video consumption and have been adding new mobile video ad options. The following is an exploration of the importance of video ad delivery, challenges and keys to success.
Video Advertising and Facts
Video content is used by consumers across all demographics. Nearly three-fourths of all internet traffic was video-based in 2017. Consumption rates have risen dramatically thanks to aggressive usage among Millennials and Gen Z consumers. The average Gen Z consumer watches 68 videos every day, including an average of 5 video views on Facebook, 9 via Instagram Stories and 17 on Snapchat.
Marketers have recognized the power of video as well. Fifty-two percent of marketers around the world indicated video content offered the highest return on investment in 2017. In 2018, video ad spending is expected to reach $12.82 billion worldwide, up from $11.25 billion in 2017.
Barriers to Mobile Video Optimization
Despite the huge opportunity, there are some critical barriers to mobile video optimization and advertising success through this medium. These barriers include:
- The amount of planning, high budget requirements and long lead times required for quality video production
- Typical film production in horizontal format versus the optimized vertical format
Facebook's New Video Creation Tool
Facebook recognizes these barriers and is set to launch a new video creation tool as early as September. This tool's features are intended to make the transition from production to ad delivery as seamless as possible.
The following are some additional benefits and key points for advertisers preparing for the new video creation tool:
- You can use existing static assets to create videos
- All videos created through the tool are optimized for mobile
- Videos are fast and easy to build within existing templates
The success of Instagram Stories and short Snapchat videos demonstrates that users give more attention to and respond better to short videos. This point is further illustrated in that the majority of videos Gen Z consumers watch each day are short (less than 10 minutes) videos on YouTube. Sponsored social videos are usually optimized between 10 and 60 seconds.
Conclusion
Video consumption is too powerful for marketers to ignore. Marketers need to go where the audience lives, and the audience increasingly lives and breathes videos. Facebook's new video creation tool offers a lot of promise for mobile video delivery on the world's largest social network.
For more insights on Facebook advertising, read Ultimate Guide to Scaling your Facebook Advertising!
