Recently, you may feel like you are watching more and more video ads when you attempt to watch an episode of your favorite show, YouTuber, etc. They can be persistent, insistent, and downright annoying as they take up precious viewing time on every gadget with an Internet connection.
On the other hand, video advertising can be entertaining, informative, and present you with something you may genuinely be interested in. Though they demand some of your time, video ads are becoming more accurate in targeting viewers. Additionally, you can skip most video ads after a short duration, which relieves that feeling of time stealing.
But how are there so many, and why?
Where It Comes From
Online video advertising saw a renaissance with the advent of online streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, etc. These platforms allow advertisers to insert their ads before, during, and after content that viewers stream over the Internet. Online video ads take on many different forms, from simply playing in a full-size screen before the requested content, to running simultaneously with content in their own small overlays until interacted with.
Advertising with video has clearly come a long way, as traditional video ads were restricted to specific time slots and gathered very little information on its viewers. Nowadays, there are so many gadgets capable of connecting to the Internet and streaming online content, it is only natural that video advertisers would follow and utilize these trends closely.
OTT and CTV
So what is this data video marketers are harvesting, and how do they use it? Well, it all hinges on a user’s Internet activity through a variety of devices, the majority of which fall into one of two categories: over the top (OTT) or connected tv (CTV).
The term OTT refers to any media service that delivers content over the Internet. This includes any device you may stream video content from, such as:
- A personal computer
- Smartphone
- SmartTV
- Tablet device
- Game console
All of these devices provide different Internet functionalities, such as playing a video game online, browsing history, or making a purchase from a website. Video marketers can use this data to target the user based on the genres of video games they play, websites they visit, or types of products in their purchase history.
Location parameters such as geo-targeting contribute to OTT ad accuracy, but play a bigger role in CTV advertising. CTV is a form of OTT, but only refers to media that is streamed through a television set. This particular form of advertising differs in that viewers are always looking at the sizable, attention-grabbing screen of a television rather than something like their smartphones.
CTV warrants its own category because modern-day households make CTV devices the main attraction of the living room. Video ads sent through these devices will often suggest local businesses or restaurants for viewers to check out, and are generally one of the biggest conveyors of OTT content overall.
Are They a Nuisance?
Whether it’s through your smartphone or on the big screen, the avenues in which digital video ads find their way to you grow more numerous. They may reach you as silly, fifteen-second skits or high production animations that entice you to watch the whole thing.
Data harvesting will also contribute to more appealing video ads making their way to your screens, as advertisers are constantly trying to increase their accuracy in pairing their products to customers. Ultimately, we are stuck with online video advertising for the foreseeable future, but there are more annoying things in the world than skippable ads of things you may be interested in.