Article

Sarah Nochimowski
Sarah Nochimowski 14 June 2017

Dynamic Remarketing and Video: A Symbiotic Connection

Everyone enjoys video, and now video is making a big splash in dynamic retargeting. Gone are the days of generic video retargeting, enter video retargeting for maximum appeal.

Because We All Really like to Watch…

The importance of video in the advertising world cannot be underestimated. It is front and center as the chief marketing tool available to advertisers. Dynamic video retargeting has advanced to such a degree that it stands head and shoulders above the competition. Consider for a moment that previous forms of retargeting such as generic video retargeting and even dynamic retargeting were the industry benchmarks – no longer. The evolution of dynamic video retargeting has become the go-to medium for marketers and advertisers.

But what exactly is dynamic retargeting and how does it work?

Advertisers have found tremendous value in retargeting with platforms such as Criteo, Google AdWords, Adroll and Facebook. But things have changed since dynamic retargeting became popularized. The benefits of using dynamic retargeting lies in the fact that advertisers are now able to re-target customers by using the products that users are familiar with. This is a big step up from generic retargeting, as returns on investment have increased by upwards of 300%.

The latest phase in the development of the dynamic retargeting initiative comes in the form of dynamic video retargeting. Fortunately, this form of dynamic retargeting makes use of strategies that are already in place with dynamic remarketing. It goes above and beyond by using video as the most effective communication medium on the planet. The levels of personalization, immersion and engagement with video are peerless. This creates a winning combination for advertisers across the board.

In recent times, social media giant Facebook has also shifted its focus to video-based content over traditional retargeting initiatives. Users have already noticed the terrific appeal of video retargeting over conventional methods. Nowadays, there are several types of video retargeting content including: pre-rolls, mid-rolls and post-rolls, and there is also the option of video banners too. Increasingly, marketing departments utilize animated banners and static banners. The latter category are effectively simply text ads, while the use of animated banners falls into the same category as dynamic banners.

Problems and Solutions

Traditional banners have an inherent problem: they offer low performance. The fact that there are so many of them on the Internet and that they pop up all the time is a big problem for users. The glut of banner ads is a major distraction for people. What ultimately happens is that users zone out and the conversion rates of text-based ads fall to zero.  This issue of banner blindness is a big one for advertisers and marketing gurus. Luckily, the arrival of video banners has been a blessing to the industry.

It’s simple really: video banners are difficult to ignore because they function in such a dynamic way on the Internet. Naturally, video banners increase the returns on investment in a significant way. Additionally, the content that is produced by video banners is engaging and real. Take for example the issue of a hard-sell approach adopted by regular banners versus the soft-sell approach adopted by short videos. The more emotionally appealing and evocative the message, the greater the conversion rate.

People forget about the advertising message and remember the story when they are watching video content – therein lies its effectiveness as a marketing tool. With video banners, they can have multiple applications – unlimited in fact – and can be placed anywhere on a webpage. When it comes to pre-rolls, dynamic pre-roll advertisements actually target web visitors with specific products that they are already familiar with. Sometimes, extra products can be included in the categories or within a certain price range.

This has the effect of personalizing the content further. You may have seen YouTube videos where the pre-intro to the video is a targeted commercial of up to 30 seconds. The real appeal of these videos is determined within the first 5 seconds – no more. After 5 seconds have passed, the viewer will make a decision about whether or not to continue watching. Pre-rolls have the capacity to work wonders with brand awareness and to increase return on investment (ROI). This is especially important when there is so much competition for the patronage of customers.

What About Pre-Rolls without Voiceovers?

Extensive analysis has been on videos that include music and videos that include both voiceovers and music. The contrast was startling. The pre-rolls with voiceovers generated substantially more clicks than those without. There is no doubt that in terms of conversion tools, voiceovers are second to none. The impact of voiceovers is notable in actionable phrases like CLICK HERE. Music typically does not depend on conversions, it is atmospheric, according to the marketing team at Treepodia.

With annotations, users get to enjoy higher levels of engagement and the overall increase in conversions is notable. The use of info cards came into being in 2015, and they have proven to be far more effective than annotations owing to functionality-related issues with mobile devices. For example, info cards and dynamic annotations are able to direct viewers to a specific range of products. With pre-rolls, unique buttons can be shown, and each of these buttons can redirect users to appropriate product pages. For example, one button may direct the user to a category page and the other to a homepage.

What trends are emerging with dynamic video creation?

There are 3 basic elements that need to be taken into account with dynamic video creation and they include the quality of the content, the appeal of the content and the creative ‘fit’ of the content. In terms of creative elements, there are unique advertisements for males and females, singles and couples, seniors and young folks etc. Each of these aspects requires a unique form of branding, creative flair and specific tailoring. The content needs to be high-quality in order for it to be converting.

Everybody in marketing recognizes that content is key to conversion. The complexity and effectiveness of algorithms will be completely outdone by shoddy content. In terms of the appeal of the content, it simply has to grab the viewer’s attention from the get-go. This goes for dynamic video pre-rolls and video banners alike. Remember that you have 5 seconds to grab the user’s attention otherwise he or she is lost forever. Maximum immersion and personalization is essential to the success of the dynamic video pre-rolls. Of course, you always want the entire commercial to be seen and that’s why it needs to be engaging.

Certain factors make videos more engaging, including discounts that may be offered, products or services that customers are familiar with, and ways and means of receiving the offer by clicking on a video link. In all instances, all 3 of these elements need to appeal to the viewer on an emotional level. The reaction needs to evoke a trigger response in the form of a click or a buy. This is what separates good video retargeting from bad video retargeting.

Where are we headed in terms of content?

Optimized content is the way of the future, and it’s available now. It’s not only how video content is created, it’s the emotive appeal that is inherent in the video content. AI systems are quickly coming into their own and complex algorithms are making it possible to tap into the emotional triggers that drive human behavior. There is no doubt that we are moving towards enhanced content and messaging systems and maximum optimization is the order of the day.

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