You know those 15-second ads on YouTube that most people skip within the first 5 seconds? That’s a pre-roll ad. To explain further, a pre-roll ad is a video advertisement that plays automatically before a featured video. Yes, a lot of them are skipped. We are here to tell you how to keep your viewers’ interest so they click through to learn more rather than clicking the “Skip” button.

First 5 Seconds

If you only had 5 seconds with your audience to get your point across, what would you say? Keep this in mind each time you create an ad and fit the most crucial, attention-grabbing content into the first 5 seconds. These first few seconds are usually unskippable, so include your brand message and call-to-action early. Make those first 5 seconds count! Even if viewers don’t click through, you at least got your point across and made an impression.

Target and Retarget

Perfect your targeting abilities so you can advertise with the utmost precision based on location or other demographics. It is just as important to focus on retargeting as well. If someone visits your website and adds a product to their cart without completing the purchase, you can make sure they don’t forget about you by showing them that same product as they continue to use the internet. A good rule of thumb is to put a frequency cap on your ads and then show a different one so the user doesn’t get tired of seeing your product.

Landing Page

The best pre-roll ads have a dedicated landing page that leads to the product or service that was promoted in that specific advertisement. People shouldn’t have to search through your website to find something they specifically clicked on an advertisement to learn more about. Your viewers will thank you for this convenience, especially if they have experienced the alternative.

Why Should You Run a Pre-Roll Ad?

Running an ad before a user’s desired content means they will be interested and willing to sit through a short advertisement before they get to see what they came for. They are waiting to watch something specific, so your ad will be in front of them while they wait. Even if they choose to skip your ad, they have at least been exposed to your brand.

Viamark Advertising

The Philadelphia office of Viamark Advertising is a full-service marketing agency. Whether you need video production, radio advertising production or media buying in the traditional space or digital space, we can help make sense of it all. Contact us today!