YouTube reveals: 5-second ads earn more than 120-second ads

Last weekend, I opened an app and was about to watch a movie, but it showed that Adblock had accidentally damaged the video source and it couldn’t play properly. After turning off the plug-in, what followed was a full 5-segment, 120-second opening advertisement, which immediately dampened my mood for watching the movie.

I have to complain that the long opening ads on domestic video websites are really disgusting. I believe that the viewing steps for most free users are as follows: search for the video → click to play → switch pages (wait for the ad time to end) → watch the movie.

Few people can remember what the advertisement said specifically. Those who can be remembered are most likely the ads that are repeatedly displayed on the screen, such as Boss Direct Recruitment and 58.com, and they do not leave a good impression on users.

Let’s take a look at the situation abroad. As the world’s largest video website, Youtube covers more than 90 countries and regions around the world, with more than 1.9 billion monthly active users. What’s incredible is that all of its video content’s pre-roll ads can be skipped after 5 seconds of playback.

Many people take it for granted that if the length of an ad becomes shorter, the revenue it brings will decrease.

On the contrary, the reality is that Youtube's 5-second skippable ads have earned it both good reputation and huge profits (third-party agencies predict that its advertising revenue is 15 billion).

Want to know the secret of how YouTube makes a lot of money by using an unconventional advertising model?

This article will introduce a new concept "best advertising moment" to reveal the secrets to you, and it is guaranteed to be full of useful information.

1. How does Youtube advertising make money?

Audiences know that YouTube video ads can be closed after 5 seconds, so they usually stare at the ads intently within these 5 seconds (the ad reach rate is extremely high) and click to close the ad as soon as it ends.

Compared with the 120-second advertisement on a certain website, which one is better?

For a long time, brand advertisements have been settled based on exposure, but how many people are actually watching after exposure has always been a difficult point to monitor.

YouTube uses a simple skip button to capture the audience's full attention within 5 seconds, sacrificing ad length in exchange for ad efficiency, and effectively improving the real exposure of the ad in terms of mechanism.

Of course, the advertising exposure time is extremely short, and in order to achieve better marketing results, advertisers will be forced to continuously optimize the quality of advertising.

Regardless of the quality of the advertisement, a 5-second short advertisement is not likely to cause disgust among the audience. So why not watch such a short advertisement?

Therefore, this is a virtuous cycle model where advertisers, viewers, and YouTube all win.

2. “Best Advertising Moment”

How to create the most effective ad?

We generally consider it from five dimensions: content, form, crowd, time and scene.

Most marketing experts or marketing books/courses will start from the content and form, emphasizing how to write good advertising and marketing copy, such as "Hot-selling Copywriting" by Teacher Guanjian Ming.

In the new media era, Tencent Guangdiantong and Toutiao's massive engine both emphasize the ability to target precise user groups.

However, the story of YouTube gives us another idea to improve the effectiveness of advertising: starting from the timing and scene of the advertisement.

Within 5 seconds before a YouTube video plays, the reach rate of ads is extremely high. I call this short but highly effective advertising moment in a specific scenario the "best advertising moment."

First remember a few key words: specific scenario, short-term, and efficient, which will be discussed later.

Still don’t understand?

Don’t worry, let’s take a look at some of the “best advertising moments” in life.

3. Examples of “Best Advertising Moments”

3.1 Waiting for the elevator

For urban white-collar workers, waiting for and squeezing in elevators is a very common thing. When waiting in line for the elevator, most users are in a state of high concentration because they are worried that there are too many people and they won't be able to squeeze in.

At this moment, compared to staring at the boring elevator floor display numbers, the content of Focus Media (China's largest elevator advertising company) on the display screen one foot away is obviously more tempting. As long as the advertising content is acceptable, users will have a deep impression of it, so the time waiting for the elevator at the elevator entrance is the "best advertising moment".

The author once learned about "Luckin Coffee" endorsed by Zhang Zhen and Tang Wei from the elevator entrance on the first floor of the company (I don't drink coffee).

On the contrary, advertisements in elevators cannot be counted as "best advertising moments".

After entering the elevator, users' attention is focused on how long it will take to reach the designated floor, and they are likely to stare at the floor display screen. At the same time, the unpleasant smell in the elevator, the deep corner location, too many tall people in front, and people frequently coming in and out... may all interrupt the integrity of the advertising communication and greatly reduce the advertising effect.

3.2 Waiting for the bus

Before, the company was far away from the rented house, and I had to squeeze on the bus at 7 o'clock every morning. At first, when I was waiting for the bus at the bus stop, I always liked to hold breakfast in one hand and swipe my phone with the other; as a result, because I was too engrossed, I missed the bus several times and almost was late for work.

After a few lessons, I gradually gave up the habit of playing with my phone at the bus stop, and my attention naturally turned to the advertising billboards next to me. At the same time, I also found that many people do not play with their mobile phones at the bus stop, but rather look at the advertising boards on the bus stop. Why?

Buses frequently enter and exit bus stations, so passengers must pay attention to the station information. However, playing with mobile phones can easily make people immersed in the world of mobile phones and miss the bus.

Bus stops have a large flow of people and are areas where some theft gangs often roam. Once you are not paying attention, your wallet can be easily stolen.

Modern people will feel uncomfortable without their mobile phones. How can they make up for the boring time while waiting for the bus at the platform?

Bus stop billboard advertising is the only and best choice.

Therefore, waiting time at the bus stop is also a "best time for advertising".

On the contrary, the advertising effect inside buses is not as good as that on bus platforms, because buses frequently stop and start, passengers get on and off, and the noisy environment inside the bus makes it difficult to ensure the integrity of the advertising. At the same time, there will be voice reminders when the bus arrives at the station. Many passengers put on headphones and stare at their mobile phones as soon as they get on the bus, completely ignoring the advertisements on the bus.

In addition, waiting for a movie to start in the cinema can also be called the "best advertising moment".

4. Characteristics of “Best Advertising Moments”

After looking at the above cases, we should be able to perceive the unique charm and super strong effect of the “best advertising moment”.

So what kind of time can be called the "best advertising moment"?

How do we find more “best advertising moments”?

The author has sorted out several typical characteristics of the "best advertising moment":

4.1 Short advertising time

First of all, as can be seen from the example of the opening ads on video websites, the “best advertising moment” must ensure that the advertising time is short enough.

This is because once the waiting time is too long, it will be difficult for users to stay focused throughout the entire process, and they may even look for other projects to pass the advertising time, which will ultimately greatly reduce the effectiveness of the advertising.

For example, for the same opening advertisement, are there really users waiting for the 120-second advertisement on domestic websites?

Most people probably switch to other windows and wait for the ad to finish automatically.

Waiting for an elevator, a bus, or a movie is generally a relatively short process. The shorter the time, the more it can attract the user's attention.

4.2 Waiting for something "important"

For example, waiting for an elevator, a bus, or a movie... the user is in a waiting state at this moment, and the thing they are waiting for must be of a certain importance.

Once you miss this opportunity, you may have to spend extra time, energy, money and other costs, so you need to keep your mental attention highly focused.

The more focused the user is, the better the advertising effect will be.

Similarly, if the thing is ordinary or not that important, it will be difficult for users to stay focused.

For example, when you take a Didi, the driver will definitely call you after arriving at the designated location, so you will never miss the bus. So you just need to do your own thing at the designated location and don't worry about roadside advertising.

4.3 What you are waiting for should not be too "exciting"

This principle is easy to understand. For example, we just watched a product advertisement and then immediately went to participate in a marathon. After running, can you still remember the content of the advertisement?

Therefore, although what happens after the "best advertising moment" is important, it must not be too "stimulating" so as not to break up the user's memory of the advertisement.

For example, waiting for a bus or waiting for a movie, which is taking a bus or watching a movie respectively, are relatively slow activities. The impact and dilution on the user's front-end memory are not that strong, and the corresponding advertising communication effect is more ideal.

4.4 Advertising and waiting are similar in nature

The fact that “content is similar” cannot be considered a feature of “Best Advertising Moments”, but rather a core part of improving the effectiveness of “Best Advertising Moments”.

For example, when the American blockbuster "Fast and Furious" is about to be shown in the cinema, it would definitely be more effective to use Red Bull (to emphasize youthful vigor) than to use Wei Yi soy milk (to emphasize beauty and comfort) to run the opening advertisement in the cinema.

Placing sports equipment (Spalding basketballs), sportswear (Li Ning sneakers), and sports drinks (Red Bull) at the bus stops leading to the gymnasium should have a good effect.

V. Summary

OK, at this point I must state that the “best advertising moment” is only a special product under special circumstances and time, and is not universal.

The story of YouTube also emphasizes that in order to achieve better marketing results, advertisers need to continuously optimize the quality of their ads.

Therefore, even at the "best advertising moment", advertising content is still the most core factor affecting advertising quality.

Author: Zhuoshui Creek

Source: Zhuoshui River