8 Types of Video Advertising For Your Brand

Video advertising includes eight formats that can enhance your brand's digital presence.

With consumers increasingly engaging with video content across various platforms, leveraging the right video advertising formats is essential for brands aiming to capture attention and drive conversions.

This guide explores eight video ad formats that can enhance your brand’s digital strategy: in-stream, out-stream, social media, rewarded, native, shoppable, interactive, and CTV/OTT ads.

Each format offers unique strengths and engagement opportunities, making it essential for marketers to understand their impact.

Brands can craft effective video campaigns that resonate with their audience, enhance visibility, and drive measurable results.

As video consumption rises, staying ahead of trends and adapting your strategy keeps your brand competitive in the fast-evolving digital landscape.

Key Takeaways

• In-stream video ads show up before, during, or after the main content on streaming platforms. These include pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll formats.
• Out-stream ads fit smoothly into article content and social feeds. They play automatically as users scroll through pages.
• Social media video ads use specific formats like stories, in-feed videos, and live streams. These help reach the right audiences.
• Interactive video ads turn simple watching into active engagement. They use clickable parts, hotspots, and branching stories.
• Connected TV (CTV) and OTT advertising send targeted content through streaming services. This reaches audiences who have cut the cord effectively.

What is Video Advertising?

Video advertising has become a strong tool for reaching and engaging audiences digitally.

Marketing strategies are changing, but many brands are using video ads effectively.

Since consumers are spending more time watching online content, these ads help brands connect with their target markets and achieve good results.

Video advertising includes any type of ads that use videos and sound to share messages on digital platforms.

This style is taking over internet traffic. By 2024, it is expected that video will make up 82% of all online traffic.

Video ads come in many forms, like pre-roll ads on YouTube and interactive stories on social media.

Each type has its role in marketing. Video advertising works well because it mixes pictures, sounds, and interactive parts.

This combination creates engaging experiences that connect with viewers. These ads can also affect their buying choices.

1. In-Stream Ads (Pre-roll, Mid-roll, Post-roll)

In-stream ads are one of the most common types of video ads.

You can find them before, during, or after video content on popular platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and different streaming services.

When we create our video ad strategies, we will see three different types of in-stream ads.

Pre-roll ads show up before the main content starts. They can be skippable or non-skippable.

This makes them great for grabbing viewers’ attention right away.

Mid-roll ads show up during breaks in the content, just like TV commercials do.

They often get more people to watch them all the way through because viewers are already paying attention.

Post-roll ads show up after the main content ends.

Even though they usually have less engagement, they help remind people about a brand or give action steps.

Each format has its purpose in our marketing plans.

We can use them wisely based on our campaign goals, the audience we want to reach, and where we want to share them.

2. Out-Stream Ads

Out-stream video ads are a new way to advertise digitally.

They go beyond the limits of traditional video content.

These ads show up smoothly in articles or social media feeds.

They start playing automatically as users scroll through what they like.

You can often see them placed between text paragraphs or mixed into social platforms.

Out-stream ads are very effective because they play automatically without sound.

They use strong visuals and captions to share their message.

They are made to get attention without bothering the user experience.

This makes them a popular choice on websites, mobile apps, and social media platforms.

Best For: Brands that want to grow their visibility and reach.

They also want to do this in a way that is not in the way of how users normally read and enjoy content.

Pros:

• It fits smoothly into how users browse without making them watch it.
• It's affordable because advertisers usually pay only when viewers interact.
• It connects with audiences who are not on regular video sites.

Cons:

• Users might ignore it if they are focused on reading content.
• It needs strong visuals because it plays automatically without sound.
• The performance metrics might be lower than in-stream ads because people watch them passively.

3. Social Media Video Ads

Social media is a big part of our online life. Video ads on these platforms are very important.

They help businesses connect with the people they want to reach.

This is because people spend a lot of time on social media.

These ads blend well into what users do every day on social media.

They allow brands to find different ways to reach their target audience.

The main formats are story ads. These ads provide full-screen experiences.

You can see them on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.

• In-feed video ads show up like regular content as users scroll through their social media.
• Live stream ads grab viewers’ attention during live broadcasts.

Each format needs its video ad strategies. This helps to make them work better on each platform.

When we use social media video ads, we need to think about what makes each platform's audience different.

It is important to create content that fits their needs and interests.

For example, TikTok users like fast and fun content.

On the other hand, LinkedIn users prefer videos that are professional and give useful information for their work.

4. Rewarded Video Ads

Rewarded video ads are a special way of advertising online.

They go beyond the usual social media ads.

This approach helps both advertisers and users.

When viewers watch these video ads, they get real rewards.

These rewards can be in-app currency, extra lives, or access to premium content.

Rewarded video ads are very effective in digital video marketing because users choose to watch them.

This opt-in feature allows people to engage with the content.

As a result, these ads have higher completion rates and create better feelings about the brand.

We see this format doing well, especially in mobile games. Players are happy to earn rewards by watching ads.

The voluntary aspect of these ads helps create an audience that is more open to them.

Users see the value offered in exchange. As a result, rewarded video ads are becoming a more appealing choice for brands.

They want to reach engaged audiences and offer clear advantages to viewers.

5. Native Video Ads

Native video ads do not disrupt the user experience like other video ads.

Instead, they blend into the environment around them.

These online video ads align with the look of the platform.

This makes them feel like a regular part of the content that users are enjoying.

• Native ads are one of the best ways to do video advertising.
• They keep viewers interested by fitting into content suggestions or social media feeds.
• Instead of breaking up what users are looking at, they mix well with the content.
• These ads may be labelled as “sponsored” or “promoted” to be clear and honest.

This format usually gets more people to engage than regular video ads.

Viewers feel these ads are less annoying and closer to what they like.

When done right, native video ads share your message well and keep the user experience nice.

They are becoming a popular choice for brands that want to connect in a real way with their audience.

6. Shoppable Video Ads

Shoppable video ads combine fun and online shopping.

They let viewers buy products right in the video they are watching.

This makes watching videos more than just a fun time; it turns viewing into a chance to shop.

It helps people move smoothly from finding something they like to buying it.

When we plan video ad campaigns, we notice that shoppable videos do well.

This is especially true on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Users on these sites are ready and excited for shopping experiences.

Shoppable videos are different from regular YouTube ads.

With regular ads, viewers usually need to click on several pages. Shoppable videos make it easier.

They show product catalogues, prices, and checkout options right in the video. There is no hassle in finding what you want.

We can use different formats for these ads. This includes live-streaming events, working with influencers, and showing product demos.

The secret to doing well is to add shopping elements smoothly.

This should not disturb the viewer's experience. Product placement must feel natural and fit well with the content shown.

7. Interactive Video Ads

Interactive video ads are a new and exciting development in online advertising.

They let viewers get involved in what they watch.

This is done with clickable elements, different story paths, and choices that happen right away.

These ads change passive viewers into active participants.

They do this by adding decision points, questions, and features that allow the viewers to interact and influence the content.

Brands are using this format to create fun experiences. It allows people to look at products, take polls, or pick their path in the video.

• Interactive parts can have hotspots that show more information.
• They may include quizzes that check what people know about the product.
• There can also be branching scenarios that make the viewer's experience more personal.

This method greatly improves how people engage and buy. Viewers spend more time and focus when they take part in the content.

• To be most effective, use interactive video ads.
• They work well in product demonstrations.
• They are great for educational content.
• They can also help in storytelling campaigns.
• User participation can improve learning and discovery.

8. Connected TV (CTV) & Over-the-Top (OTT) Ads

As more people use streaming services, Connected TV (CTV) ads and Over-the-Top (OTT) ads have become strong ways to reach viewers who no longer use traditional cable.

We're noticing these ads showing up on popular platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Roku.

Viewers are spending more time watching content on these screens.

CTV and OTT advertising work well because they can show specific content that fits what viewers like.

This is based on the data and choices of the viewers.

We can now target specific groups of people with our ads.

This is different from traditional TV advertising. It helps us make sure that our ads reach the right viewers.

These platforms help us monitor how people engage.

We can change our campaigns right away. This makes them cheaper than regular TV ads.

For brands that want to reach today's audiences, CTV and OTT advertising is a great option.

We can connect with people who no longer use cable TV.

At the same time, we keep the strong effect of big-screen ads in their homes.

Summary

As we look at these eight types of video ads, we can see that each one has its own goals.

Some formats, like in-stream ads, catch viewers’ attention while they watch content.

Others offer interactive experiences to keep viewers engaged.

There are more chances now to connect with our audiences.

By knowing these different formats and how to use them, we can make better video strategies that fit our marketing goals and what our audience likes.