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OTT ads have the potential to bring incredible success to their advertisers. Many people use a wide range of devices while streaming content, which makes OTT ads highly effective. Imagine, for example, a realtor who creates an effective OTT ad: consumers who are interested in purchasing or selling a home might choose to look up that realtor while continuing to watch their other content. By streamlining your OTT ads and combining them with your television ads, you can often expand your advertising results and overall marketing ROI.
Understand Your Target Audience
As you're planning your OTT ads, start by deepening your understanding of your target audience. What are their interests? What type of content are they watching? When are they watching it? If you're advertising to parents with young children, for example, they might stream children's programs during the day, but turn to more adult programming at night. Other consumers might watch specific types of content: sci-fi fans, for example, will likely stream the latest science fiction shows and programs.
You should also consider what platforms your target audience uses most often to stream their content. Are they using Hulu? Netflix? Amazon Prime? Do they stream most often from YouTube? By considering the platform your users frequent, you can increase your ability to highly target ads directly to the platforms they use the most. Video marketing can encompass a variety of platforms, allowing you to expand your reach--but the platform your users are on can change the way you engage with them.
Finally, familiarize yourself with the devices your target audience chooses to watch the content. Do they most often use mobile devices? Smart TVs? Tablets? Understanding the devices your users use most often can help you create ads that are tailored to those platforms and screens. You may want to create interactive ads for tablets and mobile devices, while your smart TV-directed ads may have a higher focus on content that users will respond to later after they finish watching their programming.
Create Engaging Ads
Consider the type of content that will get the attention of your target audience. What emotions do they respond to most? What types of content will they most likely react to? Are consumers in your target audience most interested in video ads, or do they have a more effective response to audio ads? The type of ad that will deliver the best results will depend on the specific platform you are advertising on or the type of content you are advertising within. For example, the ad you create for YouTube videos might be focused more on providing a quick message with an interactive CTA, whereas ads on other streaming services like Hulu might suggest visiting a website through a more visual ad.
How can you create an OTT ad that will entice your target audience to follow the call-to-action? It starts with creating highly engaging content that your customers are genuinely interested in. Create content that they will respond to and engage with. Regular ads can help you get a better idea of the type of content your customers respond to well. Consider what emotions your target audience resonates with most. Do they respond well to humor or ads that raise positive emotion? Make your ads as engaging as possible. With OTT, you can create ads that consumers can interact with directly and respond to immediately. Often, they're streaming content on mobile devices, which means connecting with your brand is no more than a click away.
Work with a Media Partner
As you work to create your OTT ads, a media partner can add immense value to your ads and your campaign. Media partners can offer expert advice on creating ads that will translate best on OTT platforms, including creating exactly the types of content your customers want most when they connect with your brand. They also have the knowledge of how to target your OTT ads to reach the right people at the right time, including taking advantage of programming or channels you might not have considered yet on your own. Media partners often have extensive experience with advertising on a variety of platforms and for a variety of different audiences, which can translate to a more effective ad that is more likely to reach your audience.
OTT ads can significantly extend your reach and make it easier for you to reach your targeted audiences. OTT services also allow for the targeting of segmented audiences: since you can choose the programming you target, you can often target your ads directly to the consumers who are most likely to benefit from your products or services. This means of advertising also often offer more immediate results: people streaming content can interact directly within the ad itself, which means they can respond immediately, rather than having to wait until a later time to interact with your content. By working with a media partner to create those ads, you can expand your reach and enhance your ability to target the consumers who most need your services.
