Google has rolled out their new outstream video ads, a new AdWords format targeting users through mobile browsers and apps.
Outstream video ads will run on Google video partner sites and apps, such as Bumper and TrueView in-stream ads. They will start to play with the sound switched off, but users are free to turn it on or watch the video from its start if they take an interest in it.
Alternatively, they can just keep browsing without having to interact at all. The automatic lack of sound reduces the ads’ intrusiveness.
Outstream video ads don’t need to be placed within a video on YouTube, unlike TrueView or Bumper. This major change offers brands the opportunity to reach prospects with an effective rolling ad even where YouTube videos aren’t normally available.
They will be charged on a viewable CPM basis, so you only pay when your ads are on screen and viewable by users. This means businesses don’t need to pay just for having their ads running on a mobile site or app if users fail to scroll far enough to see them.
Continuing Google’s Mobile-first Focus
This is another important step in Google’s mobile-first approach, targeting users preferring to browse via their smartphone or tablet. The majority of searches are conducted on mobile devices, and brands have to embrace this to maximize their appeal.
In their official blog post on outstream video ads, Google highlights how the Hong Kong Tourism board is raising awareness and expanding its reach, with some impressive stats: it has attained a 30 percent incremental reach, and each full video view costs 40 percent less. Their CPM is 85 percent lower too.
This mobile-focused feature follows Google’s move to start migrating sites that incorporated best practices for mobile-first indexing. Google now uses mobile versions of web pages for their indexing and ranking, to give searchers on a mobile device the most relevant sites in the SERPS.
Websites without a mobile-friendly version will still feature in the index, but could fall behind in the rankings.
The Power of Outstream Video Ads and AMP
While desktop versions of websites were the focus of Google’s indexing in the past, the continued bias towards smartphones and tablets has changed the game.
Maintaining fast load times and smooth navigation on mobile devices is crucial to satisfy searchers and minimize bounce rates, and outstream video ads are easy to interact with on smaller screens.
AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) are another step that have improved the browsing experience on many websites. AMP allows pages to load much more quickly than they do in standard HTML.
Google AdWords’ outstream video ads offer businesses a dynamic way to advertise for the valuable mobile market, alongside other paid search options. If you want to know more about how you can improve your online visibility for mobile users, get in touch!
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