HOW TO ADD VIDEO TO HTML5 ADS

Across platforms from Facebook and Instagram to Youtube and HTML5 banners, video ads simply perform better. From conveying complex messages, getting user attention, and even building trust, dynamic content is the future of banner ads for good reason. But even if you’re an old pro at creating and running ad campaigns with traditional static banners, video might present a bit of a learning curve.

That’s why we’ve put together this simple guide to show you exactly what you need to do to add video to HTML5 ads.

Understanding the types of video ads

While we’re focusing on in-banner video ads here, you need to be familiar with all three types in case you want to use the same content or even search for information about how to do something.

In-stream video ads play within existing video content. These ads are only seen when a user requests to view a video. For example, these are the kind of ads you see on platforms like Youtube. Outstream ads are standalone video ads which generally begin playing automatically when the user comes across them (usually once they’re more than 50% visible on screen). These kinds of ads are common on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

So, when you’re looking for advice on information on HTML5 banner ads which use video, be sure to search for in-banner ads so you don’t have to wade through information about unrelated video ad types.

Creating HTML5 video ads: manual vs automated

Plenty of companies are turned off of video ads because of the difficulty and complexity of manually coding them. Even with a skilled developer, this is a daunting task. Add in the need to regularly update those ads and the whole thing becomes unrealistic very quickly.

That’s why automated video banner creation tools are so important. Steameye in particular allows you to use the banner tools you’re already familiar with to easily generate, format, and update video banner ads at scale.

What your HTML5 video ads should (and should not) be doing

• Ensure your videos are optimized for mobile or desktop viewing.
• Make sure your videos are the right length. Around 15 seconds should be the maximum.
• Ensure your files aren’t too large. Ideally your video file should be around 1MB at either 25 or 30 frames-per-second. Larger files will slow down page speeds and might be rejected by the site.
• Keep your videos simple, you only have 15 seconds to convey a message so ensure that message is straightforward.
• Consider the user experience, how will a user encounter your video, what will their state of mind be? Putting yourself in the users shoes will help you ensure your video is more effective and persuasive. This also means having a very clear CTA.
• Always be testing. As with any kind of digital ads, it’s best to approach HTML5 video banner ads as hypotheses to test ideas you have about your ads and audience. So instead of just creating videos without forethought, consider the questions you’d like your video performance data to answer and go from there.

Follow IAB guidelines

Also, we recommend following The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)’s digital advertising guidelines. These guidelines get into some of the technical specifications for how you can ensure the videos you create work seamlessly wherever you need to use them and would be accepted by a wide range of publishers.

Start experience the power of HTML5 video ads today

With the power of HTML5 ads being so evident, now that StreamEye has tools which make them easier than ever to use, what are you waiting for? See for yourself why businesses like yours are shifting their attention and resources to video for better results.