Over 80% of people in the US watch OTT content. Whether it’s a long-awaited series finale on Netflix and Disney, or a humble YouTube video, we are consuming more OTT content than ever before.
This presents an exciting opportunity for advertisers. Since the market is headed so clearly in one direction, they can safely invest in OTT marketing strategies.
At the same time, the OTT market stays unpredictable. For example, in the second quarter of this year, Netflix lost almost 1 million subscribers. How can OTT advertising stay on the ball, and make sure they don’t make the same mistakes?
The key is to notice which trends are working.
And that can be predicted. It’s all about user experience.
People will act on adverts that resonate with them, and that come at the right time. This is true regardless of the marketing method. So here are our top four tips for which OTT marketing trends are worth investing in for 2022 and beyond.
1. Advertising with the Streaming Giants
More and more streaming services have adverts on their sites. As powerful as other OTT methods are, this is no doubt the biggest trend of 2022. The audiences your adverts will reach on a streaming service are unlike any other.
Individual premieres of streaming shows can achieve billions of hours in viewership. For example, 2021’s Squid Game on Netflix was viewed by over 142 million accounts. And the majority of these will have had multiple viewers per account.
That’s bigger than the Super Bowl.
The last Super Bowl had an average audience of only 112 million. With the ability to hit that number multiple times throughout the year, advertising on streaming services is definitely the way to go. It’s like every advert is playing at halftime.
2. A Focus on Personalization
TV and other video streaming services personalize their recommendations per viewer. Over months and years, their data predicts exactly what they’ll want to watch.
As an OTT advertiser, you can use that to your advantage. Based on your target demographic, select the type of video or tv show you’d like your advert to appear with.
This high-level audience targeting is one of the best ways to make sure your OTT marketing campaign pays off. Instead of broadcasting by location, time, or even age, you can get more specific. You can target an audience’s entertainment preferences.
This doesn’t guarantee you’ll hit the perfect customer every time. But it’ll generally be a different audience watching Cocomelon and Stranger Things!
And when you choose to work with OTT experts, your targeted ads can hit their marks like never before.
3. Quick and Clear
Have you ever been watching a YouTube ad and seen the “skip ad” button but chosen not to click it? What did that advert do in 5 seconds that intrigued you enough to keep watching?
It may have been funny, informative, intriguing, moving, or shocking. Either way, it caught your attention.
This is the job of all advertising, but especially OTT advertising. OTT advertising either precedes or interrupts other video content. So for people to keep watching, it has to intrigue them as much as content that they’ve picked for themselves.
To do that, you need to make a statement.
In 2022 and beyond, the OTT ads that prevail get to the point immediately. They are clear, concise, and don’t pretend to be something they’re not. Their call to actions are clear and actionable immediately, with interactive elements.
That is the only way they can hold people’s attention as they wait for the content they really want.
4. Making OTT Ads Interactive
Consuming OTT media is generally a passive activity. People consume video content while relaxing out and about or at home with little to no effort.
Many people struggle with feeling guilty when consuming media, compared to doing activities. In an attempt to keep people engaged, interactive OTT content is emerging. It provides users with the feeling that they’re involved and that they’re not “wasting” their time.
For example, Netflix has several interactive tv shows that are growing in popularity. From 2022 onwards, advertisers will incorporate this next step of OTT media.
Some advertisers already have ads that allow users to select which one they will watch. Users are presented with two different versions of the advert. They’re then given the option to pick which one they’re interested in.
But this is barely interactive.
What actually captures people’s attention is when they – the user – make a difference. Just like an interactive TV show, give the user the option to decide how the advert progresses. Design it to be a narrative they can influence, even though it’s less than a minute long.
This isn’t as challenging as it sounds. Many adverts already have clickable elements. For example, people pick from two choices, or even just click the “skip ad” button.
Instead, give them buttons they want to press, so they won’t even notice that they can skip the ad.
Work with the OTT Advertising Experts
When you work with a firm that specializes in OTT marketing, you’ll have access to their insights on everything from scale to platform choice. Plus, with Media Shark, you only pay if the audience engages with your advert. In other words, working with us is the most surefire way to ensure your investment is worthwhile.
Talk to us to see how much you could benefit from a partnership. It doesn’t matter how big or small your needs are. We’ll get you noticed.
Get in touch for a free consultation!
