Ads compete with many distractions in order to get a user’s attention. Banner ads, for instance, compete with content. Radio ads compete with the ability to change stations, and television ads compete against the ability to fast forward. Only our smartphones manage to captivate our attention for any significant length of time, and that makes the mobile video ads an important part of the landscape in 2015 and beyond.

Hard Stats

It is common knowledge that smartphone adoption is up, but video consumption on these devices grew a staggering 400 percent during the latter part of 2014. That’s a significant chunk of all hours spent viewing videos online. It’s had such a significant impact that it’s triggered a debate over how to manage all of this traffic within the marketing community, and a debate over faster connection speeds at the government level.

A large portion of the videos seen are ads. Most of them are short, which explains the volume, but they must still have strong messaging to be successful.

Making Video Ads Effective

In order to make a video ad effective, you have to employ some of the same tactics TV shows and movies use themselves. Namely, make the ad hook the viewer in within the first few seconds. Keep your messaging simple and the video brief until you’ve developed a solid understanding of what your audience responds to.

Mobile video ads do have the built-in advantage of holding the user’s attention. Consider how we use mobile: while in transit or waiting in line. During times when we are seeking distraction. Use that time wisely and your engagement and conversion rates might see a bump in performance.

Bio: Ted Dhanik is the co-founder and CEO of engage:BDR. Ted Dhanik is passionate about digital advertising, and has been in the business since the early 2000s. If you want to buy targeted traffic to build your business, talk with Ted Dhanik and the team at engage:BDR.