Why Are Rich Media Ads So Popular?
In mobile advertising, rich media is an easy way to provide value for both consumers and brands. Consumers appreciate that it’s entertaining, while marketers love that it allows them to measure secondary actions like behavioral intent. No wonder eMarketer predicts that display advertising — “fueled by video and rich media” — will account for half of all U.S. digital ad dollars spent this year.
Rich media is perfectly suited to presenting products in a compelling and useful way. And when combined with location based targeting, it can also drive in-store visits and real-world purchase results. Our research shows that in Retail, users are 1.5 times more likely to visit a store after viewing a rich media ad than if they see a standard display ad. In the Automotive and QSR (quick service restaurant) categories, that number increases to 1.6 times and 2.0 times, respectively.
Formats like the Double Gallery, offered through our third-party advertising partner Celtra, allows users to see multiple product options. The highly interactive Hotspot Gallery lets users learn more about the product offerings without leaving the ad unit and the feature can be combined with a dynamic map to locate closest business locations.
There are other ways to make the most of rich media and maximize your ad spend, too. Here’s how you can improve your engagement and impact through gaming, video, and dynamic content.
Gaming
When we compared campaigns from 2016 to this year for the Florida Keys, we saw 26% higher video completion rate and 40% higher unit engagement rate on units that included a quick and easy to play gaming that led to videos. But not all gaming ads are created equal. To really resonate with users, the concept should relate to the product rather than defaulting to a generic gaming. For example, when promoting its McCafé Oreo Frappé, McDonald’s invited users to tap on an Oreo cookie to crumble it onto whipped cream. Another mobile gaming ad, created to coincide with the Super Bowl, had users swiping the screen to throw a football through the goal. Both strategies not only attract players, but also boost brand recall while inviting consumers to have some fun.
Video
The glut of video content consumers face online on a daily basis can make it difficult for brands to stand out. One way to ensure you’re connecting with consumers is by delivering the most crucial message as quickly as possible, ideally within the first 5 seconds of your video.
When IPG Media Lab analyzed consumers’ video viewing behavior in relation to nearly dozen different types of ads, it found that most users will skip a 15-second ad within the first 5.5 seconds. By front-loading your creative with your value proposition, offer, and brand name, you can communicate your marketing message before your audience taps away.
In eMarketer’s Digital Video Advertising Best Practices 2017 report, industry experts referred to this strategy as branding “early and often.” There’s no guarantee that viewers will stick around to watch your ad in its entirety, but this approach increases your chances of making an impact.
Dynamic Content
One final, incredibly impactful way to reach and engage potential customers is by leveraging location to deliver more tailored and personalized ads.
Using a local advertising platform to derive variables like language, audience, weather, and time to create contextualized messaging is a strong strategy for capturing your audience’s attention. For example, you can switch up products for a retail brand based on the weather in their current location. If a user is currently in a location where it’s raining the ad will show a rain jacket, if they’re outside in the sun, the ad will show sunglasses. By delivering an ad that is more relevant to the consumer’s current location – and mindset – you are more likely to resonate with their needs at that moment in time.
If your local mobile advertising creative isn’t performing as well as you’d like it to, rich media formats like these — coupled with location targeting — are a must. For more rich media best practices, and ideas on how you can make your ads more effective, get in touch with us today.
