You’ve likely stumbled across at least a few video ads while browsing the Web, whether on content sites, or video commercials while watching online videos from major TV networks or other sites.  Ad networks, like Google Adsense, offer a video ad option, so you may even be displaying video ads on your own websites. But are video ads here to stay, or just another obnoxious ad type soon to find its way out the door as yet another example of fad marketing?

How it Works:

It’s pretty simple: instead of displaying graphic ads, like banners, a website uses its space to display a video ad. The video ads could be pop-ups, could be in traditional square and rectangle ad sizes within content, worked into content-based videos, etc.

Fad or Fab?

FAB – Here’s why – I don’t see video ads disappearing any time in the near future. They’re harder to ignore than simple banners and other graphics-based advertisements. As time goes on more site visitors will be able to easily view online videos, exposing them as possible video ad audiences; not less. And they give advertisers more freedom in creating ads.

There are definitely some down sides to video ads, so I’m not suggesting everyone run out and create them. For starters, they can be expensive to create. Because of connection speeds, you might also have a hard time reaching certain markets with video ads at this point, so you’ll need to make that call based on your target market. Also, you won’t be able to place your video ads in as many places online as you can with graphic and text ads, meaning you’ll need to either convince your current publishers to try them, or find new publishers to work with instead of, or in addition to, your current publishers.

Overall, I see video ads as still being in its infancy, with plenty of room to grow, and definitely a fab marketing tactic in the making.