The world of video ads is going to be changing in 2020—though many of the processes for creating video ads will remain the same, the method of distribution will change.

We outline the six video advertising trends we will see in 2020 so you can make changes to your marketing proposal template before Q1 comes along.

AI and Video Ads

Artificial intelligence is playing a bigger part in the digital marketing sphere than most marketers realize.

Machine learning AI are some of the most sophisticated technology available to marketers at the moment—because they don’t just spew out programmed replies.

The AI of today is learning on-the-go and marketers should be looking to use AI technology to streamline their advertising campaigns.

How does this work? AI can be used to collect and examine analytics generated by your social media followers and users.

With this information, you can work on market segmentation so that the video ads you create can be targeted for specific audiences.

This method will help you tailor your video ad content—as well as the form and timing of the ad—to reach your audience when and where they will be most likely to engage.

AI has been catching on in 2019, but come 2020, AI will become a household name for marketers and the video advertising world. 

In-App Video Ads

Most brands are finding ways to build their own mobile app instead of just relying on mobile versions of their websites.

Mobile apps are far better designed for the mobile user experience, and can also include more functionality than a website can afford.

However, one of the primary barriers to successful mobile app marketing has been encouraging users to download the app.

But there is a way to encourage more downloads—in-app marketing that focuses on gamification.

Let us explain—unless a user is going to interact with a brand on a regular basis, they won’t see the need to download their app.

What brands need to do is give people a reason to download—exclusive app discounts, giveaways, and rewards are a great way to get people excited about downloading the app.

And once they have downloaded the app, you can include in-app video ads that will actually be seen from beginning to end because users will wait for the reward at the end of it.

In-Stream Ads

When you are trying to create cost effective Facebook ads, you should be looking at in-stream ads.

This is a video advertising trend that is tied directly into the rise of another technology—live videos and streaming.

Live video has really taken off over the last couple of years—and we could see it overtake pre-produced videos in 2020.

Because of the popularity of live video, it isn’t surprising that there are now ways to monetize the technology.

Facebook now allows the inclusion of video ads mid-stream of a live video—which is a great way of reaching an already enrapt audience.

YouTube first employed this model—the platform includes ads before and during videos and live streams—and Facebook has followed suit.

For marketers, creating optimized video ads that seamlessly transition within a live-stream will be the biggest priority as we step into 2020.

Vertical Over Horizontal

Mobile marketing trends have changed in the last two years—nearly 60% of video views are now generated via mobile phones.

This has also changed the kind of videos that marketers are having to create—to make the most of the mobile viewing area, vertical videos have to be prioritized over horizontal ads.

Look at it this way—almost all apps, particularly social media apps, are viewed and engaged with vertically. If your ad is horizontal, you are losing out on a great deal of real estate.

Additionally, the quality of your ad is severely impacted—if not properly optimized, your video ad could look stretched or distorted.

Vertical video ads aren’t going away so if you want to get in on this trend, you need to do so now.

Create your video ads with a vertical audience in mind and you will see more conversions in 2020.   

Mixed-Length Ads

There has been a push towards shorter and shorter ads over the past few years—at one point, six-second ads were said to be the most successful in social media and mobile marketing.

But this kind of thinking only takes into account one metric—completion rates. What is it doing for conversions and brand loyalty?

A short video ad isn’t the only kind that you can make—six seconds is a prohibitively short amount of time to share a story, call-to-action, and to insert recognizable brand elements.

Don’t focus your energy on making the most of a short video ad—instead, work on creating versions of your ad that can be viewed at different lengths.

A short teaser can be followed by a full 30-second or minute-long ad. The complete ad can be divided into smaller sections that are top and tailed with branding and calls-to-action.

In other words, 2020 is going to be the year of mixed-length ads—marketers won’t need to focus their energies only on short or long ads, but a combination of the two.

Influencer Ads

Influencer marketing isn’t going anywhere—in fact, it is going to continue to be an important part of digital marketing strategies in 2020.

But there is a different way of employing influencers in the coming year, that goes beyond guest blogging and sponsored Instagram posts. Influencers are set to be featured in brand video ads.

This upcoming trend isn’t surprising—influencers not only have massive followers, but they employ the power of storytelling in ways that most advertising just can’t capture.

Influencers have a great deal of personality and attitude and add a personal, intimate touch to the content they produce for brands.

22% of marketers believe that video advertising will affect their businesses, which is why influencer marketing is definitely something to invest in.

Expect to create long-term partnerships with influencers in 2020 so the hard work and money spent in these collaborations pays off in the long run.

Summing Up

2020 is going to bring some major changes to video advertising. We sum up our findings below:

• AI will be used to segment audiences and create tailored video ads
• In-app video ads that promise rewards will improve app download numbers
• More video ads will be inserted mid-stream in Facebook Live videos
• The rise of mobile marketing will see a focus on vertical video ads over horizontal ones
• Video ad lengths will vary instead of just being short
• Influencers will appear in video ads instead of just in sponsored posts

Following the above video advertising trends will help marketers improve their conversions in 2020.

Ronita Mohan is a content marketer at Venngage, a free infographic maker and design platform. She enjoys writing about digital marketing, sharing productivity tips, examining pop culture, and championing the need for representation.
Twitter: @Venngage