There may not be enough ad dollars to go around for video sites, so they should aim to diversify the type of advertising they rely on, says digital video consultant Joanna Breen during an interview taped at the recent Beet.TV executive retreat. "Video content creators have to start looking at a nuanced content strategy in order to survive," she says.
While pre-rolls and mid-rolls will play a part, she urges publishers and video creators to look into branded video and native video ad experiences on their sites. "Native video doesn't mean you will give the brand the ability to script its own video. But you will look at what the brand can offer in terms of expertise or anything the consumer can find truly useful, shareable, giftable," she says.
Then there are sponsorship models, which can provide a solid return on the investment as well. Creators should bear in mind that very targeted, niche videos may often do well if they can attract specific products or services as advertisers. By contrast, creators making broad, lifestyle-centric content may not be able to command high CPMs. For more insight into types of videos and the ad models that suit them, check out this video interview.
