Pre-Rolls: Benefits and Flaws
Pre-roll is a short (no longer than 30 seconds) video ad. Pre-rolls are sometimes mistakenly referred to as mid-rolls (ads inserted into the 'body' of the video) or post-trolls (inserted at the end of the video).
The main goal of pre-roll ads is to increase audience coverage as well as brand awareness using the natural integration of the promoted product or service into videos on an online platform (YouTube, Vimeo, streaming services, etc.).
But beware! People are mostly annoyed by such videos, so you should make pre-rolls enticing: the more interesting the ad, the higher the chances it will be watched till the end.
Pre-Roll Ad Types
Different platforms have different requirements regarding the length and the quality of the pre-rolls. Still, as YouTube remains the most popular platform, we further focus on their demands to illustrate the situation.
Here are examples of YouTube pre-rolls:
- Skippable. You can skip the video after 5 seconds. It's essential to pique viewers' curiosity, thus making them watch the video to the end.
- Unskippable. Videos that you cannot skip. On YouTube, the duration of unskippable ads reaches 15-20 seconds, but the fact you cannot skip it does not mean it will be watched: you have to make it intriguing anyway.
- Bumper. Non-skippable clips up to 6 seconds long. Those are almost always watched to the end because even if the viewer puts down the phone, they will have to take it back in a couple of seconds. Usually, such pre-rolls are used to increase brand awareness.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The main feature of pre-rolls is that they are shown even before the video is played: the viewer is tuned to watch so that the ad will be practically hardwired into the brain. In addition, pre-rolls have a wide range of advantages:
- Almost guaranteed run-through. Some viewers believe pre-rolls are a waste of their valuable time, so if you do not want to associate your brand with something negative, make your ad intriguing. In case of success, it will be watched till the end, even if there's a skip button.
- Quick audience response. A person can order a product or service immediately after showing interest. Various interactive tools, such as links and buttons, allow you to reduce the viewer's response time to a minimum.
- Ease of perception. The imposed time limit simplifies the information, making it easier to digest. Compare it to other promos, where the details are so vague and complicated that the target audience doesn't even understand what they need to do.
- Significant visibility boost. Pre-rolls are ideal for branding campaigns. They get memorized easily and can be repeated several times if necessary.
- High relevance. GEOs, topics, keywords, search queries, user interests, social status, age group, everything should be taken into account.
Highlight: every third marketer (29%) says pre-rolls are the most effective advertising tool on YouTube.
Although pre-rolls seem to be a unique tool helping gain more customers, it has a number of disadvantages:
- the video can be skipped, or the viewer can simply move away from the screen;
- the idea should be conveyed in a limited time;
- the ad may appear next to an undesirable commercial.
YouTube Pre-Roll Ad. How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of YouTube pre-rolls depends on the GEO, duration, and targeting settings. But the average rates are as follows:
- 200+ impressions — $10;
- 800+ impressions — $40;
- 2000+ impressions — $100.
Attention! YouTube itself chooses channels where to show your pre-rolls: the platform will analyze the parameters of the advertising campaign. You can collaborate with a blogger to hit the target and buy an insert from them. In this case, you'll have to analyze the audience carefully so that the promoted product is relevant for the viewers.
Such ads cannot be skipped but can be easily fast-forwarded. Also, it will not start at the very beginning of the video, but at 5-10 minutes, when the people who accidentally clicked on the video left.
Although such pre-rolls can be rewound, YouTube gurus manage to integrate promos so masterfully that they seem exciting and don't turn into an eyesore.
How to Make a High-Quality Pre-Roll
To intrigue the audience, follow the rules:
- simplify the information and shorten the message;
- convey the bottom line within the first 5 seconds (ideally, you'd better intrigue the viewer);
- remember: skippable inserts are not as annoying as unskippable ones;
- make sure to add interactive forms for feedback;
- adjust targeting: this is what makes the whole thing effective.
Conclusion
With the right approach, pre-rolls are a powerful and relatively inexpensive promotional tool. If you take a creative approach, they will turn into an excellent engagement funnel.
