Video Advertising for Business: Formats That Work
Why does video advertising outperform static ads?
Video ads get more attention because they move. In a feed of static images and text, a video starts playing and the eye goes to it. That's not a marketing opinion - it's how visual attention works. LinkedIn reports that video ads get 30% more comments per impression than non-video ads. YouTube pre-roll has higher recall than display.
But "use video ads" is not a strategy. The format, length, platform, and production quality all matter. A $20,000 brand film that plays as a YouTube pre-roll performs differently than a $500 talking-head clip on LinkedIn. Knowing which format fits which goal is the difference between video advertising that works and video advertising that wastes budget.
What are the main video advertising formats?
In-feed social video ads
Native video ads on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. These appear in the user's feed alongside organic content. They work best at 15-60 seconds, with captions (most feeds are muted by default), and a hook in the first 3 seconds. Production can be low - authentic, phone-filmed content often outperforms polished ads in social feeds.
YouTube pre-roll and mid-roll
Skippable (after 5 seconds) or non-skippable (15 seconds) ads that play before or during YouTube videos. Pre-roll is good for brand awareness and retargeting. The critical element is the first 5 seconds - if you don't hook the viewer before the skip button appears, nothing else matters.
Connected TV (CTV) and OTT
Video ads on streaming platforms like Hulu, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. These are typically 15 or 30 seconds, non-skippable, and viewed on a big screen. Production quality matters more here because the viewing context is closer to traditional TV.
Programmatic video
Video ads served across websites and apps through ad networks. These are typically 15-30 second pre-roll or outstream (in-article) formats. They reach broad audiences but targeting quality varies by network.
How long should video ads be?
Match the length to the platform and the goal.
LinkedIn: 15-30 seconds for awareness, 30-60 seconds for consideration. YouTube pre-roll: 15 seconds non-skip, or 30 seconds if skippable (but front-load your message). Instagram/TikTok: 15 seconds or less. CTV: 15 or 30 seconds (standard broadcast lengths).
The general rule: shorter performs better for awareness, longer performs better for consideration. A 6-second bumper ad builds recall. A 60-second customer story builds trust. Use both in your media mix.
How do you produce video ads cost-effectively?
You don't need a $50K production for every ad. Most B2B video ads perform well with simple production - a person talking to camera, screen recordings, or a mix of footage and graphics. The creative matters more than the production value.
Batch production is the most efficient approach. Film a 30-minute session with your spokesperson, then cut it into: a 60-second hero ad, three 15-second variations for A/B testing, a vertical version for Stories, and a 6-second bumper. That's 6 ad assets from a single session.
With a promotional video production subscription, you can produce a full campaign's worth of ad creative each month without per-project agency fees. See how the economics compare in our agency vs Shootsta comparison.
How do you measure video advertising performance?
Different goals need different metrics. For awareness: view-through rate, brand lift, and cost per completed view. For consideration: click-through rate, landing page visits, and cost per site visit. For conversion: leads generated, cost per lead, and pipeline influenced.
The most common mistake is measuring all video ads by the same metric. A brand awareness ad judged by conversion rate will always look bad. A direct-response ad judged by view count will always look good. Match the metric to the objective.
