Pinterest Presses Play on Video Advertising

Last month, the personal content collection site Pinterest announced a new way for businesses to reach their audience, in the form of Promoted Video Advertising. This announcement comes on the heels of another interesting development: According to Pinterest, video has become a major part of its ecosystem, with its 100 million active monthly users “pinning” 60% more videos over the past year than before. This advertising integration brings them up to speed with some of the more common – and more social media-styled – apps, such as Instagram and Snapchat, which have already integrated video advertising into their design.

The Power of Video Engagement

It’s no mystery that video has always been a major player when it comes to advertising, but, like it did with so many things, the Internet changed the way users engage with video. This change continues to evolve as the technology does.

• 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute.
• Video is used by 87% of online marketers.
• In 2015, almost $60 billion was spent on digital advertising; $7.7 billion of that was on video.
• Video helps 96% of users decide on whether or not to purchase a product or service.

As a method of engagement with customers, video is not only more likely to generate interaction, but also leave a lasting impression. Digital Content Next reports that 80% of viewers can remember a video advertisement they saw in the last 30 days.

What Are Promoted Video Ads?

A Promoted Video ad is a unique form of advertising that retailers can modify to fit specific content. On Pinterest, it appears as an animated image, similar to a GIF. If the user opens this animated image, a video which provides more information on the subject is then played. Retailers can also add up to six related images under the video, which users can “pin,” or in some cases, act as links to purchase the products featured in the video.

The ability to target advertising specifically to a user isn’t anything new. Since the late ‘90s, targeted advertising has used everything from search habits to shopping history to gear advertising toward a user’s personal tastes and interests. Targeting is even present on social media, not only in regards to advertising, but an algorithmic approach form the basis of how users view and interact with their online friends and content.

The unique opportunity that Pinterest has is that it is comprised entirely of content “pinned” by the user. This makes the advertising much more organic in nature. Users actively search for specific things to “pin” to specific boards, which gives advertisers an opportunity to make equally specific video ads, and are more likely to encourage user engagement.

Professional Video Advertising and Marketing

Video advertising is just one of the many approaches taken by the professionals at Utah SEO Pros. Along with our tailor-made techniques to market your company, our video production services can help your business create a lasting impression. Contact us today for a free consultation and learn how we can help you press play on advancing your organization.