Video Advertising Archives Video Advertising

May 11 2023

YouTube NewFront 2023 Showcased Shorts To Reach Gen Z via @sejournal, @gregjarboe

On Monday, May 1, the annual YouTube NewFront showcased new ways to build awareness with YouTube Shorts to reach Gen Z.

The brands, agencies, and media buyers who attended the event at Google’s Pier 57 in New York City were just beginning four days of presentations.

So, YouTube tried to give the audience three key messages that they would remember by the time TikTok made its presentation on Thursday evening, May 4.

As I walked into Pier 57, it wasn’t hard to figure out what Big Red’s first message was: “YouTube Shorts is now averaging more than 50 billion daily views.”

Later I learned that, out of YouTube’s billions of monthly logged-in viewers, 1.5 billion are watching Shorts.

YouTube Shorts is now averaging more than 50 billion daily views

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

When I opened the YouTube NewFront program, it was obvious what the company’s second key message was: “Gen Z and YouTube go way back.”

Now, Gen Z has never known a world without 24/7 access to content from YouTube creators.

And “74% of Gen Z YouTube viewers agree there is content on the platform they can’t get anywhere else.”

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

To drive this message home, the YouTube NewFront event featured Jon Youshaei, who talked seriously about “What matters to Gen Z viewers.”

And we learned:

77% of this target demographic agree the platform allows them to curate their own entertainment.
73% of YouTube’s Gen Z viewers agree the platform is the best place to get a variety of opinions on a topic.
Over half of YouTube’s Gen Z viewers say they like the platform’s creators because they are “real and authentic.”

Then, Youshaei and Asia Jackson, Larray, and Darcei Giles entertained the audience with a game show entitled “Creator Games: The Gen Z edition.”

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

And I didn’t need a secret decoder ring to figure out the third key message: Kristen O’Hara, Vice President of Agency and Brand Solutions at Google, announced two “new ways to build awareness with YouTube Shorts.”

new ways to build awareness with YouTube Shorts

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

The two news announcements were:

Expanding Shorts into Video reach campaigns.
Introducing the YouTube Select Run of Shorts lineup.

If you want more details, then read “Google Bolsters Advertising On YouTube Shorts.”

So, what insightful analysis or interesting information can I add that is beyond the obvious?

Well, after attending this year’s YouTube NewFront, I kept thinking about what Jim Barksdale, who was the president and CEO of Netscape from 1995 to 1999, had said during the first browser war with Microsoft,

“In a fight between a bear and an alligator, it is the terrain which determines who wins.”

It’s worth asking, “Why did YouTube decide to fight on TikTok’s terrain? Was the decision to showcase new ways to build awareness with Shorts to reach Gen Z a strategic mistake? What were the alternatives?”

Now, to be fair, no one who spoke at YouTube’s NewFront event mentioned the word “TikTok.”

But the emphasis on short-form video, Generation Z, as well as brand awareness and reach, passed the duck test: “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it is probably a duck.”

Hey, maybe these are the three key topics that traditional advertising agencies and media buyers want to hear about because these are the objectives that the lion’s share of their clients are giving them for video campaigns.

But research published last month by the CMO Council found,

“More than 70% of marketers don’t feel very confident in their current sales and marketing model to sell effectively in the digitalized customer journey.”

So, telling your audience what it wants to hear could be a strategic mistake. What’s the alternative?

Well, YouTube could have provided a more holistic view of YouTube and video marketing that brands and their digital marketing agencies need to know about.

First, Shorts is just one of the options that creators can use to create content for YouTube’s billions of users.

For example, brands can also use long-form content like “Fursat – A Vishal Bhardwaj film.”

Shot on iPhone 14 Pro by director Vishal Bhardwaj, “Fursat” is a magical story about a man so obsessed with controlling the future that he risks losing what he holds most precious in the present. It’s more than 30 minutes long, but that hasn’t prevented it from getting 144 million views and 339,000 engagements.

Brands can also use YouTube Live to stream events, teach classes, or give viewers an in-the-moment glimpse into your business.

For example, Sticky, which makes lollies, lets viewers watch their dedicated candy artisans and sculptors make the most fantastic and delicious creations in both short-form and live formats. The Australian brand livestreams on Saturday at 2 P.M. Sydney time. Its most recent livestream is entitled “Dinosaurs In CANDY.”

Sticky uploaded 356 videos in the last 365 days, which got 1.1 billion views and 60.4 million engagements. That means the average video got 3.1 million views and 170,000 engagements, for an engagement rate of 5.4%.

Now, I realize that traditional advertising agencies and media buyers may not be interested in hearing about these creative options, but brands and digital marketing agencies need to know about them.

Second, Gen Z is just one of the targeting options that you can use to reach YouTube’s billions of users. But you shouldn’t put Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers out to pasture – especially if your company or client is in the automotive, business-to-business, consumer packaged goods, finance and banking, retail, or travel and tourism industries.

For example, check out “A Place For Together – Only Your People.”

This video ad got 319 million views on YouTube. But only 15.2% of its audience is 18-24. By comparison, 34.9% is 25-34, 24.0% is 35-44, 11.1% is 45-54, and 13.5% is 55 and older.

And targeting options on YouTube aren’t limited to demographic groups (e.g., age, gender, parental status, or household income).

There are many other ways to slice and dice your target audience, including:

Affinity segments, which are based on people’s interests and habits.
In-market segments, which are based on recent purchase intent.
Similar segments, which are based on interests similar to those of your website visitors or existing customers.
Detailed demographic segments, such as college students, homeowners, or new parents.
Your data segments, which are based on your customer data or people who have interacted with your videos, video ads, and YouTube channel or visited your website and apps.
Custom segments, which are based on the keywords they’ve recently searched on Google.com.
Life-event segments, such as moving, graduating from college, or getting married.

Third, brand awareness and reach aren’t the only video campaign goals that you can select. The others include:

Build brand consideration when potential customers are researching or shopping for products. With Brand Lift surveys, brands can measure consideration as well as ad recall and brand awareness, enabling them to align their video campaigns with their marketing goals.
Drive sales, leads, and web traffic with Video action campaigns. With the advent of engaged-view conversions (EVCs) from YouTube in Google Analytics 4 (GA4), brands can now measure when someone watches a YouTube video for at least 10 seconds and then converts on their website within 3 days of viewing the video.

And there are other video campaign goals that YouTube can help brands to achieve.

For example, at the tail end of the YouTube NewFront event, Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle, the VP of YouTube Ads Marketing, interviewed Esi Eggleston Bracey, the President of Unilever USA, about Dove’s campaign to pass the CROWN Act – the first law to ban race-based hair discrimination at work and in schools.

Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle, the VP of YouTube Ads Marketing, interviewed Esi Eggleston Bracey, the President of Unilever USA, about Dove’s campaign to pass the CROWN Act

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

Dove created a series of videos on the issue, like “As Early As Five | End Race-Based Hair Discrimination.”

The campaign informed viewers that:

A Black woman is 80% more likely to change her natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work.
Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home or know of a Black woman sent home from the workplace because of her hair.
1 in 2 Black children have experienced hair discrimination as early as five years old – and the impact can last a lifetime.

But Dove also founded the CROWN Coalition along with National Urban League, Color Of Change, and Western Center on Law & Poverty to advance anti-hair discrimination legislation. The coalition has already watched the CROWN Act get signed into law in 20 states.

Now, building awareness with Shorts to reach Gen Z may be what traditional advertising agencies and media buyers want to hear about – because more than 70% of marketers, who don’t feel very confident in their current sales and marketing model, have asked them to do that.

But brands and digital marketing agencies need to know that they can use YouTube to do all this and a whole more to sell effectively in the digitalized customer journey.

But wait, there’s more!

At YouTube’s NewFront event, O’Hara mentioned that 52% of ad-supported streaming watch time on connected TVs among people aged 18+ was on YouTube.

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

I asked a Google spokesperson, “Can you tell me about any new developments, case studies, or research for brands or business that want to reach audiences on the biggest screen? (e.g. What is the latest data on the total audience reached by YouTube CTV? And how is the YouTube NFL Sunday Ticket likely to leverage that?)”

A Google spokesperson said:

As linear TV viewership shifts towards streaming, YouTube’s momentum continues.
According to Nielsen’s Total TV Report, YouTube is the leader in streaming watch time.
According to data from Nielsen NMI, over 30% of YouTube viewers aged P18+ could not be reached by other ad-supported streaming services in October 2022.
In the United States, over 65% of YouTube CTV watch time is on content that is 21 minutes or longer.
It’s also the viewers’ first choice when it comes to streaming!
In a Kantar survey of weekly video viewers, over half said YouTube is the first app they open on their CTV. That means there are more Americans gathering around the living room to stream YouTube and YouTube TV than any other platform.
This is because YouTube has an always-on, always-fresh stream of diverse creator content in addition to a wide selection of traditional and studio-produced content, and, later this year, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV and Primetime Channels!
YouTube also offers a variety of ad solutions that advertisers can leverage to reach viewers streaming YouTube on CTV.
If you want to be aligned with what’s popular, YouTube Select gives you access to the top content that viewers can’t get enough of.
If you want to own the moment, First Position Moments play your ad first, tying your message to the content viewers love at the moment that’s right for your brand.
As mentioned during NewFronts – these solutions are now coming to Shorts!

And IAB’s 2022 Video Ad Spent & 2023 Outlook just reported that:

“CTV continues to distinguish itself within the TV/video landscape by being the go-to channel for audience targeting, measurement, and scale.”

So, don’t forget the big screen in the family room when setting your video campaign goals.

Also, at this year’s YouTube NewFront, Youshaei mentioned that YouTube paid $50 billion to creators, artists, and media companies in the past 3 years.

$50 billion YouTube revenue paid out to creators, artists, and media companies

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

I asked a Google spokesperson, “To what extent does this give YouTube an advantage over competitors in attracting and retaining creators and influencers?”

A Google spokesperson said:

As mentioned, Americans gather around the living room to stream YouTube and YouTube TV more than any other platform. This has a lot to do with our YouTube creators!
Creators give viewers something they can’t get anywhere else – choices and variety.
Creators are this generation’s content studios, and they’re uploading new hits every day, by the minute – fueling an always-on stream of fresh content that keeps viewers engaged. YouTube creators are constantly innovating to keep their audiences engaged, flexing their creativity across Shorts and long-form, vertical and horizontal, low-fi and high production.
In today’s on-demand world where viewers, not networks, ultimately determine what’s popular, our creators are building passionate fan bases which fuel viewership. As long as viewers are in control, YouTube will be where the best content lives.
For all these reasons, YouTube remains a major platform for brands.

So, which business model is more likely to sustain the creator economy this year, next year, and the year after that?

Finally, in the back of the program that Big Red handed out at the YouTube NewFront in 2023, there was a two-page spread from Google Creative Works, the one-stop shop for the latest creative effectiveness research from Google.

The ad’s headline read, “Only 30% of ads on YouTube follow creative best practices.”

NewFront stats about creative best practices

Image taken by author from NewFront 2023, May 2023

If this topic merited two out of the eight pages in the program, then I would have thought that the best practices for your YouTube video ads merited at least a mention during the YouTube NewFront event itself.

For example, the ABCDs of effective video ads are:

Attention: Hook viewers from the beginning with an immersive story.
Branding: Brand early and often with a broad range of elements.
Connection: Help people think deeply or feel strongly about something.
Direction: Ask people to take action or do something next.

Conclusion

Let me sum up the opportunity facing you with the classic parable of the blind men and an elephant.

This a story of a group of visually impaired men in the ancient Indian subcontinent who have never come across an elephant before and who learn and imagine what the elephant is like by touching a different part of the elephant – but only one part, such as the side, tusk, trunk, knee, ear, or tail.

Well, the moral of this story is as relevant today as it was in ancient India: To be an effective marketer, you need to see the whole elephant. If all you touch is the trunk, then you might mistakenly think, “The elephant is very like a snake!”

That doesn’t mean YouTube should have ignored Shorts, Gen Z, or brand awareness and reach during last week’s YouTube NewFront event. But these topics could have been highlighted within the context of a much larger story.

Back on March 1, 2023, YouTube’s new CEO, Neal Mohan, released a lengthy letter on YouTube’s 2023 priorities that outlined plans to support creators by expanding subscription, shopping, and digital goods offerings while investing in new features and AI.

For more details, read “YouTube’s Priorities For 2023: New Ways To Make Money, AI Tools.”

And that jumbo-sized story could have been the elephant in the room.

So, I came to the YouTube NewFront event on May 1 hoping to learn about YouTube’s strategic direction.

But most of what I heard – with a couple of notable exceptions – was a tactical discussion that left the impression that YouTube is very like TikTok. That made TikTok the elephant in the room.

That’s why I think the decision to showcase new ways to build awareness with Shorts to reach Gen Z was a strategic mistake.

What was the alternative?

To go back to my earlier zoological analogy, providing a more holistic view of YouTube’s strategic direction would have shifted a fight between a bear and an alligator to terrain where YouTube can win.

More resources:

Featured Image: BestForBest/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

May 1 2023

Google Bolsters Advertising On YouTube Shorts via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google has unveiled new advertising capabilities for YouTube Shorts at the IAB NewFronts event this week, paving the way for brands to integrate with trending short-form videos more seamlessly.

Expanding Reach With Shorts

Google’s YouTube Shorts platform, a direct competitor to TikTok’s short-form video format, has been presented as an ideal opportunity for advertisers to connect with new audiences.

To leverage this potential, Google is extending Shorts into video reach campaigns.

These campaigns utilize Google’s AI technology to deliver an optimal mix of ads, thereby enhancing reach and efficiency.

Additionally, Google is incorporating in-feed video ads into video reach campaigns, meaning these ads will appear on YouTube’s home feed and search results.

Previously, advertisers had access to Shorts inventory through more performance-driven ad formats like App Install campaigns, Performance Max, and Video Action campaigns to drive online sales and leads.

Positioning Brands Amidst Trending Content

Google is expanding its YouTube Select tool to Shorts.

This tool allows advertisers to select from YouTube-curated content packages, offering a premium package that constantly refreshes with the most popular videos.

To position brands at the forefront of trending content, Google is introducing a new feature called “First Position on Shorts.”

This feature allows an advertiser’s content to be the first video a viewer sees when they start a session of scrolling on Shorts.

Initially, this feature will only be available against YouTube Select videos, but plans are to expand it more broadly.

A Growing Platform

YouTube Shorts has seen considerable growth, with the platform generating 50 billion daily views, up from 30 billion in the first quarter of 2022.

There’s been a substantial increase in the number of channels uploading to Shorts, with growth of over 80% in 2022. Moreover, YouTube has made Shorts monetizable for creators through revenue sharing, likely contributing to this growth.

Despite the positive growth trajectory of Shorts, it’s worth noting that Google has reported a second consecutive drop in YouTube advertising revenue, indicating some challenges within the broader advertising industry.

In the first quarter of 2023, YouTube ad revenue fell by 2.6% compared to the same period in the previous year.

In Summary

Integrating short-form video advertising into campaigns is a key focus for Google as it continues to innovate in the advertising space.

By leveraging YouTube Shorts for awareness campaigns, brands can establish a strong connection with the increasingly diverse and dynamic viewership on YouTube.

Source: Google

Featured Image: Tada Images/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Mar 29 2023

Google Announces The Ads Transparency Center And 2022 Ads Safety Report via @sejournal, @kristileilani

In an effort to prove its commitment to safe and transparent advertising for users and businesses, Google announced the launch of the Ads Transparency Center and the release of the 2022 Ads Safety Report.

What Is The Ads Transparency Center?

The Ads Transparency Center, rolling out to users worldwide over the next few weeks, offers a searchable database of all advertisements on Google Search, YouTube, and Display.

Like ads transparency efforts from its peers in Big Tech, Google aims to ensure that users are well-informed about the ads they see. For instance, if you are interested in a product or service you saw in a Google Search ad, you can use the Ads Transparency Center to learn more about the brand before visiting its website.

google ads transparency center on mobile

Screenshot from Google, March 2023

The Ads Transparency Center shows key information about ads, including advertiser details, where/when an ad appeared and ran, and its format.

Google Announces The Ads Transparency Center And 2022 Ads Safety Report

Screenshot from Google, March 2023

Google offers more transparency for political advertising. Additional details for political ads include the amount advertisers spent, the number of times the ad was shown, and the location targeting criteria.

Screenshot from Google, March 2023

Using The Ads Transparency Center As An Advertising Research Tool

Advertisers can use the Ads Transparency Center as a research tool to analyze competitors’ designs and ad copy to create Google Ads campaigns.

Meta offers similar ad information in the Facebook Ad Library, where advertisers and users can browse ads from brands in several fields, including politics, housing, employment, and credit. Ad details include the design and copy for all ad variations, the platforms where the ad is displayed, and when the ad was launched.

Screenshot from Facebook, March 2023

In addition to the Ads Transparency Center, you can visit My Ad Center in your Google Account. Launched in October, it allows you to review ads you’ve seen recently on Google. You can control the ads shown to you by category, brand, and sensitive topics.

Screenshot from Google, March 2023

Insights From The 2022 Ads Safety Report

In related news, Google’s 2022 Ads Safety Report provides detailed insights into its efforts to prevent fraud, offer transparency, and protect younger users.

According to the report, Google added or revised 29 policies for advertisers and publishers last year.

Based on these policies, over 4 billion ads were removed or restricted, and 6.7 million advertiser accounts were suspended.

Google expanded its financial services certification program, requiring advertisers to be authorized by local regulators to prevent fraudulent ads.

Despite challenges from sophisticated scammers – like the malware operators that impersonate real software brands in Google Ads to spread malicious code – Google blocked and removed 142 million ads for misrepresentation and 198 million ads for financial services violations.

Google tackled misinformation by blocking ads with harmful health claims, false election claims, and climate change denial. Tens of millions of ads that violated this policy, contained inappropriate content, or promoted dangerous products were removed.

Google verified 5,900 new advertiser accounts publishing election ads in the U.S., and over 2.6 million unverified election ads were blocked.

Google prohibited ads dismissing, exploiting, or condoning the war in Ukraine and suspended ad activities in Russia. Over 17 million ads related to the war were blocked, and ads from over 275 state-funded media sites were removed.

Finally, Google expanded child safety protections for users under 18, blocking ad targeting based on age, gender, or interests and prohibiting certain teen ad categories, including dating apps, contests, and weight loss products.

How Advertisers Can Benefit From Ad Transparency

There are benefits to reviewing Ads Transparency Center content.

Those who see ads on Google properties can learn more about the advertisers before purchasing. Advertisers can learn how to create ads better suited for their target audience.

Advertisers should also review the Google Ads Policy Center updates to ensure ad campaigns are not blocked, restricted, or removed. It also offers options for fixing problematic ads, checking the status of your Google Ads account, and reporting Google Ads that violate its policies.

Featured image: rafapress/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Feb 16 2023

13 Best Video Editing Software Tools For Beginners (2023) via @sejournal, @andreaatzori

Video editing has a steep learning curve.

Many of the best feature-complete tools have complex user interfaces (UIs) and require advanced knowledge to use them effectively. They can also be hefty investments.

In evaluating beginner tools, I focused on two core areas: user-friendliness and price.

Some of the tools on the list are a bit more expensive, but they could be worth the price for their features and support.

Others are entirely free but more difficult to use. The higher learning curve could be worth it if you’re willing to invest time in the tool.

It doesn’t make sense to spend much on a tool until you’ve developed preferences for functions and UI elements.

Let’s look at some of the best places to start.

1. Adobe Premiere Elements

Price: $99.
Platform: Windows, macOS.
Experience Necessary: Beginner to intermediate.

Adobe is the gold standard in creative tools, and Premiere Pro is an industry-standard video editor.

Premiere Elements is an easier-to-use program targeted toward non-professional consumers.

The Elements family of software exists outside of Adobe’s Creative Cloud so you can purchase them individually without a subscription.

If you or your business is already subscribed to Creative Cloud, it might make more sense to try out Premiere Pro.

Premiere Elements comes with a price tag but gives you access to powerful features, such as:

Automated artificial intelligence (AI) editing functions.
Guided edits inside the program.
Templates.
Audio track library.

2. Adobe Premiere Pro

Price: $20.99 per month for individuals, $35.99 for businesses.
Platform: Windows, macOS.
Experience Necessary: Intermediate.

No list of video editing programs, even a beginner list, would be complete without Premiere Pro.

It has a much higher learning curve than Premiere Elements but does feature built-in tutorials to help you get started.

One of the biggest benefits of using Adobe is the Creative Cloud suite of software. It has an app for pretty much any creative task, and many of them integrate with one another.

You can add dedicated animation software to your subscription and use it alongside Premiere Pro, for example.

Much like VEGAS Pro, Premiere Pro likely offers the most advanced and powerful features compared to other programs in this list.

While it does offer helpful tutorials and videos, it’s quite complex. I wouldn’t suggest going right for Premiere Pro as a complete beginner.

The Adobe suite is, generally, for more advanced users who have honed their creative skills. But if you’re starting a creative journey and want access to various powerful tools, Adobe is worth a look.

If you’re already subscribed to Creative Cloud for another program, you can add Premiere Pro to your subscription to access capabilities like:

Export directly to social platforms.
Edit any format of a video file.
Automated color matching and correction.
AI tools.
Speech-to-text automatic captioning.
Motion effects and keyframe animation.
Robust sound panel for audio editing and effects.
Integration with other Adobe creative apps; add animation, image editing, and visual effects software to your plan as needed.
Stock images, video, and audio.
Motion graphics templates.

3. Animaker

Price: From $10 per month.
Platform: Browsers, iOS.
Experience Necessary: None.

Animaker is probably the most beginner-friendly tool on this list. You can create entire animations with easy click-and-drag functionality, as well as edit live videos.

If you need to produce short-form video content quickly and easily, this might be your go-to.

You can build animated characters, backgrounds, and text with a few button presses. And with lip-synching and motion features, it’s easy to make smooth, professional animations.

Key capabilities:

Create animations from scratch.
Easy-to-use interface and tools.
Apply effects, audio tracks, transitions, etc., to animations and live-action videos.
100 million+ stock image, video, and GIF assets.

4. Clipchamp

Price: Free or $11.99 per month.
Platform: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome browsers.
Experience Necessary: Beginner.

Clipchamp boasts a lot of power for an editor that works inside your browser.

Operating inside browsers makes it easy to access on the go, but limits its power. Professionals will outgrow it quickly.

The core features of the program are free, including audio, video, and image stock.

Access to more advanced stock and editing features is gated behind the subscription. You can still use those features on a free account, but your video will be watermarked.

One of Clipchamp’s coolest features is its integration with different video platforms. It’s easy to create videos pre-formatted for YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest videos, as well as Instagram and Facebook ads.

Key capabilities:

Screen and camera recorder.
Preformatted exports for different platforms.
Templates and video, audio, and image libraries.
AI text-to-speech voiceovers.

5. DaVinci Resolve

Price: Free or $295.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Experience Necessary: Intermediate.

DaVinci Resolve boasts a complete set of professional post-production tools.

It’s used by pros in Hollywood and offers everything from visual effects to transitions, animations, and audio post-production tools.

While it’s flexible with intuitive controls and training courses, it’s likely overwhelming for a beginner.

Trying to learn a complete workstation might not be ideal; Unless you’re jumping into complex video production right away, it probably features many tools that you won’t need.

There is a paid version of the software that you can grow into, but you likely won’t need it unless you’re committing to the platform as an advanced professional.

Key capabilities:

Color correction.
Node-based 2D and 3D effects.
Keyframe animation.
Effects and transitions library.
Audio editor, plugins, and effects library (including Foley sounds).
Audio recording.
Cloud collaboration on projects.
Complete, advanced video editing suite.

6. Hitfilm

Price: Free, $8.99 per month, or $12.99 per month.
Platform: Windows, macOS.
Experience Necessary: Beginner to intermediate.

Hitfilm boasts ease of use for any skill level. It features enough guided and templated content to make things easy for beginners, plus advanced tools to experiment with as you learn.

Hitfilm’s transitions and presets are easy to drag and drop on your timeline; It leans into intuitive, fast, easy-to-use tools.

You may find it less customizable than some other software in the list, but it’s more powerful than the Apple and Microsoft native tools.

Key capabilities:

Stock library, including footage, images, sound effects, and music.
Easy drag-and-drop functionality with presets and templates.
Color grading presets.
Plugins for visual effects, 3D animation, and motion tracking.

7. iMovie

Price: Free.
Platform: iOS, macOS.
Experience Necessary: None.

iMovie is Apple’s answer to a consumer-level movie editor. It boasts powerful features coupled with an interface Apple users will be familiar with.

It’s one of the most beginner-friendly programs on the list, but you might find that you outgrow it quickly.

Key capabilities:

Cross-functional between iOS and macOS. Edit the same video on multiple devices.
User-friendly effects, templates, filters, and other ready-to-use features.
Audio track library.

8. InVideo

Price: Free, $15 per month, $30 per month.
Platform: Browser, Android, iOS.
Experience Necessary: None.

InVideo is another tool perfect for beginners who don’t want to wade into the complexity of timelines, tracks, and advanced tools.

It’s a template-based program that works in your browser. It’s easy to customize templates for your liking, plus it’s got tons of stock and tools to make the process quick.

Being a browser app, it will be much less powerful than the in-depth software titles on this list. But that’s fine if you’re not looking for a tool with advanced use cases.

Like Animaker, it’s integrated with stock platforms to access stock images, videos, and audio.

The templates are organized into specific platforms and use cases, plus you can watch in-depth tutorials on the website.

Key capabilities:

Easy-to-use browser and app editor.
Many pre-formatted, well-organized templates to get you started quickly.
Plenty of shortcuts and quick functions.
AI tools.
Millions of stock files.
Cloud collaboration.

9. Media Composer

Price: Free or $23.99 per month.
Platform: Windows, macOS.
Experience Necessary: Beginner to intermediate.

Media Composer is a powerful tool with several different versions, from a free version for beginners to an enterprise software suite.

This program will have a higher learning curve than others, but the website offers a series of free tutorial videos.

It also offers practice footage that you can download and follow along with, making the learning process smooth.

As with other programs that offer multiple subscription tiers, you can grow into this software.

Start with the free version, and upgrade as you need more features. You’re less likely to outgrow it and have to learn a whole new program.

Key capabilities:

Video effects and stabilizers.
Audio effects.
Upgradable plan.
Advanced color correction.
Custom keyboard mapping.

10. OpenShot

Price: Free.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Experience Necessary: Beginner to intermediate.

OpenShot is seriously underrated. It’s open source and free.

It doesn’t feature as much guided automation as some of the other tools on the list, so it may have a higher learning curve. However, it’s much more powerful and customizable – and there’s a comprehensive user guide if you get stuck.

As you get more familiar with video editing, you can learn advanced tools like the keyframe animation framework, audio editing features, and others.

Even professionals should find almost everything they need. This is a program you can grow into and learn new features as you need them.

Key capabilities:

Advanced timeline tools.
Video effects engine.
3D animations.
Keyframe animations.
Unlimited layers and tracks.
Title templates.

11. PowerDirector 365

Price: Limited free version, starts at $4.33 per month.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Experience Necessary: None.

PowerDirector positions itself as a “no experience necessary” video editor. There’s a free version you can try, but you’ll likely need to purchase a license to use it effectively.

This software features a large assortment of AI visual effects tools, blending tools, keyframe tools, and color tools.

It also offers a huge library of stock images, videos, and audio, as well as premade titles, transitions, templates, and animations.

There are also plugins for recording and livestreaming.

If you’re a beginner, you can use pre-made assets from start to finish to create a professional final product. Drop in customizable titles, intro templates, and animations.

Key capabilities:

Speech to text in multiple languages.
Recording and livestreaming.
Easy-to-use templates, animations, and transitions.
Huge library of stock.
AI audio and visual effects.

12. Shotcut

Price: Free.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Experience Necessary: Beginner to intermediate.

Shotcut is open source and free, much like OpenShot.

Open-source tools tend to offer the best customization, but they take a little more work to learn and set up the way you like them. They’re also your best options if you’re a Linux user.

Shotcut features customizable UI layouts that you can save and switch between.

Once you get comfortable with the program, you can create different layouts for different tasks.

You can search for features and edit keyboard shortcuts. After a while, you’ll be able to perform tasks extremely quickly.

Key capabilities:

Mix different resolutions and framerates on a single timeline.
Supports native editing in many different formats (less converting/importing files).
Webcam and audio capture.
4k resolutions.
JSON animations.
Video effects and filters.
Audio filters.

13. VEGAS Pro

Price: From $12.99 per month.
Platform: Windows.
Experience Necessary: Intermediate.

VEGAS Pro is one of the most advanced and powerful tools on the list. Just like Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and other complex editors, it may not be ideal for a complete beginner.

VEGAS Pro does provide tutorials, and it boasts the best versions of most of the features of anything else in this list.

It features AI filters and tools and a range of supported formats for native editing, effects, transitions, titles, color correction, and video repair. It has all the bells and whistles.

It can also export in social media-friendly formats and upload directly to YouTube and Vimeo.

Key capabilities:

Preset filter effects, transitions, and titles.
Direct upload.
Motion tracking.
Color correction.
Video repair and stabilization.
Complete, advanced editing suite.

Conclusion

Everyone was a beginner once.

Before you pick your video tool, you need to decide what kind of beginner you are.

Do you need a quick and easy solution because you don’t have the time or resources for in-depth editing? Then you may want to pick one of the less powerful tools, even if it comes with a price tag.

Are you a beginner looking for a tool to commit to and that you can grow into as you learn? You may want to pick one of the more powerful tools with multiple subscription tiers.

Are you the kind of beginner who loves to learn how to hack your workflows and customize everything? Try open-source software.

More Resources:

Featured Image: DC Studio/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Nov 15 2022

Microsoft Video Ads Are Now Broadly Available via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Video ads on the Microsoft Audience Network are now broadly available to augment existing search and image advertising campaigns.

Microsoft piloted video ads in September 2021 in select countries.

Over a year later, video ads are available to all Microsoft advertisers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.

Video ads are served across the Microsoft Advertising Network in the countries mentioned above.

Microsoft video ads are targeted using intent data from Bing search, the Microsoft Edge Browser, LinkedIn, and users’ web activity.

In testing, Microsoft says adding video to search campaigns increased conversions by 50% compared to running a search campaign only.

Microsoft Video Ads Are Now Broadly Available

Screenshot from: https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/post/november-2022/its-time-to-press-play-drive-performance-with-video-ads, November 2022.

Here’s more about video ads on the Microsoft Audience Network.

Microsoft Video Ad Specifications

Microsoft video ads can range from six seconds to two minutes, though the company advises that videos shorter than 30 seconds drive the most engagement.

The video aspect ratio can range from 16:9 (widescreen) to 9:16 (vertical).

Microsoft offers the following bidding options for video ads:

Optimize for impressions: Bid per 1000 viewable impressions. An impression is counted when a viewer watches two seconds of continuous play.
Optimize for views: Bid on a single video view. A view is counted when a person watches at least 15 seconds of video or clicks on the ad.
Optimize for clicks: Bid per click on the video. A click is counted when the viewer lands on your website.

How To Create A Microsoft Video Campaign

Create a Microsoft video advertising campaign by following the steps below:

From the collapsible menu on the left, select Campaigns.
Select Create campaign.
Choose one of the video-oriented goals.
Enter the Campaign name and the Daily budget, and then select Save & go to the next step.
Enter an Ad group name and choose your intended audience targeting.
Select Save & go to the next step.
Add your video.
Select Save & go to the next step.
Choose your Budget & bids settings.
Select Save.

After uploading your video, Microsoft Advertising will automatically create multiple videos for each aspect ratio (16:9, 5:4, 1:1, 4:5, and 9:16). Alternatively, you can upload your own videos in each available aspect ratio.

For more information, see Microsoft’s help page.

Source: Microsoft

Featured Image: Grand Warszawski/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Nov 10 2022

New Netflix Ads Tier Comes With An Unpredictable Price via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson

The opinions expressed within this story are solely the author’s and do not reflect the views and beliefs of Search Engine Journal or its affiliates.

With the looming economic challenges, consumers are scrounging everywhere to save money.

After receiving consumer pushback from raising its subscription prices, Netflix rolled out its newest tier: Basic with Ads, in November 2022.

The ads tier subscription is $6.99 per month – almost 55% lower per month than its Standard subscription.

While the monthly cost is lower for consumers, the newest tier comes with hidden price tags.

Unpredictable Ad Timing

In the new Netflix Basic with Ads tier, users can expect around 4-5 minutes of ads per hour.

How is this comparable to other Connected TV subscriptions?

A comparison of how often Netflix ads will show compared to other streaming services.

Image credit: Table created by the author, November 2022. Sources of information are linked in the image.

While the amount of ad time per hour for Netflix is comparable to other streaming services, the lingering issue is when an ad will show. Ad timings are unpredictable, which interrupts the user experience.

The video content for ads is about what you expect compared to other streaming services. But the same issue is at hand – when will this show up in a user’s watching experience on Netflix?

According to Jay Peters from The Verge, a user’s ad experience varies dramatically between types of content consumed:

An example of an employee of The Verge details his experience of Netflix ads.

Image credit: Jay Peters, TheVerge.com

As you can see from this example, the amount of ads, as well as the placement of ads, is inconsistent, which leads to believe that Netflix is testing to find the best engagement for not only users but advertisers.

Specific Titles Come With A Premium Price

The second nuance with Netflix Basic with Ads tier comes from what shows and movies are offered at this level.

Similar to the unpredictable ad experience, the available titles on the Basic tier seems extremely scattered without a rhyme or reason.

The restriction shouldn’t come as a surprise to users, as Netflix announced this back in July.

Titles that aren’t available for Basic users will show a red padlock, indicating that it is restricted.

The red padlock seems to be a passive “Call to Action” because users can click on the padlocked title, which takes them to an upgrade screen.

I theorize that Netflix’s subscriber strategy is to entice new users to the service or get previous subscribers to come back at a Basic price level. This can help grow and scale their subscriber numbers after tumbling since increasing prices.

Once a user is in, restricting titles that may be a “must have” for users attempts to show users the value of upgrading.

How Can Advertisers Forecast Connected TV Engagement?

Connected TV ads aren’t new to consumers. Brands spent over $400 million in ads on Hulu alone in 2021.

In economic uncertainty, consumers may be willing to sacrifice their viewing experience to include ads while trying to save money. But if the viewing experience dwindles, consumers may be less inclined to engage with Connected TV ads.

While it’s too early to tell about Netflix Basic with Ads, a common gripe from consumers on other streaming services is the lack of variety in ads.

Back in 2021, Morning Consult conducted a poll to consumers about their experience with streaming services ads. According to the survey:

69% of users thought the ads they received were repetitive
79% of users were bothered by that experience

So, what does this mean for advertisers?

Depending on how you look at it, marketers could see this as:

An opportunity. If there are so many repeated ads, this could mean that competition is low on Connected TV/OTT. If this is the case, the opportunity for brand awareness could be more cost-effective for you before the OTT market becomes too saturated.
A sign to stay away. If streaming services don’t fix the consumer’s viewing experience, users are less likely to engage with ads. And if titles are being restricted at a higher rate, consumers may churn off at a faster rate than before. This, in turn, means a high Cost Per Engagement for advertisers. This could be a more risky investment for brands with restricted budgets.

Summary

The newest Netflix price tier allows them to compete with other streaming services at a lower price. It’s an excellent strategic move on their part, and it opens up the OTT space for advertisers to get in front of users who may not use other streaming services.

While the plan type is new, Netflix (as well as advertisers) should monitor user engagement closely and make any strategic pivots necessary to maximize engagement and subscriber growth.

While Netflix ads are open to larger ad companies, I expect them to roll out an in-house advertising platform similar to Hulu sometime next year.

Have you tried Connected TV/OTT ads yet? What has been your experience? Are they worth the investment?

Featured Image: Koshiro K/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Nov 10 2022

Google Rolls Out Ad Frequency Targeting For YouTube Campaigns via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

With the rollout of target frequency, Google is giving advertisers more control over the number of times people see their ads on YouTube.

Previously, controlling ad frequency on YouTube was only possible when running connected TV campaigns in Google Display & Video 360.

Now, the target frequency capability is globally available for all advertisers running YouTube campaigns.

In a blog post, Google explains how target frequency can help advertisers reach their goals without annoying viewers with too many ads:

“This will help advertisers optimize towards more precise reach and frequency, while ensuring that we continue to provide a suitable advertising experience for viewers. Target frequency allows advertisers to select a frequency goal of up to four per week and our systems will optimize towards maximum unique reach at that desired frequency.”

Increase Ad Frequency Without Disrupting ROI

There’s always a risk of diminishing returns when repeatedly showing people the same ad.

Eventually, you’ll reach a point where viewers tune out, and the added impressions drive fewer sales.

Google acknowledges that seeing the same ad is frustrating for viewers and wasteful for advertisers.

A Google-commissioned study finds that TV advertisers’ ROI decreases by 41% when the frequency exceeds 6+ weekly impressions, representing 46% of TV impressions served.

That’s nearly half of impressions wasted, Google says:

“Almost half of the linear TV impressions in our study were considered waste but the same study from Nielsen shows that brands can increase their average weekly frequency from one to three on YouTube with a consistent ROI.

This is a huge opportunity for marketers to maximize their impact across the same set of people they are already reaching today.”

With target frequency, Google aims to help advertisers increase impressions without negatively impacting ROI.

Advertisers can select the frequency target, and Google will optimize toward maximum unique reach at the frequency goal.

In testing, Google says over 95% of target frequency campaigns on YouTube achieved their frequency goals when set up following recommended best practices.

Availability

Target frequency is available worldwide to all Google Ads advertisers.

To start using a frequency-optimized campaign, create a new video reach campaign with the goal set to target frequency, and then select the desired weekly frequency.

Source: Google
Featured Image: Tada Images/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Nov 8 2022

The Biggest PPC Trends Of 2023, According To 22 Experts [Ebook] via @sejournal, @sejournal

Ready to take your PPC strategy to the next level in 2023?

Your first step is staying up-to-date on the most important PPC trends.

This ebook is filled with the insights you need to succeed in pay-per-click advertising next year.

We interviewed 22 top PPC marketing experts to learn what trends in 2023 will have the most impact in paid media – paid search, paid social, remarketing, and more.

In PPC Trends 2023, you’ll find out which PPC trends will dominate the year. Then, you’ll be able to use your newfound knowledge to plan your strategy.

Download it here.

In this ebook, you’ll discover the PPC trends that will matter the most in 2023:

AI & machine learning: loss of control but opportunities to focus on other things.
Attribution & conversion tracking: continuing changes make these even more complicated, difficult, and important in terms of providing and proving value.
Technical skill & knowledge of PPC “levers“ will be less important than strategy, teams, and people.
Inflation/expense increases in CPCs, especially in industries hit hard by the pandemic that are now coming back into demand.
Refocus on first-party data.
New platforms: TikTok, Metaverse, etc.
And more.

This guide is packed with unfiltered wisdom and tips straight from the experts about how to succeed in PPC in 2023.

Read insights from these experts:

Andrea Atzori
Ashwin Balakrishnan
Jonathan Befort
Ilya Cherepakhin
Jon Lee Clark
Akvilė DeFazio
Amalia Fowler
Amy Hebdon
Navah Hopkins
Timothy Jensen
Sean Johnston
Jonathan Kagan
Aaron Levy
Melissa Mackey
Alex Macura
Corey Morris
Brooke Osmundson
Lisa Raehsler
Christos Stavropoulos
Laurel Teuscher
Ben Wood
Jason Zotara

Get your copy of the PPC Trends 2023 ebook now.

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Oct 26 2022

Google’s Bumper Ad Creation Tool Is Broadly Available via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google’s bumper ad tool, which shortens longer videos to six-second bumper ads, is now broadly available. Here’s more information on how to use it.

The tool, previously known as Bumper Machine, has been in testing since 2019. It allows advertisers to create bumper ads for video reach campaigns effortlessly.

Here’s how Google describes the tool now known as trim video:

“Trim video is a video ad production tool that helps advertisers make new bumper ads from their longer video assets quickly. Trim video uses Google Machine Learning to simplify the process of bumper ad creation by identifying the most important frames in a long ad and turning them into 6-second videos. It also has simple editing features that allow advertisers to modify the final output.”

The version of the tool released today includes improvements, such as an enhanced machine learning model that can better select clips and a more intuitive interface.

I tested the tool, and I can verify it’s easy to operate. It’s designed for anyone, regardless of their experience with video editing.

All you have to do is paste a link to one of your YouTube videos or grab one from your Google Ads library, and the tool will generate four different six-second ads.

You can compare the auto-generated videos, download the ones you like, or edit them by selecting different clips.

How To Use Google’s Trim Video Tool

You can access the trim video tool through the asset library in your Google Ads account.

In the navigation menu, click the tools and settings icon.

Under Shared Library, click Asset library.

Under Video, click Trim video and select a video.

Google’s Bumper Ad Creation Tool Is Broadly Available

Screenshot from: ads.google.com/aw/video/autotrim, October 2022.

It’s important to note that the Google help page I linked above says you can use a video from any source.

However, as shown in the screenshot above, the trim video tool asks you to paste a URL from YouTube.

I tested links to videos from different sources, and I can confirm only YouTube links work. Alternatively, you can use a video from your Google Ads library.

Note that the video has to be between seven seconds and 140 seconds.

After pasting a link, click on the Generate Videos button.

Screenshot from: ads.google.com/aw/video/autotrim, October 2022.

It takes a few minutes to generate the clips, and then you’re taken to a screen where you can preview or edit them.

Editing a clip is limited to selecting different timestamps. See an example below:

Screenshot from: ads.google.com/aw/video/autotrim, October 2022.

When you’re satisfied with your clips, click on the upload trimmed videos button.

Now they’re available in your Google Ads account to use as bumper ads.

Source: Google

Featured Image: TarikVision/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Oct 24 2022

Google Adds Music Genres As Placement Option For Video Ads via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google is rolling out a new placement option for video ads that allow advertisers to target specific types of music on YouTube.

The new “Music Mood Lineups” placement is designed to help advertisers reach users when they’re in a positive mood, as a significant amount of people report music makes them happy.

In an announcement, Google states:

“Music is a deeply personal medium and often reflects the listeners’ state of mind. In fact, a new Ipsos survey commissioned by Google shows that 48% of people in the US say that they consume music to lift their mood and 84% say that music makes them very happy.”

Google is launching the following five types of Music Mood Lineups in 20 countries:

Romantic
Happy & Uplifting
Chill
Downbeat
Funky Moods

When placing ads by Music Mood Lineup, ads will be served alongside videos pulled from the same mood signals that YouTube uses as part of YouTube Music playlists.

The Happy & Uplifting Mood Lineup, for example, contains videos from the Happiest Pop Hits and A Happy Alternative playlists and many other playlists that people are listening to to feel good.

Availability

Targeting by Music Mood Lineups is available to Google Ads advertisers in 20 countries.

All types of content targeting can now be found under “Content” in the side navigation of your Google Ads account.

“Topics”, “Placements”, “Display/Video keywords”, and “Exclusions” for all types of content targeting are now categorized under the “Content” tab in the side navigation menu.

For “Exclusions”, click the drop-down arrow to the right of the term “Exclusions” to select exclusions for topics, placements or Display/Video keywords.

Source: Google

Featured Image: Merla/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments