Connecting content with viewers has always been a process of elimination – out with the old and in with the new, so to speak.  Since the inception of advertising, advertisers have been forced to routinely alter their approach to meet the ever-changing demands of the public – that is, if they want to thrive.

Commercials and unskippable ads are leaving more than just a mere flesh wound on video ad engagement. Now, advertisers should shift their priorities to creating ads that viewers will find useful. This entails constructing an approach to advertising that utilizes storytelling and educational ads to move from selling a product to engaging target audiences.

More audiences seemingly agree with the notion that personalized ads that tell a story and educate them are now essential. In fact, more than 30% of survey respondents said that personalized ads would be a reason for staying with a streaming service.

OTT streaming services offer suggestions based on viewing habits. As a result, many companies are now focusing on targeted programming, relevant content and advertising unique to each member of the audience.

Companies who aren’t willing to shift gears towards a more tailored form of advertising must understand that standard video ad engagement is dwindling. Longer commercials and objectively frustrating ads have become obsolete.

The reality is that it’s difficult to fill modern broadcasts with 2:30-long ad-pods to meet revenue goals. And if sell-out rates are low, these ads may be repetitive in a 30 minute or one-hour programming slot. Instead, ads must run based on experience and not on the highest possible CPMs.

Now, business dollars and product engagement have to come to a middle ground. If advertisers want to attract new businesses, content must be unique to each viewer. Advertisers also need to migrate from simply selling products to engaging their desired audiences.

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Your advertising methods are broken, here’s why

In 2022, engagement on standard ads will continue to dissipate. Advertisers that want to attract new business this year should consider creating helpful video content that their viewers can benefit from, rather than forcing them to sit through an ad they’re not interested in – enter storytelling and educational ad formats.

Years ago, airlines had the right idea. With a large percentage of the population relying on air travel, airlines knew they had to be creative to receive attention from flyers jaded by typical, boring ads.

Airlines started transforming their security briefings into a storytelling format so they could engage and connect with their audiences.

Now, consumers expect more ads to follow a similar method.

Modern audiences are captivated by brands who understand who they are as people. The 2022 consumers’ emotions play a crucial role when it comes to advertising. To better target audiences, storytelling is now imperative and should be used through contextual marketing to create content that is appealing and resonates with the whole person.

Advertisements focusing on disseminating information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine is a prime example of utilizing prudent information to capture the attention of the viewer. This form of educational advertising provides audiences with factual information that encourages people from around the world to get the vaccine to prevent serious cases of the illness. Without educational ads about the vaccine, 4 billion fully vaccinated people — more than likely — would be unattainable.

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It’s time to rely on OTT

Advertisers need to ensure their content is automatically featured and optimized to resonate with the audience no matter what device they are using. Losing the audience’s attention or interest is now a recipe for disaster. This is the problem with old-fashioned, standard ads. OTT platforms make this possible.

OTT is crucial when it comes to automating and optimizing engaging content. This will reduce the likelihood of losing the audience’s attention or interest, which run-of-the-mill ads do. Additionally, OTT ads must be done right. This means content should be pleasing to the eye on devices such as laptops, smartphones and large-screen TVs.

Building trust and offering real value in exchange for data creates unique content. Advertisers should use viewership intel to design ad formats their audience is willing to engage with. To show value, enhanced algorithms should be used to target ads and measure audience engagement. Audience data is a goldmine when it comes to creating engaging ads.

The fact remains: OTT is here to stay. Advertisers must refocus their ads to prevent becoming obsolete in the future. More and more companies are adjusting their approach to keep up with the modern era. As the times change, so should your approach to advertising.

The way people consume content has shifted. If advertisers want to thrive in the modern era, they must ensure that their ads are resonating with the audience. Through OTT, it can be done.