What is the purpose of the IAB Video Ad Classification Update?

The meaning of instream and outstream video advertisements has changed with the introduction of a revised set of specifications for video ads by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Tech Lab.

This upgrade will influence billions of dollars worth of advertising budgets and income to increase openness over the purchasing and selling of video ads.

Let’s have a quick review of what the update is.

Before the update, the definitions were rather straightforward:

Pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll advertisements that are played within already-existing material are known as instream video commercials. While advertising that was played separately and unrelated to already-existing material was referred to as outstream video advertising.

However those 2 categories are not detailed enough to define the ad format, the IAB has to reorganize the ad units into four categories: instream, accompanying content, no content/standalone, and interstitial.

Let’s get more detailed:

Instream
This category, like the preceding description, comprises video advertisements that appear before, during, or after the main video content in the context of a video player. Instream advertisements should always be set to "sound on." Additionally, they must show a "clearly expressed intention to watch the video."

Accompanying Content
Pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll advertising are also served by accompanying content, much as instream. On the other hand, supporting content is positioned within editorial content and starts to play as soon as it enters the user's viewport. Both "sound-on" and explicit user intent are not necessary to view the video ad.

No Content/Standalone
Video advertisements without any substance are included in this category. Put more simply, they are just video players that display advertisements and don't have any other content.

Interstitial

Online full-screen video advertisements fall under the interstitial category.

What is the purpose of the IAB Video Ad Classification Update?

To guarantee that advertisers are receiving the full value of their ad purchase, the IAB has released an upgrade.

One of the most beneficial ad forms for marketers is instream advertising. Indeed, they are prepared to pay bid rates for instream advertising that are up to 50% higher.

Nonetheless, there were instances where marketers were paying for instream advertising to be shown in tiny, muted players in the bottom corner of the screen because of the vague definition of instream commercials.

This led to confusion and a grey area around instream adverts and what exactly publishers and advertisers are paying for.

How does the New IAB Video Classification impact publishers?

After these updates, DSPs are not placing bids on inventory that does not follow the IAB's revised classification.

This implies that publishers that choose not to implement the new adjustments will forfeit significant ad revenue.

The other impact is that publishers must now sell their inventory of video ads more strategically.

Comprehending the new video formats will greatly influence the CPMs for different kinds of ad inventory, necessitating a price review by publishers. SSPs have been sluggish to convert, but publishers should pick up the pace throughout the migration phase as DSPs commit to the new classification. A reputable and trustworthy monetization company is one approach to make sure you are optimizing your video ad revenue potential.

The new Instream strategy helps publishers and creators by reaching a ready-watching audience with video content and giving advertisers access to premium placements for better user experiences.

With years of experience specifically with video advertisements, Ampliffy knows how to take advantage of greater prices for each ad.

Please contact us right now to discuss how we can assist you adapt to the New IAB Video Classification Updates.

Always Remember These while Monetizing Your Website

Website monetisation is one of the greatest and most popular methods for publishers and content creators to get income and revenue. SEO and website monetization go hand in hand. You will make more money from ads if your site has more traffic and a higher search engine ranking. But if your website monetization approach fails, it can negatively impact your website's accessibility and reputation and undo your hard work in search engine optimization!

This post describes 5 things to always remember for publishers when monetizing their websites to avoid mistakes.

1. Don't use too many monetization platforms at once.

Scripts from several monetization partners that are active at the same time on your website can slow down your page load time and interfere with each other, making your advertisements appear broken or not show at all. This tells search engines that users aren't finding what they're looking for on your website, which depresses your ranking. Because user experience is a top priority for search engines like Google, they advise against intrusive advertising on your website. 

2. Choose ad formats and placements that perform well.

The ad formats you choose for your website should be ideal and based on user activity. Some audiences have very specific tastes when it comes to ads, and they can be irritated if you have inappropriate ad formats and placements on your website. Please remember that ads that interrupt the content of a website are annoying to everyone. When visitors become irritated, they will leave your website, which will ultimately lower your CPM.

In this case, in-stream ad inventory would be an alternative as it is the least intrusive video ad. In-stream ads only appear when the users intend to watch the video, so they can be easily segmented. Besides, they also have a skip button feature to make it less intrusive. The only challenge with in-stream ads is that publishers need to have video content, but with the help of AmpliffyTV and Videoffy, now every publisher can have engaging short-form video content to monetize.

3. Avoid intrusive advertising

Displaying unwanted and disruptive advertisements to audiences is known as intrusive advertising. These can be unexpected pop-ups, auto-play videos that play automatically, or advertisements that open in new tabs or windows. Intrusive ads will make users abandon your website, resulting in increased bounce rates and low engagement. 

4. Focus on producing high-quality content

Poor-quality content usually lacks key elements that search engines and consumers need. Your content must be factual, updated, knowledgeable, and valuable to be considered qualified. Producing poor-quality content will also ruin your SEO efforts, annoy users, and raise red flags with search engines.

5. Don’t place too many ads.

An excessive number of advertisements on your website can limit consumers' ability to engage with your content, lowering the user experience and your website's search engine rankings. 

The length of your content, the design of the page, and user behavior all affect how many adverts you can have on each page. However, it is advised that the amount of ads should not be more than 30% to 70% of the content. 

Monetize Your Website with Ampliffy!

As a publisher, it saves you time and money to concentrate on creating content and leave website monetization to a dependable partner like Ampliffy! Even better, we can also supply video content so that you can focus on other content in different formats.

The following are the top 5 advantages of using Ampliffy for website monetization:

• We let you sell your ad space for the best price possible by connecting your ad inventory to premium demand partners

• Ampliffy will maintain the ideal balance between your advertisements and content, so you don't need to worry about it. Furthermore, Ampliffy displays only ad types approved by IAB Tech Lab.

• We increase ad revenue without interfering with the user's browsing experience. Ampliffy uses an algorithm and technology to serve video ads based on user activity.

• Ampliffy’s professional team will assist you with any problems. Our IT and AdOps team will handle technical issues and update you on industry developments and regulatory changes.

• With Ampliffy’s control panel, which offers daily monetization progress, performance, and viewership data, you can monitor the profitability of your website.

Tips to Redesign a Site for Publishers

Now is the moment. Your website must be updated, or perhaps you're just starting it and wondering how to design it. This article is not for web designers but for you, publishers. It is a publisher's guide to designing a website.

1. Determine the objectives and scope of your website.

It is crucial to decide what you want your website to achieve before you begin building it. If you know your objectives and what success looks like, it will be easier to ensure that your website meets your needs precisely. Remember that various objectives and scopes require distinct design options, and having a clear purpose statement can help direct your choices.

Ask these questions to yourself to know your adjective and scope clearly:

• What’s the website objective? Different kinds of websites meet different demands. Web publishing content for the young generation is not the same as the older generation, and adventure-related websites are not the same as beauty-related websites. Alternatively, you might want to create an audience segmentation while brainstorming your website idea. Then, you decide your website objective: drive and encourage sales, impressions, or subscriptions.

• What’s your branding? Customers should be able to interact easily with your new website and all other company channels. Ensure you remember your branding strategy and rules while creating your company website. If you have to start from scratch when creating your branding, consider the following components: color scheme, typography, imagery, voice, and tone. Just ensure your branding is the same for all products and channels.

• What’s your content? Now that the framework and foundation are in place, you can add content to your website's pages. Examine each of your pages individually using your site map and consider what information a visitor would be looking for. Every page should have a clear objective, such as a topic specification. To achieve that purpose, use graphic media other than text.

Regarding engaging multimedia, video content stands out as particularly effective. Including videos can significantly enhance user experience, providing dynamic visuals and information delivery. Utilizing platforms like Videoffy, a white-label video site, can streamline the process of incorporating high-quality videos into your website. Most importantly, prioritizing quality content over quantity never overwhelms visitors with low-quality information. Don’t hesitate to link and streamline information for your website, email, social media, and print materials, among other channels.

• How do you engage with visitors? When visiting your website, today's audience expects the interaction. You should make it as simple as possible for people to engage. May it be questions, comments, or requests to share your material with others. There are four primary methods that you may use in your website's design to encourage interaction. It can be a chat box with a bot or live support, a social media widget, a newsletter, or a feedback form.

2. Choose the platform.

There are two main approaches to building a website: creating one from scratch or using a website-building platform. 

One benefit of starting from scratch when creating a website is having total creative control over how it looks and feels. You'll have an original website with imaginative branding features integrated into the layout. The drawback is that you'll either pay to hire a website designer or learn to code in HTML and CSS. 

When using a website-building platform, you don't need to know how to code to construct a website. Many templates are created for various themes. Most platforms also facilitate domain name registration. While the flexibility won't be as great as creating a website from scratch, you will still save money with the platform.

3. Make mobile friendly.

Considering how many people use their phones and tablets to access material, your website must be responsive. If your website isn't optimized for mobile, it won't display correctly on smaller screens and will be challenging for mobile users to navigate. Fortunately, most templates nowadays have mobile capabilities and let you see your design across various devices. When deciding what to include in a mobile design, prioritize the most crucial page elements and place vital content that the visitors can see without having to scroll. Resizing pictures and interactive components like buttons is also a smart idea.

4. Optimize Search Engine (SEO). 

You can improve your website's loading speed, text, and image quality to rank higher in search engine results. Investing the time to implement these improvements will pay off, as improved search engine rankings can increase website traffic and expand the audience for your content. You may locate and examine the search keywords that users will most likely type into search engines using many SEO tools. It is advisable to search for keywords that generate traffic in addition to being often searched. Select a handful of the most appropriate phrases for your business after determining the top keywords. Use those keywords wisely in all the material on your website, especially in the headers. Make sure the writing flows naturally. Ensure you include your most important keywords in the metadata for the URL, SEO page title, and SEO description.

5. Then you have it, publish, or re-publish your site!

You're almost ready to launch your website, but checking that everything functions well and makes sense to visitors beforehand is a good idea. Get friends, coworkers, and people in your target market to try a beta version of the website and provide comments on its appearance and use. Now is the moment to check that the website functions properly on various browsers and operating systems, that all links work, and that the text, graphics, and colors all display as intended.

Since first impressions matter a lot, you don't want people visiting your website for the first time to have a bad experience because it wasn't quite ready for prime time. Spend enough time testing your website thoroughly, and then use the input you receive to improve it even further. You're prepared to press the publish button after you've made the last adjustments and changes.

Top 5 Publisher's Question About The New IAB Video Specifications

We've broken down publishers' top questions to assist them in putting together a workable action plan to implement new IAB Tech Lab standards in the future.

To begin, let us quickly review the updated definitions of video ads:

Instream

when a page's primary advertisement appears before, during, or after user-requested video content, the player must indicate the user's purpose in watching the video (e.g., click-to-play).

Accompanying Content

when a video advertisement appears before, during, or after discoverable content (isn't the page's main focus but isn't ad-only). The player can choose to become sticky or floating once the video has just played once while in view. Remember that any Instream player that changes to sticky or floating later on becomes accompanying content. 

No Content / Standalone

This is a video ad without any streaming video content.

Interstitial

This video ad must occupy most of the viewport during playback, be the main emphasis of the website, and be unable to be scrolled out of view.

The New IAB Video Specifications FAQ for Publishers

1. According to the revised definition, what qualifies a video as instream?

The most recent specification also classifies a video as instream if the user intends to watch it. This means that user requests and content matching are crucial. Regardless of whether the video plays automatically with sound, it is considered instream if it is the page's primary content. It's also crucial to remember that when a player changes to floating, it becomes accompanying content. 

2. With the new rule, which KPIs do buyers prioritize the most when deciding their video content?

there is a prediction that the key performance indicators (KPIs) that buyers presently use to monitor the effectiveness of campaigns—like viewability and video completion rate (VCR)—will stay the same. The major change will be ‘how important the content relevancy to the audience.’ To cope with this, Ampliffy has a unique technology helps marketers ensure their advertisements appear in relevant contexts and reach audiences with the correct message at the right time. 

3. How will these standards benefit publishers?

Publishers that prioritize providing their readers with high-quality experiences through instream and contextually relevant accompanying material according to the new standards will gain greater budgets from advertisers and audience engagement. Additionally, purchasers will gain more successful video ad campaigns. We anticipate seeing much more investment in video in the future and an improved overall customer experience, and these new standards are enhancing connectedness and transparency between buyers and sellers.

4. With these reidentifications, will there be changes or drops in CPMs?

Based on the conversation among publishers, there haven't been any CPM consequences until now. However it is predicted that limited availability of instream inventory will cause an increasing price in the near future. So, marketers focusing solely on instream will face pressure from rising prices, so they must refocus their strategy to include alternative formats and associated content. In this case, we think that accompanying content video ads will be a great prospect in the future. There will be interest in out-stream as well, but since it will be a standalone ad experience and in less relevant surroundings for users, it will only be used in certain situations with more performance-driven advertisers. These adjustments will generate fair market value for high-quality, engaging content in relevant locations, even though the pricing dynamics will change temporarily.  Long-term, publishers who can produce meaningful instream and supplementary content experiences will be the most equipped to handle these changes. 

Check out Videoffy if you are a publisher seeking solutions to help you produce more instream content. Videoffy is a white-label video site supported by AmpliffyTV, which provides short-form videos on different topics.

5. Is Ampliffy already applying these changes?

Ampliffy is continuously developing to meet any recent changes and standards. With our technology, Ampliffy will allow publishers to notify their inventory based on the updated values dynamically. This can be made available to all sources of demand. Publishers can easily engage in this activity through Ampliffy control panel to gain a better understanding during the process. On the other hand, we are communicating the new values to more DSPs, which will encourage publishers to contact premium advertisers.

What is Audience Segmentation in Advertising

Audience segmentation Audience segmentation aims to offer more individualized messages and build better connections by identifying subgroups within the target population.

Demographic factors like region, gender identity, age, ethnicity, wealth, or degree of formal education can be used to create subgroups. Additionally, subgroups may be created based on past purchases or other activities. When you know your audience's personality types, values, attitudes, and beliefs, you may use psychographics. One way to categorize people would be to divide them into groups according to their family affiliation, individualism or traditionalism, leadership or subservience, adventure, or domesticity.

To save time, a lot of inexperienced advertisers develop an ad campaign and spread it widely. But audience segmentation employs a more sophisticated tactic; it lets you divide contacts into more manageable groups so you can cater to their actual needs.

The importance of audience segmentation

By increasing the personalization of your advertising campaign, audience segmentation helps you avoid mediocrity. It has the importance of:

• Identify the audiences you want to reach.

• Make your ad campaign specifically targeted at them.

• Address a particular requirement that will enable you to boost conversion rates.

• Build a connection with your consumers to gain their trust.

• Encourage prospective customers to accelerate sales.

Customers are more inclined to listen to your ad when your message is tailored specifically for them. 

But where should we begin? Developing a fictional character or customer profile that represents the ideal customer is the first step in most marketing and advertising strategies. The person's age, work location, marital status, and hobbies may all be included in their profile.

Through profiles, you can interact with your clients on their level, particularly when it comes to understanding their issues and how you can assist in resolving them. You can group those profiles after you've created them.

Audience segmentation types

Advertisers frequently categorize individuals according to their behavior, demographics, and stage of the buyer's journey. The product or service you are offering will determine the audience segmentation method you employ.

For example, you might not want to classify users from different geographic areas differently if your website sells ski equipment as most of them most likely have to go to ski. However, grouping people according to their interactions and conduct can be useful. Individuals who have followed sports for a long time and are familiar with the goods you provide are likely to engage with your business differently than those who are just getting started despite the location.

Let's examine the approaches you may use to divide up your audience.

Demography

This approach of audience segmentation is the most popular and typically the simplest. You can utilize demographic factors such as age, income level, job type, and geography to categorize your audience. This approach is well-liked because it is effective.

Selecting customers based on when they are most likely to require your goods is one kind of location-based segmentation technique. For instance, equipment purchases made by an agricultural enterprise are more likely to occur during harvest. 

Behavior

This tactic goes a bit further than just dividing people by demographics. Seeing what people buy, how frequently they buy it, and why they buy it are all part of the process of analyzing behavior.

For example, a customer who regularly makes little purchases needs different signals than someone who makes major purchases only occasionally. This is due to the fact that those individuals have distinct needs and most likely purchase for various motives.

With behavioral targeting, your ad campaign is delivered to clients at the exact moment when they are most likely to convert. Potential customers, recent customers, loyal customers, and dropouts who have moved to a different brand are a few examples of these groups.

Interest

Everybody has distinct interests. You can better target the right people with the correct message by segmenting your audience based on these interests and creating distinct consumer groups.

For instance, you may leverage the information that a large number of your clients have about a certain sport or sports team to make interesting, tailored advertisements for that demographic.

You can also divide up your audience into groups according to the aesthetics they like—whether it's a simple, contemporary design or something more conventional and antiquated. This is very important to determine the design concept of your ad campaign.

Customer journey

By employing this tactic, you can customize your communications according to the customer journey stage. The customer journey phase consists of awareness, consideration, and decision.

A customer who is just starting out may have recently realized they have an issue to resolve. On the other hand, someone who is almost done understands what to buy and is prepared to make a decision. By using segmentation, you can address the individual needs of each buyer and address any queries they might have rather than just providing them with the same message.

Level of interaction

Different marketing is needed for contacts that engage with your brand on a regular basis compared to those who do so less frequently. A person who often purchases from you or subscribes to your newsletter indicates that they are interested in your business, so they are probably more open to receiving your message than someone who only sometimes interacts with it. Of course, you don’t want to bombard all of your customers with the same message that might result in losing them.

This doesn't mean that you should minimize or ignore users who are not very engaged. You may launch campaigns with customized messaging for these users. 

Utilizing devices

Users will not all visit the internet in the same manner. 50% of your visitors will likely be coming from mobile devices to access your website.

Your ad campaign should adjust to both desktop and mobile device usage patterns. Certain adjustments are obvious, like reshaping your ad campaign’s mobile version to fit smaller screens. However, consider the context in which it will be viewed as mobile customers are more likely to have limited time to read lengthy postings. So, Keep lengthy content exclusive to your desktop audience and keep it short for mobile users.

Implications of the New IAB Definition for Video Ad on Audience Segmentation

Recently, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has introduced a new definition for video ad, which has significant implications for audience segmentation in advertising strategies. This definitions is crucial for advertisers seeking to tailor their messages effectively to different audience segments. By understanding how audiences consume video content across various platforms, advertisers can optimize their targeting strategies to deliver more relevant and engaging ads based on the new IAB video ad definition.

4 New Video Ad Definitions: Which Is The Best?

Unbelievably, 92% of video marketers in 2023 claim that their return on investment from video is at an all-time high. It shows us that video advertising represents a fundamental change in how companies approach.

As a website publisher, you may be wondering how to be on this trend correctly. It's not as easy as placing a video advertisement on your website and waiting for the money to come in. Making smart decisions is necessary, especially when deciding which video ad type is best for your platform.

2024 is quite a challenging year for website publishers as IAB Tech Lab and Google have set new video ad definitions and specifications. With these new definitions, publishers should analyze their inventory in-depth to see how the updated definitions impact their ad placements. Today, we will look at those types and learn the pros and cons of each type. Later, you will have enough information to decide which is best to monetize your site.

Understanding In-Stream Video Ads

Let’s identify “in-stream video ads.” It’s a phrase that is widely used in digital advertising. But what exactly are they, and why should this matter to publishers?

In-stream video advertising plays inside video content where the video itself is the main content. It can appear before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after video content (post-roll).

In-stream advertisements offer publishers a great chance to draw in viewers and encourage interaction, which could increase CPMs. The main requirement to apply for an in-stream video ad is to have a main video content or a dedicated video site.

Pros: In-stream video ads are difficult to ignore and increase engagement from the audience. 

Cons: Some viewers may find in-stream video ads irritating. So, we need to be very careful at which time to place the ad to make it less irritating.

Understanding Accompanying Content Video Ads

Accompanying content video ads are also served in pre-, mid-, and post-roll with text-based supporting content within. This kind of video ad will start to play as soon as it enters the user’s viewport at 50%.

As the video player is not the main content, an automatic “sound-on” is unnecessary for accompanying content video ads.

Pros: Accompanying content video ads have a massive visibility and reach. 

Cons: Viewers may miss these advertisements if they are completely uninterested in the video content, as the main content is text-based. Besides, they also rely on the availability of video content and a compatible video player.

Understanding Interstitial Video Ads

Interstitial video ads fill the screen when a user tries to access a website. They usually show up during transitions and natural breaks.

Pros: A greater level of engagement. Publishers know exactly who, when, and how frequently a user sees these advertisements using interstitials. As this ad appears while users wait for the next content, publishers can clearly know their characteristics and interests. When combined with an effective approach, interstitial video ads can help publishers monetize their pages without sacrificing the user experience.

Cons: Users do not click to see them. Users have no control over whether or not to view interstitial advertising, in contrast to rewarded video ads. This could be intrusive to the users.

Understanding Standalone Video Ads

These are video advertisements that don’t need video content to be played. They are visible without causing too much interruption by appearing on the website aside from the content.

Pros: Great user experience, as they are regarded as one of the least intrusive forms of video advertising.

Cons: Standalone video ads sometimes make some websites load more slowly. This could affect the site’s SEO and user experience. So, try not to use them excessively.

A Detailed Comparison to Consider

Let’s have a detailed comparison among those video ads based on three important factors: monetization potential, placement and integration, and user experience and engagement. This will help publishers keep informed before deciding which types of ads suit the site:

Monetization Potential

• In-Stream Video Ads: They usually generate higher CPMs (Cost Per Mille) because of their great visibility and interaction potential. 

• Accompanying Content Video Ads: With high-quality content, publishers can guarantee that viewers are more receptive to accompanying ads.

• Interstitial Video Ads: Interstitial video ads often generate greater CTRs because they have greater creative room due to their larger size. Additionally, they are more effective at grabbing users’ attention because they take up the entire screen without being intrusive as users can skip or close the ads.

• Standalone Video Ads: They offer a non-intrusive ad experience because they are positioned outside the content. 

Placement and Integration

• In-Stream Video Ads: They are more appropriate for websites that primarily contain video content since they are displayed before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after (post-roll) a video. To function properly, they need a video player that supports them.

• Accompanying Content Video Ads: They are placed like in-stream video ads, the difference is that the video content itself isn’t the page’s main focus. The player can be sticky or floating once the video has played.

• Interstitial Video Ads: They are displayed on the site’s interface until the user closes them. Users can skip it after five seconds. Usually, they appear when the page loads. Users can close the interstitial ad or tap it to proceed to the brand’s landing page.

• Standalone Video Ads: Because standalone video ads are placed aside from the content, viewers can choose whether or not to interact with the advertisements. In this manner, it doesn’t interfere with users’ surfing or viewing experience.

User Experience and Engagement

• In-Stream Video Ads: Users are likelier to notice them because they are integrated into the video content. This can, however, occasionally be a double-edged sword. These advertisements can potentially negatively impact viewers’ experiences if they are excessive.

• Accompanying Content Video Ads:  Even while viewing the video content may not have been the main reason for the user’s visit, accompanying content video ads can be exposed to the users. Only when the video enters the viewport, the ad can begin to play. Publishers can encourage viewers to watch more videos by providing contextually appropriate accompanying content, while advertisers can engage consumers with content related to their interests.

• Interstitial Video Ads: Selecting the ideal times to show these advertisements can improve user experience and increase interaction. Finding natural breaks is crucial when choosing where to display interstitial video ads. Users are less likely to feel disrupted and more likely to be responsive to advertisements at these times. 

• Standalone Video Ads: They can be positioned throughout a page and more successfully grab users’ attention.

Choosing the Right Format

1. Know Your Audience: Understanding the behavior and preferences of your audience is essential. Do they interact with video content more often? Do they mind if advertisements break up their videos, or do they prefer less intrusive commercials when they browse? For a viewership that enjoys watching videos, in-stream advertisements may be ideal.

2. Set Specific Monetization Goals: In-stream advertisements may be your best option if your main objective is to maximize revenue from high CPMs. On the other hand, other formats can be the best option if your objective is to monetize more of the content on your website without compromising the user experience.

3. Your Content:  In-stream advertisements might be a great way to monetize your website if it primarily features video content / a video site. On the other hand, other formats provide a way to include video advertising without producing video content if the majority of the material on your website is text or image-based.