The digital advertising era is something very different now compared to about a decade ago. It is believed that further revolution is underway and the primary aspect is the rice of vertical video, which was once considered unconventional.
Vertical video is now dominating the social media platforms. TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts are the real examples. The shift has forced advertisers to blend with it. This marks a profound change in how brands engage with audiences in this fast-paced digital world that is mostly mobile-centric.
Traditionally, video ads were made to fit the widescreen format as seen on televisions. But the advent of social media platforms has transformed the approach. Today, it is highly important to capture attention within the first few seconds while a mobile user is scrolling up the vertical videos.
Vertical video concept started with the pioneering efforts of Snapchat in 2014. It tried to popularize it through full-screen ads. It was a great success and other platforms like Instagram and Facebook started following for their Stories features. TikTok further revolutionized the landscape. It redefined user engagement through algorithm-driven content discovery.
Gradually advertisers realized the power of vertical videos in capturing attention and driving engagement. Instagram Stories was then like a goldmine for advertisers.
Similarly, the watermark of TikTok on shared videos redefined the space. It challenged big players like Meta (formerly Facebook). This shift prompted brands to embrace a “vertical-first” approach.
Today, AI has taken an entry in the space. Moreover, content variation has become the key to maximizing the impact of vertical video advertising. While AI tools is condensing long-form videos into bite-sized segments which are optimized for vertical viewing, the content variation is allowing advertisers to experiment with different formats and styles as well.