So You Think You Can Make the Most Effective Ad?

So you think you can dance make the most effective ad? We think you can, too. Whether you’re launching your first video marketing campaign or you’re a seasoned advertiser, there are best practices you can follow to make the most of it. 

Here, we’ll look at the platforms, creative elements, and strategies that help create effective ads for brands. From Connected TV (CTV) to social media, these best practices will help you connect with your audience and drive results through the end of the year (and well into 2025). 

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What To Consider for Your Video Marketing Strategy 

Overall, digital video viewership is increasing. According to EMARKETER, 3.78 billion people will watch digital video content in 2024 — and digital video ad spend is rising alongside it. While it’s great to know digital video is increasing, there are a ton of other elements to take into consideration — and it’s hard to know what you really need to know. (Ya know?) Let’s take a look at some specific elements so you can effectively plan your video marketing strategy. 

How People Spend Their Time 

In our digital age, people are spending more time with their devices than ever before. Whether you work in an office or at home (or somewhere in between), you’re likely using some sort of device for work. And once you get home, it’s likely you’ll turn to another screen to relax before bed. You probably even use one of your devices as an alarm clock, making it the first thing you see or hear in the morning. 

All this is to say: people spend a lot of time on their devices, and how that time is distributed can help you make critical decisions about your video marketing strategy. So let’s take a look at some different ways people spend their time with media and devices: 

Time Spent with Different Media Types 

One key element to look at is how people are spending their time across different media types. In 2024, EMARKETER estimates that U.S. device users spend about eight hours (and two minutes) with their digital devices, including laptops/desktops, CTVs, mobile phones, and others. Overall, people spend 12 hours and 37 minutes daily with media, which means they spend about 63.6% of their time with media with digital devices. 

Time Spent with Mobile Phones 

Mobile is taking up most of the digital time (around four hours on average per day), which means you should at least consider mobile video for your marketing mix. And since mobile video encompasses so much — social media video, OTT ads, and in-game ads, to name a few — there are definitely a few kinds of mobile video ads your audience will love. 

Read more: WTF Is Mcommerce? 

Time Spent with CTV 

When we take a look at time spent specifically with TV, there are a ton of changes for marketers. One of the most important is how viewers are tuning into their favorite content today: many viewers are cutting the cords of cable and switching to streaming platforms on Connected TVs. 

According to MNTN, “By the end of 2024, U.S. CTV user penetration is set to exceed 80% among consumers ages 25 to 54.” This means you’ll be able to reach a significant audience from CTV devices. This channel’s popularity has been creating a massive opportunity for advertisers to connect with viewers on this device — and it continues to become more important as new CTV technology helps advertisers meet their performance goals. In fact, CTV is so important that 65% of U.S.-based marketers said CTV is the leading must-buy video ad type for them. 

Time Spent with Social Media

While CTV was their leading must-buy video ad type, social media was a close second at 64%. And video is currently dominating users’ social media feeds. In 2024, EMARKETER estimates an average of 58.8% of time on social media will be spent watching video content, making this a great way to connect with users through video ads. 

Time Spent with Multiple Devices Simultaneously

If your customers are digital device users in the U.S., it’s likely they’ve used a second device while watching television at least a few times. One study found that 83% of American TV watchers use a second device while watching TV, often referred to as second-screen use. 

How Your Evergreen and Seasonal Ads Work Together 

While you’re crafting your marketing strategy, you’ll need to take both evergreen and seasonal ads into consideration. Instead of thinking of them as two separate elements, consider how they can work together. 

According to MNTN Research, advertisers who ran evergreen campaigns saw greater success than advertisers who only ran seasonal campaigns on the platform. These year-round campaigns allow advertisers to experiment with new styles, tones, and strategies, which helps them know exactly what their audience wants to see during these holiday seasons. 

How Rumpl Used Always-On CTV Ads To Drive Holiday Performance 

One MNTN advertiser, Rumpl, wanted to make a significant impact all year long, so they created a consistent presence on CTV with an evergreen campaign. Then, during the holiday season, they amplified their efforts with refreshed creative and drove a 15% increase in ROAS and a 39% increase in revenue generated. 

Effective Creative Elements 

While there’s no formula for the perfect ad for every business, there are some elements that have been proven to help brands stand out. 

Maintain Consistent Branding 

Make sure your audience knows who is airing the ad by consistently showcasing your brand. Many advertisers use a URL or logo in a lower corner of the ad throughout the entire video so it’s always visible to viewers. According to MNTN Research, “Global research agency Ipsos revealed that the highest-performing creative shows brand assets on average 34% more often than low performing creative, and campaigns that use distinctive brand assets perform 62% better than campaigns that don’t.” 

Find Elements Your Audience Enjoys 

Find elements that work for your audience — and encourage them to take action. According to MNTN Research, high-performing TV ads tend to incorporate humor, eye-catching visuals, familiar faces, music that appeals to a broad audience, and themes relevant to current events.

Video Marketing Best Practices For Q4 and Beyond 

Know Your Platforms 

As you begin to learn more about the platforms your audience uses the most, you’ll likely find some differences. For example, while TikTok and Instagram Reels are (by design) incredibly similar, there are differences in the experiences and user expectations. Each platform has different ad specs and requirements for you to meet, and you’ll need to be familiar with them before you launch your campaigns. 

You’ll also need to make sure different elements of your ad — like your CTA — align with the platform. According to MNTN Research, the most successful TV ads encourage viewers to engage with the brand soon after seeing the ad, which can be beneficial across platforms. But not every platform has the same functionality, so it’s important to understand which CTAs fit which platforms best. For example, you won’t want to encourage someone to click a link directly from an Instagram caption (links aren’t functional there!); instead, you’ll want to direct them to a link in your profile bio or Instagram Story. 

Always Test and Optimize 

It’s 2024, so you probably already know that a set-it-and-forget-it approach just won’t cut it when it comes to video marketing. But just in case … it won’t. 

Instead, you need to continuously optimize your video creative in order to make the most of your campaign resources. By implementing a multivariate testing strategy, you’ll be able to learn more about your audience through creative data. This style of testing helps you understand how your audience reacts to specific elements of your ad, allowing you to optimize your video content based on their behaviors (or lack thereof) after viewing your ad. 

The more you learn about your audience, the more effectively you’ll be able to create ads that resonate with them and encourage them to learn more about your brand. 

Consistently Refresh Your Creative 

According to MNTN Research, the optimal “shelf life” of a creative asset is around 59 to 64 days for evergreen campaigns. Throughout the year, you’ll need to refresh your video assets about once a quarter to maintain fresh ads for your audience. During seasonal campaigns, you’ll need more assets since their shelf-life is significantly shorter, only reaching about ten days, on average, before viewers start feeling ad fatigue. 

Understand What Your Audience Wants — And When They Want It 

What your audience wants is likely to change along with shopping behaviors, lifestyle changes, and more. For example, what an audience wants in Q4 is likely going to be different than what they want the following summer. Since we can’t see the trends of summer 2025 yet, let’s take a look at what audiences want during Q4 2024. 

What Do Consumers Want in Q4 2024? 

A 2024 MNTN Research Peeks Poll asked respondents (who are primarily marketers and advertisers) what they wanted to see in Q4 through a consumer lens. Mostly, folks want to see ads that fit their wants and needs —  41% of respondents said they prefer ad creative that highlights a brand or service that resonates with them. 

Following closely behind, 31% of respondents said they want discounts and deals. But what kind of deals are most effective? Around 45% of respondents said a percentage-off promotion is most effective with their own consumers, followed by limited-time offers at 19%, tiered discounts at 13%, BOGO at 12%, and free shipping at 5%. 

Consumers are also keeping a closer eye on value this holiday season. According to MNTN Research, consumers are willing to walk away when price is a major factor in their purchasing decisions — or if they don’t see value in what you’re offering (for example, if you reduce the size of a product without reducing the price).

Create Effective Ads All Year Long 

There’s a lot to consider when crafting your video marketing strategy, but the right strategies can help you make the most of your resources, connect with your audience all year long, and leave a lasting impression with your video content.