If there was one word to describe the current state of the ad ecosystem, it would be polluted.
Obtrusive ads sully digital-safe havens and contaminate good content. Consumers are constantly wading through unwanted ads, while publishers and advertisers are at risk of having their brand reputation tarnished with irrelevant or inappropriate ad placements. Not quite an environmental catastrophe, but the trash is definitely starting to pile up.
Could interscroller ads be the key to cleaning up the mobile ad environment for good?
Don’t wait to find out. Let’s explore the ins and outs of full-screen mobile ads and how they can benefit your brand.
With so many types of ad formats out there, it’s no wonder the advertising environment is polluted. Sticky banner ads and annoying pop-ups meant to grab consumer attention end up distracting from the content of a web page and turn consumers away.
Now is the time for brands to take out the trash and invest in high-impact creative formats that deliver results.
Interscroller ads are just that. These highly visible, highly-engaging digital ads are ideal for grabbing consumer attention without disrupting their experience or the content. They work by revealing content as a reader scrolls down a visited page. When the user scrolls to reveal 85% of the placement, it can snap to take over the entire screen.
Hover and scroll over the phone to reveal an Interscroller Ad
OR view this page on your mobile to reveal the full screen Interscroller Ad in a mobile environment.
Scroll down to view an Interscroller Ad
and experience it yourself
What makes interscroller ads different from other full-screen ad formats like interstitial ads?
Not all full-screen ads are created equal. Here are some of the main differences between interscroller and interstitial full-screen mobile ads:
Interscroller ads prioritize a polite user experience. They integrate with content seamlessly and aren’t intrusive. Interstitial ads, on the other hand, operate similarly to your traditional (and rather annoying) full-screen pop-up ads.
The experts at Google explain that interstitial ads are designed to be placed between natural transition points in content, like between paragraphs. However, that’s not always the case and they are often more intrusive and require readers to manually close the ad or wait until it’s over.
The interscroller format is inherently more viewable than other full-screen ad units. That’s because it’s directly integrated into the page content and creates a pleasant ad experience. Interstitial ads are also very viewable but can have a slower loading time and higher bounce rates when readers become annoyed by the disruption.
Interstitial ads really aren’t all that they’re cracked up to be. To put it simply, they’re disruptive while interscroller ads are less intrusive. On mobile devices where screen space is limited, large interstitial ads can be a real pain.
This is even an issue that Google tried to mitigate back in 2017 by penalizing pages where the content was less accessible due to intrusive full-screen pop-up ads. Publishers and advertisers alike should prioritize quality full-screen ad experiences over annoying ones.
Cleaning up the digital advertising environment is no small undertaking.
That’s why interscroller ads are more than just nice to interact with, they actually have the metrics to back up their success.
Let’s take a closer look at how the interscroller ad formats benefits brands and, by extension, the world of mobile advertising.
In the polluted ad landscape, capturing consumer attention is more difficult than ever before. Too many brands focus on viewability metrics such as impressions and reach, but fail to understand if their ads are truly resonating with their audience.
So, let’s be clear: Just because an ad is viewable it doesn’t mean it will actively be viewed by consumers!
Attention is the new metric advertisers should be prioritizing to not only create a future-proof brand, but to also help the ad ecosystem as a whole. Size just so happens to be one of the key drivers of attention, meaning interscroller ads are some of the best at capturing consumer attention.
Full-screen ads are virtually unmissable, and interscroller ads specs can perfectly fit the size of a mobile screen. When paired with engaging creative, like video, brands can stand out from the rubbish.
The numbers on interscroller ads don’t lie. In a small-scale study with Lumen Research, MOBKOI found how full-screen ads helped with attention advertising for a Luxury Retailer and a Multinational Energy Company. It showed that interscroller ad formats had an eyes-on view time that was 2.4 - 3x more than the norm for a standard mobile display ad.
Similarly, both brands experienced a drastic increase in both spontaneous and prompted brand recall thanks to these full-screen ads.
In the world of digital advertising, seconds matter when it comes to connecting with consumers. Unmissable, creative interscroller ads make every second count to capture their attention.
As we said, interscroller ads don’t just look great, but they also outperform other types of display ads time and time again.
According to the most recent Celtra Creative Insights Report, interscroller engagement rates were 4x higher than Universal Banners. They had the best engagement rates compared to other types of ads by far.
Of course, investing in better ad formats is just one part of the equation to clean up the digital ad landscape. Getting rid of waste is equally, if not more, important. Adopting a zero-waste media policy is one of the best ways to stop contributing to the pollution that plagues the current ad ecosystem.
It’s important to curate digital ad experiences with a focus on premium sites and unmissable, high-quality inventory. Full-screen ads are designed to be seen and provide a larger canvas for beautiful and interactive creative to be viewed and engaged with.
It’s time for brands to stop investing in junk and instead optimize their spending with fewer, higher quality ad formats like interscrollers that deliver results.
There is an important caveat to the ability of interscroller ads to better the digital advertising experience. They must be used correctly.
Like with any ad format, full-screen ads need to be wielded smartly for the best outcome. This starts with ensuring your interscroller ads are engaging and utilizing cutting-edge creative and extends to placing them in premium environments.
But this is easier said than done. While interscroller ads are the perfect canvas to show off the best of digital ad creatives, inventory is sparse. These types of full-screen ads are a relatively new addition to the digital ad landscape, meaning inventory is highly sought after but also limited. Needless to say, it can be difficult for brands to scale interscroller ad campaigns.
There are unlimited creative opportunities with interscroller ads, but brands are often limited by inventory.
The sparse inventory for interscroller ads means it would be incredibly difficult to run a campaign of solely full-screen ads. Luckily, you don’t have to.
Interscroller ads are perfectly complemented by a variety of other ad formats. More traditional display ad formats are an essential part of your creative mix to make your campaign a success. You can save your hyper-engaging, fun, and flashy creative assets for an unmissable interscroller and utilize display ads to solidify your brand identity and message.
Full-screen ads are perfect for showcasing your creativity and trying trends like augmented reality, virtual reality, and gamification. This way you’ll not only have an ad that’s unmissable but also one that consumers want to engage with.
You don’t want your stunning interscroller ads next to rubbish. Placing your ads in premium environments ensures your message is being delivered to the right audience while protecting your brand image.
If your interscroller ad ends up on a site with offensive content, it can leave a negative impression and cancel out your beautiful creative. Not only do you need to create visually appealing ads, but they also need to be placed in the right environment for the right audience to have the most impact.
What’s the New Year all about? Resolutions and positive change. It’s an opportunity for individuals – and yes, businesses, too – to start afresh. But what might a business resolution look like?
There are ample opportunities to streamline processes, optimize budgets, and of course, make more meaningful connections with consumers. If your business is ready to make a big change in 2023, consider committing to a zero-waste media policy. By shifting your focus to the quality of your ad impressions over quantity, you can set your organization up for success – long past when everyone else gives up on the January resolution fad.
In the business world, waste equates to dollars down the drain. That’s why organizations spend millions optimizing their supply chain to reduce excess inventory and utilize every inch of their space.
But what about media waste?
Organizations often overlook the waste that occurs within marketing. There’s the belief that creating a stunning advertising campaign and sending it out into the world is enough to connect with consumers and receive an ample return on investment. But it’s not.
The truth is, many ad impressions are never seen by consumers which means most digital budgets are being spent ineffectively.
With more insight into how consumers view and engage with mobile ads, advertisers can better understand the toll media waste is taking on their campaigns. It’s time for advertisers to take a step back and commit to a zero-waste media policy.
There’s no time like the present to commit to a zero-waste media policy. Reducing media waste is a savvy business move, especially during times of economic uncertainty. As marketing budgets tighten, it’s important for advertisers to spend wisely and focus on the quality of their ad campaigns over the quantity of content they can produce.
This is all to say that digital marketing is here to stay, but the way advertisers promote and distribute content needs to change.
You can already see how other media companies are going through a paradigm shift. Netflix, for instance, is drastically cutting back on original content. According to the Wall Street Journal, the streaming giant is looking to add fewer new titles, with a greater emphasis on quality productions. This is a shift to prioritize programs with the biggest return rather than reach.
We’ve been running on content overdrive, leading to ad creative fatigue among consumers and wasted ad spend for organizations. Now we’re seeing media companies and advertisers pull back to refocus on the quality of content over quantity.
It’s no secret that consumers are being faced with more ad creatives than ever before. According to recent research, the average person sees around 10,000 ads per day. That’s more than double the amount from a decade ago.
Average Views
Number of ads the average person sees per day
In fact, consumers are seeing so many ads a day that they’ve become pros at tuning them out. Many consumers mindlessly swipe through ads placed on social media without another thought because they’re in the scrolling mindset. Others turn to ad blockers to stop these distractions.
Many advertisers have poured more money into creative, targeted, flashy pop-ups and banners to combat ad fatigue. This disruptive marketing strategy is often counterproductive. Rather than being amazed by these ads, most people find them intrusive, disruptive, and obnoxious. According to research collected by Zippia, an estimated 90% of U.S. consumers find targeted ads intrusive and annoying.
It’s clear that the last thing consumers want is intrusive, disruptive ads. Rather, they want to be shown compelling, engaging creatives in contextually relevant environments where they’re willing to receive them.
The experts at Forbes summarize ad fatigue best, stating...
Reducing ad fatigue and eliminating media waste go hand in hand. When you place polite yet engaging ads in premium environments, you can maximize your ad spend and increase brand awareness without frustrating consumers.
Are you ready to eliminate media waste for good in the new year and shift to a zero-waste media policy? Here are three ways to maximize your mobile ad spend with the less is more approach.
relevant to your brand. Many marketers consider social media to be the best platform for digital marketing. These sites are used by millions of people a day, so you’d think you'd have more eyes (and engagement) on your ads.
However, social media has become almost overwhelmed with content. A recent survey found that 74% of users think there are too many ads on social media. Even more interesting, 63% of users say they only see a few things advertised on these channels, over and over again, which can lead to ad fatigue.One of the best ways to stop wasting impressions is by making sure your high-quality content is placed in engaging environments that are
Users don’t go on social media to be sold to. Time and time again, studies show that social media users are on these platforms to form connections, interact with others, and be entertained. The last thing they’re looking for is to engage with an ad and, most of the time, find ads to be disruptive to their experience on these sites.
For advertisers looking to reduce waste, consider shifting more budget to premium ad placements on premium publisher sites. Why? For one, consumers tend to scroll slower and are more intentional when reading articles than when mindlessly scrolling and swiping through social media. In fact, according to one platform management expert, the average social media user scrolls the height of the Empire State building every day and spends an average of only 1.7 seconds on each social media ad. In comparison, ads placed on popular publisher websites had a view time of nine seconds.
Of course, not all websites are created equal. It’s important to curate media plans with a focus on premium sites and inventory. A consumer is more likely to engage with a polite full-screen ad on the New York Times rather than a small banner or annoying pop-up buried on an unreputable site.
Where you place your mobile ads is perhaps the most important step you can take to help avoid wasted media spend.
Along with ad fatigue, ad blindness is another issue advertisers are facing. Consumers have gotten so good at ignoring ads that it’s become second nature. “Banner blindness” is a well-known phenomenon that describes how web users consciously or subconsciously ignore banner ads.
As Forbes explains, this ad blindness “doesn’t just mean that users don’t see your ads — it also means that what is displayed on said ads might not register with them.”
The best way to grab consumer attention? Investing in bigger, better ad formats. Full-screen ads are unmissable and provide a larger canvas for beautiful and interactive creative to be viewed and engaged with.
While the media and context of your ad placements are important, it is the quality of your creative that wins people over and grabs their attention. Full-screen ads can also be chock full of more interesting, interactive elements. From interactive video ads to advergames, you can create mobile ads consumers want to engage with to make your campaign a success.
Hover and scroll over the phone to reveal an Interscroller Ad
OR view this page on your mobile to reveal the full screen Interscroller Ad in a mobile environment.
Scroll down to view an Interscroller Ad
and experience it yourself
Impressions and viewability are no longer cutting it. Just because an ad appears in view, does not necessarily mean the content is being seen and absorbed by consumers.
A true zero-waste media policy requires marketers to go beyond reach and A) start tracking exactly where their ads are running and B) whether or not they’re capturing consumer attention. That’s why the industry at large is moving away from viewability and adopting attention as the new universal metric.
Powered by sophisticated eye-tracking technology, Attention metrics for brand campaigns include things like in-view time, exposure time, and screen real estate. These factors can help predict how much time a user is spending digesting an ad. Advertisers can use these reporting measures to track performance and inform changes to creative and/or media placements to optimize their mobile campaigns.
By having the right measurement and reporting in place, advertisers can even move toward buying media based on attention vs impressions (which are often wasted). Out of all the ways to eliminate media waste, outcome-based buying is really the holy grail of a zero-waste policy.
The reign of viewability has come to an end in the land of digital advertising.
The experts at eMarketer emphasize that attention is rapidly dethroning viewability when it comes to which ad metrics are favorable among advertisers. Assessing whether consumers truly noticed and absorbed a message, rather than simply glanced at it, proves invaluable to advertisers seeking to measure outcomes.
This seismic shift in power isn’t far off in the future, it’s already happening. The report from eMarketer finds that 96% of advertisers worldwide will use attention metrics in at least some of their buys this year.
Are you prepared for this change?
Join us as we take a closer look at what the attention economy is and how brands can rise above the noise to capture consumer attention.
of Advertisers worldwide will use attention metrics in at least some of their buys this year
It’s time to give the attention economy the attention it deserves.
The experts at Nielson say it best, “Attention is one of the most valuable resources of the digital age.” Just think of how much information we are presented with a day. We’re talking news, videos, shows, and more all available instantly online. Digital advertisements are also in the mix, but are often a casualty of the attention economy.
Having access to this wealth of information is a luxury people of the past didn’t have, but it can also be a burden. While there are endless amounts of information to see there are still only 24 hours in a day. And more importantly, our mental processing power has remained the same as it has always been. We simply can’t process all of the ads we see in a day.
As Nielson puts it bluntly, attention, not information, is the limiting factor in today’s society.
It’s not only an abundance of content that’s proving a challenge to advertisers. Consumers are also more intentional about where they spend their attention. There is simply too much content on the Internet for the human brain to process, so the majority of ads are forgotten in seconds or glazed over due to ad fatigue. It’s no wonder they’ve gotten savvy at how to tune out ads online.
In most cases, consumers are simply on a mission for information and little else. The Berkley Economic Review emphasizes how when we go on the internet, we have a goal in mind. Whether that’s finding the answer to a question, finding the news, or conducting research, once we get what we want, we leave the site. In these scenarios, advertisers are fighting an uphill battle for consumer attention online.
To put it simply, human attention is a scarce and precious commodity, and capturing it is becoming increasingly more difficult. The future that Nobel Laureate Herbert A. Simon, who came up with the attention economy definition as we know it, once predicted is here.
Nielsen predicts that the pressure to design ads for attention will only grow. As you’ve likely already experienced, automatically playing videos, pop-ups, and unskippable ad formats are commonplace even though they’re wildly unpopular. In this race for consumer attention, sacrificing quality for views is an easy trap to fall into.
So, how can your brand make sure your ad is one of the 10,000 that is seen and engaged with?
Standing out in the digital age means demanding attention. In the crowded terrain, you don’t want your ad competing for view time with a dozen others. Formats like the interscroller ad take up 100% share of the screen and are virtually unmissable.
These ads improve average view time by more than 10 seconds, which is vital in this economy. Further research has shown that full-screen, interactive mobile ads have attention rates that are 3-5x higher than the mobile display norm.
Campaigns leveraging the full-screen interscroller format achieve attention rates that are 3-5x the mobile display norm.
And it’s not just taking up the most space, it’s also about being the only brand on the screen. This is how MOBKOI helps brands break through the noise. When consumers are presented with one attention-grabbing ad on their screen, it boosts metrics across the board.
Where your ad is placed is important in more ways than one. Not only do you want your ads to be placed on premium websites, but you also want your ads to have complete, unobstructed viewability.
With programmatic advertising, more often than not your ads are competing with obnoxious sticky banners, pop-ups, and video overlays. This negatively impacts the user experience and can obstruct the ads you worked hard to create.
By implementing a publisher-direct media buying strategy, you can avoid this issue. The real challenge lies in scaling up publisher-direct buying. At MOBKOI, we've built the infrastructure to ensure all the publishers you run across, be it 5 or 50, block intrusive ads — guaranteeing your creative content dominates the screen and boosts attention.
Dwell time is essentially the total amount of time that someone spends viewing or engaging with your ad - or in other cases, your site.
As we’ve mentioned previously, the average dwell time with a digital ad is only 1.2 seconds. MarketingWeek elaborates on this research, finding a clear, statistically significant link between dwell time and prompted recall. In fact, only a two-second dwell time translates to 28% prompted recall. This means a consumer remembers both the ad and the brand behind the ad. Increasing dwell time to 14 seconds almost doubles the prompted recall.
In other words, an ad impression can deliver twice the impact if dwell time increases. And based on what we’ve seen at MOBKOI, this experience is true.
Through recent studies we’ve conducted in collaboration with leading Attention Measurement firm, Lumen Research, we found that engaging, full-screen ad formats drive exceptionally high attention rates that are 3-5x the mobile display norm. This research has also further validated that a high view time and attention rate leads to increases across other brand lift metrics.
For one Luxury Fashion brand, the high-impact interscroller format held attention for an average of 2.6 seconds, which generated around 2,286 seconds per 1,000 impressions. This rate was 1.5x the outstream video norm and 3x the mobile display norm. Moreover, the campaign drove a 19% spontaneous recall and a 54% prompted recall, which is significantly higher than the industry average. Overall, the campaign achieved an 8% uplift in brand choice which topped the average range for digital campaigns with similar ad formats.
When advertisers find the perfect balance between creativity and attention measurement, magic can happen. Engaging ads placed in front of the right consumer in the right context is more profitable than placing hundreds of standard display ads across multiple unreputable sites. This is the fundamental flaw that is plaguing the industry, particularly within the programmatic landscape. Though a convenient way to buy and sell inventory, programmatic can not guarantee a 100% share of the screen nor block pop-ups.
Prioritizing the quality of your ads over the quantity (in terms of both creative and placement) is truly the way to stand out in the attention economy and make sure your message is one of the 10,000 that breaks through.
MOBKOI has mastered the formula for creating attention-grabbing ads. The combination of high-impact formats, such as the interscroller, and hyper-engaging creative strikes the perfect balance to maximize the impact of your ads. With a premium publisher-direct network, you also always know where your ads are being placed to make every impression count, all while protecting your brand and reducing waste.
You’ve spent countless dollars and hours building your brand, the last thing you want to do is have your reputation damaged due to an ad posted in an inappropriate location.
That, in short, is why you need to prioritize brand safety. When you’re proactive about protecting the image and reputation of your brand, you’re not only avoiding potentially costly slip-ups, but you’re also strengthening your connections with consumers.
Don’t leave brand safety to chance. Read on to learn more about brand safety and suitability along with the measures you can take to safeguard your image.
With the right understanding of digital marketing, brand safety can be as simple as it sounds. As Amazon explains, “Brand safety in digital advertising is about protecting your brand’s reputation when you advertise.” It’s all about preventing your ads from appearing on inappropriate websites or alongside offensive content.
Essentially, brand safety looks at the bigger picture of advertising. Even if your ads are stellar and on brand, if they’re placed on an unsuitable website it can sully your brand’s reputation and consumer opinion. Similarly, it also helps your organization avoid ad fraud (more on this later).
Brand safety can be simple when you don’t get bogged down in the details.
Brands should always have brand safety guidelines that apply to their advertising. Not only should it outline what counts for a branded ad, but also where these ads should and shouldn’t be placed. By avoiding these unsavoury websites, you’re protecting your brand and also ensuring your ads aren’t producing fraudulent clicks.
Brand safety should be a priority for mobile and desktop advertising.
Like we said, brand safety is about safeguarding your brand reputation. Your brand is your organization’s most valuable asset. Chances are you’ve spent years and countless dollars refining your image to capture consumer attention, and now it’s time to keep your brand safe.
You don’t want your ads appearing alongside inappropriate content. Again, even if your message is relevant to your brand and the consumers you are reaching, if it’s on a site with offensive content it can leave a negative impression.
Not only do you need to ensure your ads are showing up on contextually relevant sites, but it is even more critical that other content on those sites meets your brand safety standards.
Brand safety and brand suitability go hand in hand. Brand safety is about avoiding unsafe advertising environments. It’s often used as a blanket term since many marketers can agree on what constitutes an unsafe environment. On the other hand, brand suitability is more nuanced and tailored to your brand.
As Oracle explains, brand suitability picks up where brand safety too often stops. Many brand safety measures center around blocking unsafe publishers from placing a bid on your ads, but that doesn’t mean all safe websites are actually suitable for your brand or audience.
In other words, brand suitability brings context to your ads. It’s about displaying your content in the right environment to the right audience so your ads can appeal to users on a deeper level.
You’re a business that sells healthy lifestyle wearables. Being health conscious and fitness oriented is an important part of your brand identity, so as part of your brand suitability guidelines you would never want your ads to appear on websites promoting smoking, excessive consumption, or alcohol abuse (there’s more of these than you think!). Maybe you’d even go as far as only allowing your ads to appear on sites where other health-minded content also appears.
For other brands, having their ads run on a smoking website could make sense (and even be beneficial). But for a healthy lifestyle brand, it could hurt your reputation.
In short, brand suitability takes brand safety to a more personal level. Without it, your ads could be simultaneously putting your image at risk and missing out on the best opportunities to appeal to your specific audience.
As you can see, brand safety can be an overarching term while brand suitability is tailored to your identity and values. Both advertisers and publishers should prioritize brand safety to protect themselves.
Advertisers and agencies should be proactive about protecting their brand identity. Like much of what we’ve already discussed, they can take measures to block unsafe publishers from their bidding lists and may have URL ad keyword blocklists.
While much of the emphasis on brand safety is for advertisers, publishers can also benefit from brand safety solutions. By only allowing quality, contextually relevant ads on their website, publishers bolster their brand and reduce potential risks like ad fraud and bot traffic.
So, how do you protect your brand and avoid ad fraud? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to brand safety, especially when it comes to determining which sites are suitable for your brand. Of course, there are some steps you can take to protect your image and avoid ad fraud.
As we touched upon, blocking certain URLs and negative/positive keywording are some tactics brands can use to safeguard where their ads appear. But this isn’t an airtight solution.
Let’s explore some of the other ways you can safeguard your brand.
Technology has been a double-edged sword when it comes to brand safety. In some ways, it’s made it easier for advertisers to block inventory. However, it has also complicated things for marketers. Certain digital marketing solutions give advertisers a false sense of security and control.
Here are a handful of the best brand safety solutions and how to wield them to your advantage.
Publisher Direct advertising, where advertisers work directly with the sites their ads will run on, took a backseat to Programmatic advertising for some time. The latter promised speed and flexibility, where going publisher direct had been somewhat cumbersome.
As programmatic advertising has been shown to be rife with fraud and brand safety concerns, the pendulum is swinging back towards publisher direct. The experts at Forbes explain that ad fraud is common for programmatic advertising, often requiring expensive 3rd party tools to mitigate. In some cases, bad actors are able to use loopholes to pose as reputable buyers and sellers to create false clicks and impressions. This is a major problem, as Forbes highlights how recent reports show 39% of internet traffic comes from bad bots.
Since the early days, programmatic advertising has had problems guaranteeing that advertisers’ content won’t be placed next to hate speech or inappropriate material. Unfortunately, those problems have only persisted.
Publisher direct advertising, on the other hand, puts more control in the hands of advertisers than anything else - not to mention vastly reducing the impact of fraudulent traffic. In this model, advertisers chose the sites and the content their ads appear next to. With the rise of private publisher direct networks, the speed of publisher direct now rivals that of programmatic - without all the fraud.
Investing in publisher direct advertising is an investment in brand safety and suitability.
As we’ve always said: If content is king, context is queen. You can’t have one without the other!
Context is undoubtedly important for getting your ads noticed, but it’s also an important brand safety tool. It’s not just about ensuring your content is placed in the right environments but also keeping it away from unsavory content that could negatively impact your brand image.
As Amazon points out, the challenge of contextual targeting is achieving it in real time. The sheer amount of content out there can be difficult to grasp, and as mentioned, simply blocking certain URLs and keywords can actually make you miss out on opportunities to reach new audiences.
The solution is contextual intelligence. Essentially, this combines contextual targeting as you know it with the core ideas of brand suitability. It’s all about finding sites that are not only safe overall, but also relevant to your target audience and potential consumers. You can filter out sites with content that doesn’t meet your brand safety guidelines and find new opportunities you may have previously overlooked.
Contextual intelligence empowers marketers to take what they know about their audiences and utilize it to safeguard their brand. By not just looking at websites and keywords, but rather the bigger picture of a site’s audience and additional factors like site sections, vertical-specific content, etc. you can ensure your ads are relevant and complement the user experience.
Of course, we can’t forget one of the most important brand safety tools: reporting. Without tracking your brand safety efforts, you don’t have any idea if your strategy is working until it’s too late.
Too often, marketers are left flying blind and have very little insight into where their ads are actually running. This especially rings true for brands that are overly-reliant on open market programmatic.
As noted, ad fraud continues to be a thorn in the side of the open market. When marketers are too focused on reach and scale versus quality, they can get sucked into believing their campaign is a success. Whereas in reality, much of their ad spend and impressions could be going towards fraudulent and made-for advertising sites or otherwise low quality publishers and inventory.
Instead, make sure to prioritize fully transparent site-level reporting when evaluating advertising platforms and partners.
Going above and beyond the industry standard, MOBKOI offers full site-list transparency and granular performance reporting to all clients.
Hitting a business growth plateau can be jarring, but it doesn’t have to be your new normal.
When your once-stellar marketing strategy isn’t delivering results, it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate where you’re spending your ad dollars. Read on to learn more about how to overcome a performance plateau by ditching old habits and investing in future-proof digital marketing.
Chances are, you’ve heard the phrase “performance plateau” thrown around.
Many people talk about performance plateaus in sports, training, or the workplace. It’s essentially when you reach a point where no matter how hard you train or work your progress seems to stagnate.
And while much of the emphasis is on how performance plateaus can affect individuals, they can also affect brand performance.
MarketingWeek explains that the business growth plateau happens when brands reach a point where the success of their traditional marketing mix levels off. Their original marketing campaigns are no longer effective and brand growth has stalled.
Hitting a performance plateau is especially stressful for brands with a performance mindset. When the numbers stall, it can seem like all is lost.
Experiencing a plateau in performance isn’t just an issue for new or growing brands. It can happen to anyone, anytime, for a variety of reasons.
From small businesses to medium B2B brands to major players in the B2C space, new and well-known legacy brands alike can experience a growth plateau. However, one common theme among brands that experience a performance plateau is their emphasis on performance marketing rather than marketing performance.
As you’ll see soon, measuring performance can only take brands so far.
But we'll let you in on a little secret: Using the same performance marketing strategy and expecting the same results over time isn't sustainable.
When brands look for ways to cut their budget and focus on bottom-of-funnel performance marketing that’s worked in the past, their numbers stagnate.
The experts at McKinsey echo this sentiment. Data-driven performance marketing is often preferred among advertisers because it delivers concrete, measurable results. On the other hand, brand performance marketing (which we’ll get to in more detail soon) can be more difficult - but not impossible - to measure.
McKinsey explains that, because of this, many CMOs shift their marketing spend to capture customers at the bottom of the funnel. With performance marketing, it’s easy to justify this spend, but it comes at the expense of top-of-funnel marketing that can generate customer demand and capture consumer attention.It can be difficult for brands to pinpoint the cause behind their plateau in performance. After all, it’s startling when your typical marketing strategy simply stops delivering results.
This emphasis on bottom-of-funnel campaigns may deliver some immediate positive results but simply isn’t sustainable. The pool of customers ready to make a purchase will soon dry out and without a strong top-of-funnel campaign there won’t be more coming down the pipeline.
All of this is to say that having a sole focus on performance marketing is often what causes brands to plateau. It’s a short-sighted solution that ignores the benefits of creating meaningful connections with customers and building brand loyalty.
Ultimately, the difference between hitting a performance plateau and reaching new heights comes down to a solid understanding of marketing. And for this article, we’re focusing on the nuances between brand marketing and performance marketing.
Let’s start with the former. Brand marketing is all about creating a strong brand identity over time. It involves appealing to a consumer's emotions, creating brand awareness, and improving brand perception. By perfecting brand messaging and identity, you begin to connect with consumers over time.
However, measuring brand performance can be a challenge. There are no direct ways to identify how brand marketing contributes to sales and results can take a while to see.
Performance marketing, on the other hand, is all about meeting the immediate needs of reaching your target audience and generating leads and/or sales. It’s a data-driven approach that’s a lot more tangible for brands to understand - and justify.
As you can see, both types of marketing serve an important purpose. But this is often lost on decision-makers when dollars are on the line. Less than two years ago, Forbes reported that 70% of marketing professionals expecting budget cuts predicted they would make them to brand advertising. Performance marketing was expected to be among the least affected areas of investment.
Brand performance marketing is more important to a brand’s long-term success when compared to performance marketing. According to HubSpot, one of the best known brands in B2B Software, some of the benefits of building a strong brand include:
in a saturated market. Consumers are always faced with choices. If they recognize your brand, they are more likely to choose your product or service over a competitor.
Consistent, memorable branding builds credibility and trust that keeps your customers coming back to your brand instead of trying something else.
Speaking of consistency, branding can be the foundation of all your marketing efforts. Without a solid identity, your ads and marketing content - no matter where it falls in the funnel - won’t be as effective.
Get consumers excited about your brand with cutting-edge ads and experiences they can’t help but talk about or share on social media. Even if they don’t make a purchase, this type of marketing is invaluable to a business.
When you create a strong brand identity, it helps shape workplace culture. Your values and vision can help boost employee morale and retention while also attracting top talent.
Though intangible, the benefits of branding are undeniable. It’s a long-term investment that has a high return when given the budget and time to succeed.
Luckily, hitting a growth plateau doesn’t have to be your new normal. When the numbers start to stagnate, don’t panic! It’s time to step back and evaluate your current marketing strategy.
Chances are, you’re focusing too much spend and time on bottom-of-funnel ads. Maybe you were getting leads in the beginning, they’ve now started to taper off. Maybe you’re seeing the KPIs dip several weeks in a row. Either way, here are some steps to overcome the performance plateau or avoid it altogether.
Luckily, hitting a growth plateau doesn’t have to be your new normal. When the numbers start to stagnate, don’t panic! It’s time to step back and evaluate your current marketing strategy.
Chances are, you’re focusing too much spend and time on bottom-of-funnel ads. Maybe you were getting leads in the beginning, they’ve now started to taper off. Maybe you’re seeing the KPIs dip several weeks in a row. Either way, here are some steps to overcome the performance plateau or avoid it altogether.
Luckily, hitting a growth plateau doesn’t have to be your new normal. When the numbers start to stagnate, don’t panic! It’s time to step back and evaluate your current marketing strategy.
Chances are, you’re focusing too much spend and time on bottom-of-funnel ads. Maybe you were getting leads in the beginning, they’ve now started to taper off. Maybe you’re seeing the KPIs dip several weeks in a row. Either way, here are some steps to overcome the performance plateau or avoid it altogether.
Luckily, hitting a growth plateau doesn’t have to be your new normal. When the numbers start to stagnate, don’t panic! It’s time to step back and evaluate your current marketing strategy.
Chances are, you’re focusing too much spend and time on bottom-of-funnel ads. Maybe you were getting leads in the beginning, they’ve now started to taper off. Maybe you’re seeing the KPIs dip several weeks in a row. Either way, here are some steps to overcome the performance plateau or avoid it altogether.
Top-of-funnel marketing sets the stage for the rest of your marketing efforts. After all, the chances are slim to none that a consumer will engage with your brand if they’ve never heard of it.
Top-of-funnel ads with cutting-edge features do wonders to capture consumer attention and, in turn, improve brand awareness. It’s no secret that consumers see thousands of ads a day through different digital channels. They’ve become masters at tuning out ad noise. Focusing on capturing consumer attention is key to creating a strong marketing funnel from top to bottom.
As we said earlier, measuring brand performance marketing can be difficult, but is by no means impossible. Brand lift is one way to measure the impact of your ads on brand perception and performance. According to Survey Monkey, brand lift can measure how consumers perceive your brand, which doesn’t always translate to sales or leads.
Brand lift is often measured through surveys and can help your brand gain a better idea around:
Brand Awareness
Purchasing Intent
Brand Consideration
Brand Loyalty
Brand or Product Recall
These insights are invaluable for the marketing funnel. They allow your team to create relevant ads and successful campaigns. Another plus is that you don’t need to complete a campaign to measure how it is stacking up. Conducting surveys and tests midway through a campaign can give you insights into its effectiveness and allows you to make necessary in-flight adjustments.And if you are looking for concrete numbers, the experts at Nielson found that a 1-point gain in brand metrics, like awareness, drives a 1% increase in sales.
Finally, we can’t emphasize enough the importance of balancing performance and branded ads. You need both for synergy!
McKinsey explains that a full-funnel marketing strategy and shifting how you view advertising is the key to long-term success. Performance marketing returns have plateaued in recent years with inflation in digital media costs and new buying behaviors in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. And the use of automation tools has made performance marketing commonplace, meaning there’s little room to gain a competitive advantage.
It’s time for brands to be more strategic with their marketing budget in order to stand out.
Balancing content for both ends of the marketing funnel helps create a future-proof marketing strategy. Not only are you able to maintain existing customers and generate qualified leads, but you’re also building a strong brand identity to stay top-of-mind with your audience.
Still not convinced about diversifying your marketing efforts? Large brands have already seen tremendous success by investing more in brand marketing to help them overcome the dreaded performance plateau.
Just take Airbnb. The well-established and known vacation rental company has made major changes to its marketing strategy in recent years that have paid off big time. The Wall Street Journal reported that in 2019, Airbnb began trying to depend less on search advertising and invest more in broad marketing campaigns to build its brand.
Like many well-known brands, it can be too easy to invest less in top-of-funnel marketing and take consumer attention for granted. But Airbnb took a different approach. In 2021, they reported that marketing expenses decreased by 28% from the last quarter, thanks to a decrease in performance marketing expenses.
This shift to brand marketing has clearly paid off. Though it took a few years, Airbnb has experienced its most profitable quarter to date. By balancing performance marketing and branding efforts, such as awareness-based digital ads, it has successfully lowered costs while increasing brand lift.
And your brand could experience similar results with the right partner by your side.
Mobile is the next frontier for digital branding.
When you want to connect consumers with your brand, there’s no better way than through mobile. More consumers than ever before are using their phones to shop, get the news, and research products. It’s critical that marketers are meeting them where they are spending the most time.
Digital mobile branding should be a priority for your business this year. This article will dive deep into the importance of having a digital brand strategy for mobile and the elements it should include.
HubSpot defines a digital brand by explaining that...
Having a strong brand identity is important because it means taking control of the experiences, feelings, and ideologies that power the purchase of products. Your digital brand is the story, look and feel of your brand that makes it recognizable to consumers on the web. Most importantly, your unique digital brand is what makes you stand out from competitors.
Branding consists of everything from your name and logo to messaging, voice and identity that come across in your advertising and other digital assets (website, social media pages, etc). It’s both tangible in the sense that consumers can see and interact with your brand, but also intangible since you’re making your customers feel a certain way through your messaging.
But too often, companies don’t translate their brand identity online, especially on mobile. Your online presence is the premiere mode by which most potential customers will learn about and interact with your brand. It’s not enough to simply market your brand through digital channels to drive sales, it’s about creating lasting relationships with consumers. It’s why the authorities on the digital space like Google, Entrepreneur Magazine, Wordstream and more are constantly reinforcing the link between increased brand awareness and increased sales.
Many companies use branding and marketing interchangeably, and it’s understandable why. Both cover aspects of brand messaging, digital marketing channels and brand awareness to some extent. However, understanding their nuances can be the difference between having a strong digital brand and a forgettable one.
As we said before, digital branding is all about how you design and build your brand online through websites, apps, social media, videos and, of course, advertisements. It focuses on providing value to consumers and inspiring them to engage and remember your brand.
Digital marketing is a different beast. According to Investopedia, “Digital marketing involves marketing to consumers through any number of digital channels, including websites, mobile devices, and social media platforms.” In other words, it’s all about reaching a target audience to make a sale.
So, digital marketing is about selling products while digital branding is about building relationships. And while they should be treated as separate entities, they do go hand in hand. Without a presence in digital spaces that marketing provides, you wouldn’t be able to create a strong brand identity. And building brand recognition helps make digital brand marketing more impactful.
A digital strategy should focus on both branding and marketing to create cohesive, recognizable brand experiences that can potentially lead to sales.
We also can’t forget to mention how important digital branding is in light of the digital revolution. Though the digital revolution has been ongoing for decades, recently the focus has shifted to how brands can capitalize on change. The experts at McKinsey explain that, in coming years, winning companies will prioritize digital, customer-centric innovation to build business resilience.
Having a digital branding strategy for mobile broadens your reach so you can engage with more consumers where they are consuming content.
of Americans ages 18-49 are mobile shoppers
Digital brand management can help businesses stand the test of time. And equally importantly, it puts your brand in front of more consumers. Now more than ever, individuals are using their mobile devices for more than just communicating. Pew Research Center reports that 91% of Americans ages 18 to 49 say they have bought things online using a smartphone, and countless others use their phones to catch up on news, research products and more.
Having a digital branding strategy for mobile broadens your reach so you can engage with more consumers where they are consuming content.
Having a strong digital branding strategy has the potential to change your business. And we’re not just talking about sales numbers.
Digital brand management, when done correctly, can impact every part of your business from hiring and company culture to customer loyalty. Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits of having a strong mobile brand.
Your brand is one of your company’s most valuable assets. Forbes acknowledges that brand equity is an overused buzzword in marketing, but is important to understand. At its core, brand equity is about the value a brand gains by building a positive reputation. It’s the perceived value consumers place on your products based on what they know about your brand.
Why is this important? Because consumers are constantly faced with choices when it comes to purchasing a product or service. Forbes explains that there’s a risk that comes along with choosing an unfamiliar brand, while familiarity breeds trust. Brand equity can make the difference when a customer is choosing between your product and a competitor.
Digital branding is the backbone of brand equity. By creating a positive reputation with your online presence, you begin to build equity and gain a competitive advantage.
Of course, we can’t forget to mention how brand safety is an integral part of your digital branding. After spending countless hours and dollars building your digital brand, you don’t want your reputation to be tarnished by having an ad appear in an inappropriate location.
Brand safety is all about taking protective measures to safeguard your brand’s identity when it comes to advertisements. Brand safety and digital branding should always be side by side. As you design and build your brand online you want to ensure it aligns with your values to strengthen your connection with consumers and build trust.
In digital branding, recognition is everything. At work in this truism is the deep human desire to prefer the known over the unknown. And if you think that your thrill seeking lifestyle makes you exempt from brand loyalty, you’d better pump the breaks Speed Racer. A 2022 study found that a whopping 92% of adventure sports enthusiasts admitted to some level of brand loyalty. Familiarity denotes safety in the human brain, so when any consumer spots a recognizable brand in the wild, what they really see is a safe choice.
Wrap all that human psychology up in a digtal-age obsession with identity and a safe choice can quickly become “the choice that defines me as an individual” or “me as a member of a tribe.” It’s no wonder that the brands with the most brand equity also feature on the list of most valueable companies in the world.
Bottom line: building your digital brand equity now sets you up for a strong future of easy recognition to gain new customers and fierce loyalty for existing customers.
The reputation you gain among consumers can also influence your organization internally. When you want consumers to trust your brand, you need to walk the walk and talk the talk. You can’t simply tell them to trust you, you need to show them why they should!
This means taking a hard look at your company values and how you want your brand to be perceived. Then, take actions to back them up.
Brand equity comes into play yet again. Your digital brand presence goes beyond making sales, it can also affect how you attract talented new employees.
The modern job hunt is completed almost entirely online (bar networking). Job-seekers are searching the web for relevant positions and reading up on brands before submitting an application or accepting an offer. Even if you’ve recruited a candidate, chances are they’ve read up on your brand online.
Individuals looking for jobs will be more likely to apply for a job at a brand they recognize over one they don’t. Strong digital branding can also help you attract new hires across the board because they can get a sense of your company’s values and mission through your online content.
Creating a recognized digital brand is no small feat. It takes time, dedication and a cohesive strategy to break through the noise and capture consumer attention.
Consider this your digital branding checklist:
The first thing you have to do when creating a digital brand is take a step back to understand who / what your brand is. After all, you can’t start to create meaningful connections with consumers if you don’t know what you stand for. It’s important to recognize where you stand in your industry, your values and the experiences your products or services provide to customers.
This is the critical first step that sets the foundation for your mobile digital branding.
No matter if you’re a luxury handbag brand or a business that sells healthy lifestyle wearables, there are competitors in your market. Digital branding should help you create experiences that set your brand apart from the rest, so when given the choice between your product and a competitor's, a consumer would choose yours.
One way to help guide your digital branding is to identify and celebrate what makes your brand different. Maybe the quality of your products is better or perhaps you have unique initiatives that your competitors don’t.
Next, it’s time to create a mission and vision statement for your brand. You’ve likely heard of the former, but what about the latter? The Society for Human Resource Management breaks things down in a helpful way:
A mission statement is a concise explanation of the organization's reason for existence and describes the organization's purpose and overall intention.
A vision statement looks forward and creates a mental image of the ideal state that the organization wishes to achieve.
As you can see, a vision statement is more inspirational and aspirational than a mission statement. Both are an important part of your digital branding and can ensure your messaging and marketing stays consistent across different digital platforms.
Then, it’s time to create your brand story and messaging. Ensure both align with your mission and vision statements to create a cohesive story. The story and messaging is what many customers will find online first, so it’s important that they’re accurate and representative of your values.
After you understand your mobile brand inside and out, it’s time to understand your audience. They can be broken down into buyer personas, but should also emphasize interactions and experiences over purchasing behavior.
You want to get to the root of what your audiences want to experience from your brand and how they feel about your brand.
One of the best ways to understand your audience is to ask your customers questions. You can ask them directly how much they trust your brand or ask questions about how your product or service has benefitted them.
You can also use surveys to understand the types of digital channels they use the most and where they see your brand on mobile.You can truly tailor your questions to find out the answers you need to elevate your digital branding.
Last but not least, we can’t forget to emphasize that consistency is the key to successful digital branding. The way your brand looks is ultimately what captures a consumer’s eye and helps them remember your brand. Choose your logo and colors carefully because it’s what people will ideally be remembering for the years to come.
And on that note, it should come as no surprise to include your brand’s logo in everything you do. From your websites and social media pages to cutting-edge mobile ads, your logo should always be included to help build your digital brand.
Who doesn’t love a good game?
From simple scratch-offs and word searches to more complex puzzles, we could all use a little more fun throughout the day. Especially when we’re endlessly scrolling online.
Today’s consumers crave entertainment and breaks from their usual mobile usage. They don’t care about static, basic images - in fact, they’ve become pros at glossing over page elements like banners and pop-ups they perceive as ads.
One way brands can break through the noise and engage with mobile users is advergaming. By combining compelling content with fun, interactive games, you can instantly connect users with your brand.
Get ready to be inspired with these facts about mobile advergaming along with some stellar advergame examples you can experience for yourself.
The mobile advergaming definition is as easy as that…or is it?
At its core, advergaming is truly a combination of traditional advertising and gaming. This form of advertising utilizes games to encourage consumer engagement and often rewards participation.
The gamification of mobile advertising offers a happy medium between branded ads and unique, engaging content in the form of online games audiences want to play. This advertising technique is great for driving engagement and can lead to direct conversions when participants are rewarded with coupons or discount codes.
And the best part is these mobile advergames don’t have to be overly complicated or flashy. You’re not competing with big-budget mobile games, but simply offering users some entertainment as they scroll through an article or website.
Many brands can market their product or service through advergames like:
Don’t be fooled - advergaming is more than just fun and games.
Here are some facts about mobile advergaming that can’t be ignored.
When compared to other types of advertising, gamified ads are shown to have longer exposure time. In a recent report by Celtra, the organization found games advertising had the longest average exposure time (25.3 seconds) of all ad products.When you want your brand or product to be seen by consumers, an advergame is the best way to capture their attention for longer.
Not only are advergames viewed for longer, but they also boast some of the best engagement rates. Don’t just take our word for it. See for yourself how gamified ads compare to videos, shoppable, and other ads.
It’s clear that consumers aren’t only seeing these advergames, but they actually want to engage with them.
While it’s safe to say most consumers enjoy games, utilizing advergaming is especially beneficial for engaging with a younger audience. As the experts at Forbes summarize, adding gamification elements to your content is a great way to keep Gen Z interacting with your brand.
This tech-native generation is extremely comfortable engaging with brands online and completing purchases fully through social media and ads. As this generation ages up to have more disposable income, it’s essential to use mobile advergaming to connect with them.
Advergames are also perfect for building brand awareness. Because these ads are highly engaging and users spend more time interacting with them, they can help increase name recognition.
Of course, not all advergames are created equal. To build brand awareness with an advergame you need to ensure it’s memorable, branded, and user-friendly.
We get it, ads can be annoying.
Consumers are sick of flashy banner ads and annoying pop-ups they need to “x” out of. These types of ads are often viewed as being obnoxious since they disrupt their mobile experience. And the brands (and publishers) that use them can have their image tarnished by association.
On the other hand, advergames are often perceived to be neutral or non-intrusive. Since consumers are often gaining something from an advergame - whether that be entertainment or a reward - they have a more positive perception of it.
This impression can be further improved by using polite ad formats like interscrollers rather than pop-ups.
Like with other forms of advertising, creating gamified ads doesn't come without its challenges. Here are a handful to keep in mind if you want to make compelling mobile advergames:
Don’t create a game for the sake of fun. You need to make sure your mobile advergame connects with the right audience. For instance, a luxury handbag brand may have more success with an upscale word game while a candy company can have some more fun with a collecting object game.
There has also been criticism about how advergames (when done incorrectly) can target children who cannot distinguish between promotions and true play. Gamified ads don’t need to be dulled down. Make sure the games you create are appropriate for the audience you want to engage with.
There’s a log of leg work that goes on behind-the-scenes to release a stellar advergame. Most importantly, you need to consider mobile software. You want your advergame to be accessible on Google, Safari, etc.
When creating a mini-game it can be easy to get lost in the fun of things. But it’s important to make sure your brand comes first. Finding the sweet spot between branding and gaming is key to a successful advergame, but is also more difficult than it sounds.
Advergames are incredibly versatile. From luxury brands to consumer product goods, you can create an engaging and on-brand advergame to connect with consumers. At MOBKOI, we’ve seen how gamified ads have benefitted food delivery companies, fashion brands, game franchises, candy companies, and more.
Celtra also researched how advergaming can benefit brands in the Banking & Insurance, Health & Pharmacy, Quick-Service Restaurants, and Non-Edible CPG space. Across the board, results were extremely positive. For instance...
VCR
Gamified ads had the best VCR of all ad products
Exposure Time
had the longest exposure time of all ad products
Brands in the Hospitality, Food, and Beverage spaces can also benefit from these types of ads. Plus, they have the power to be more experimental with fun games that match their brand and products.
No matter the product or service you offer, an advergame can be tailored to your needs.
Remember that not all advergames are created equal. Coming up with a stand-out advergame takes the right mix of creativity, branding, and technology knowledge. Without one of these parts, your advergame can fall flat.
As you can experience for yourself, the advergame allows users to press play to initiate the game. It’s also a prime example of polite advertising. The 100% full-screen interscroller seamlessly appears as you scroll and can be easily dismissed if you choose to continue scrolling. It doesn’t abruptly disrupt the user experience like a pop-up ad.
The mobile advergame leverages a simple side-to-side controller so the user can move the goat’s head to collect falling berries. Simple rules and a scoring system are given to understand the objective of the game.
At the end of a quick 15-second game, the score is displayed. Users are told they “Are The G.O.A.T.'' and encouraged to “Drink The G.O.A.T”. It’s a simple but clear message that entices consumers to make a direct purchase of the product if they choose.
And even if users don’t make a purchase, the campaign is likely to stick with them. From the vibrant purple shade to the consistent and cheeky goat messaging, users are more likely to remember the Strongbow name
If you’re ready to see a stellar advergame in action, try your hand at the Strongbow GOAT campaign.
Hover and scroll over the phone to reveal the game
OR view this page on your mobile to reveal the full screen advergame in a mobile environment.
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and experience it yourself
It prioritizes a good user experience.
An advergame must go through multiple tests and iterations to ensure it works seamlessly during its release. In this case, the Strongbow creative was tested across all mobile browsers and devices before it was released. There were some challenges to overcome with getting the controller functionality to work on Safari, which led the MOBKOI team to decide upon a different controller experience.
With a lot of hard work and collaboration, the finished product is certainly one to be proud of.
We’d say it’s a contender for the G.O.A.T. of advergames.
So, will advergaming be the future of interactive advertising?
It certainly is gaining traction for brands across a variety of verticals, but it may not be the best approach for all... it all depends on your audience, brand guidelines and campaign objectives.
One thing's for sure, when advergames are done right and strike the perfect balance between branding and fun, they are significantly more effective than your standard display ad.
Only
of viewable digital ads actually get looked at
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and experience it yourself
The average viewing is
across both static and video formats
Thats
more than thestandard mobile display ad
In a relatively short time, mobile devices have become ubiquitous and mobile usage has transformed into an all-consuming experience. Today, the estimated time spent on mobile in the US is up to 4 hours and 29 minutes. According to Insider Intelligence, mobile usage will account for 35% of total media time in 2023.
The statistics are staggering and the message is clear. Consumers are living on their phones and experiencing extreme content overload. What does this mean for advertisers? Read on to get the scoop and key recommendations on how to stop the scroll from our session during Advertising Week NYC.
A 2019 Marketing Week study conducted in the UK found that only 11% of the population surveyed said that they liked ads. The other 89% either said they didn’t really care or they simply disliked them. To say it’s apparent that consumers have had enough of the standard banner ad is an understatement. What this study did not observe, however, was how people perceive standard ads compared to more innovative and immersive ad experiences.
During the Adweek session, our CEO Suzanne Spence presented findings from a recent study we conducted with Lumen Research. Not surprisingly, the study found that people viewed full-screen, interactive mobile ads 3x longer than standard mobile display ads. Brand recall rates for the full-screen ads were also 3-4x the mobile display norm.
With today’s technology, advertisers can create better ad experiences that lead to higher attention, longer engagement, and more meaningful connections between brands and people.
AR, VR, and other hyper-engaging forms of mobile advertising are becoming all the more common among brands that want to stand out in the clutter and increase performance. In fact, through a recent analysis of our client’s campaigns, we found that video ads with interactive features achieved a 53% boost in engagement compared to standard video ads.
Of course, the ideal format for interactive mobile ads is the full-screen interscroller, as it provides a larger canvas for creative innovation. This point was echoed by co-presenter and MOBKOI partner, Alyce Panico of the Luxe Collective Group during the Adweek session. Alyce went on to explain that her agency analyzed hundreds of campaigns and identified a few key units that consistently perform well for clients', including the interscroller, bespoke units, and vertical and in-line video. Moreover, she emphasized that creatives with clear directives and KPIs are sure winners.
Interscrollers are ads that reveal the ad content as the reader scrolls down the visited page. When the user scrolls to reveal 85% of the placement, it can snap to take over the entire screen. The user can opt out of the screen simply by scrolling to dismiss the ad.
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and experience it yourself
In summary of our Adweek session, the following are key steps advertisers should take to create better mobile ads and rise to the top in the attention economy.
If you want to build hyper-engaging mobile ads, the first step is determining and aligning on campaign goals. Defining goals will help you map out the path your consumers will take from the first interaction to the conversion. This path will inform your ad creative, and time frame of the campaign, and allow you to track your results more effectively.
Don’t be in the business of creating ads. Instead, focus on entertaining and delighting your audience with unique experiences that stand out in the clutter. Remember, interactivity is the key to boosting engagement.
Collaborate with partners that have already done the legwork to make your ad experiences a reality. Our expertise at MOBKOI is tech-enabled mobile ad innovation. We have spent nearly a decade honing our craft and know the right technologies and techniques that work on the mobile platform (so you don’t have to).
In order to innovate, it is critical that advertisers have the right reporting mechanisms in place to quickly and easily analyze performance as campaigns run. Moreover, advertisers should look beyond viewability to more powerful and actionable metrics like attention to truly understand how ads are resonating and driving business outcomes.
Top brands, from luxury fashion to fast food, are testing NFTs as a new and interesting way to engage and transact with consumers.
What is an NFT? In short, a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items, and videos. They are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency or paired with a purchase of a physical product.
While NFTs have been around for years, the novel technology has only recently gained mainstream traction. As such, there are three critical components of a successful NFT launch: Top brands, from luxury fashion to fast food, are testing NFTs as a new and interesting way to engage and transact with consumers.
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of individuals use their smartphone vs computers to make a purchase
Google defines responsive ads as those that automatically adjust their size, appearance, and format to fit available ad spaces. Simply put, a single responsive ad may appear as a small text ad in one place and a large image ad in another.
These types of display ads respond to the size of the device it’s on. It’s the primary way desktop and mobile display ads are designed. You can also find some formats that respond to different phone sizes to ensure the visual is always fullscreen on mobile.
Time and time again responsive ads are proven to improve click-through rates and even conversions, according to Google. These smart ads are eye-catching to relevant users and optimal for marketers. For instance, a responsive display ad can showcase your creative as a banner ad on one site and an interactive double mid-page unit (DMPU) on another to maximize its impact.
Display ads can work if you put in the work. Save time and hassle by partnering with a full-service company that can curate the right media plan, creative and blend of formats for optimal performance and scale.
of all E-Commerce Sales on Black Friday were made on smartphones
Does it seem like there are more ads during the holiday season? Though it may seem like you can’t escape the holiday spirit on every medium, the number of ads you’re seeing may not be increasing.
While many companies ramp up their holiday campaigns and you may start seeing more social media posts and mailers, there is not a lot of wiggle room when it comes to increasing ad units. The number of commercials, billboards, and, yes, digital ads, remain the same. After all, there’s no way to make more space or time for these types of ads in a way that wouldn’t frustrate consumers.
This makes competition fierce. Advertisers are still fighting for the same amount of ad space, but the stakes are higher. And not to mention that ad units cost more during the holiday season due to this demand.
However, it’s still recommended to increase ad spend during the holiday season. It is estimated that metrics increase across the board this time of year. Specifically, click-through rates rise by 100%, direct traffic increases by 150%, the average order value grows by 30%, and conversion rates go up by 60%
Increasing ad spend this time of year can result in great, measurable returns for advertisers. After all, standing out from the competition with brilliant creative is a challenge year-round. During the holidays, making a big impact on a small screen is even more of a feat. Pairing premium ad units with hyper-engaging creative is key to winning attention on mobile.
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and experience it yourself
of automotive consumers use mobile during the purchase process
The emergence of online-only auto retailer companies is proof that this trend is here to stay. Carvana, CarMax, and Cars.com make it easy for consumers to buy a new (or used) car from the comfort of their couch. No trip to a dealership, greasy salesperson, or long wait times necessary!
Most consumers prefer these methods because of the convenience and access to more inventory. They can easily compare different models and price points to find the exact car they want within their budget. Then easily have it delivered to their door or picked up!
Many of these companies also offer mobile apps, making it easy for consumers to browse different models and make purchasing decisions right from their smartphones. It’s no wonder Progressive reports that online car buyers are 20% more likely to report being highly satisfied with their experience than in-person buyers.
On the flip side, this level of convenience benefits car dealers because it streamlines what can be a lengthy process. It also allows them to target consumers throughout the funnel. While someone researching car models is likely at the top of the funnel, those visiting websites like Carvana are closer to making a purchase. This empowers advertisers to tailor auto ads to where consumers are in their purchasing journey.
Mobile is the new frontier for auto ads, and there’s no better time than the present to begin making this move.
More and more consumers are relying on their mobile devices for activities outside of communication and entertainment. One of the fastest growing sectors is mobile shopping, or mcommerce. eMarketer predicts that retail mcommerce sales to account for 43.4% of total retail ecommerce sales in 2023, up from 41.8% in 2022. Over the next few years, it wouldn’t be surprising if mobile retail sales outnumber the rest.
Needless to say, consumers are turning to their mobile devices for news, research, and shopping more than ever before. It’s time for auto brands to meet them where they are.
With the right mobile creative solution, auto ads can effortlessly mimic the feel of traditional media and TV ads on a mobile screen.
Hover and scroll over the phone to reveal a Shoppable Ad
OR view this page on your mobile to reveal the full screen Shoppable Ad in a mobile environment.
Scroll down to view an Interscroller Ad
and experience it yourself
of online shoppers said they prefer to shop with retailers that offer AR experiences
No, we’re definitely not talking about sacrificing the quality of your designs for your shoe ads. Just because an ad is simple doesn’t mean it’s still not visually stunning. What we’re saying is that your product should be the star of your shoe ads. Don’t get too bogged down in the details and save flashy mobile ad ideas for other aspects of your campaign.
Oftentimes, consumers engaging with try-on shoe ads are further down the funnel than you think. While AR ads are great for increasing awareness and engagement, they can also be that final push that helps consumers make a purchasing decision. By knowing your target audience, you can provide them with the type of mobile ad experience they’re looking for.
Try-on shoe ads can be a part of any campaign, however, they work better when paired with contextual targeting. By placing your eye-catching try-on ads in premium and relevant environments, you’re maximizing the effectiveness of your campaign.
of interactive video ads acheive a 53% boost in engagement compared to standard video ads.
Hover and scroll over the phone to reveal an Interscroller Ad
OR view this page on your mobile to reveal the full screen Interscroller Ad in a mobile environment.
Scroll down to view an Interscroller Ad
and experience it yourself
of consumers have at some point interacted with a chatbot
of smartphone users have made a purchase online using their mobile device in the last 6 months
of consumers prefer to shop with retailers that offer AR experiences
Scroll over the phone to interact with a 360 Model Viewer.
OR view this page on your mobile to reveal the full screen experience in a mobile environment.
Scroll down to view an Interscroller Ad
and experience it yourself
Scroll down to view an Interscroller Ad
and experience it yourself
If you want to create a best-in-class advergame for your business, you don’t have to do it alone. Brands like Strongbow trust MOBKOI and our Gamification Suite to transform their ads into engaging ad experiences. Whether it’s for a festive campaign or a brand elevation campaign, MOBKOI’s offering of gamified ads can be customized to suit a brand's requirements without compromising the user experience.
