Recent studies have found that digital ads have a poor reputation with users. From pop-ups and interstitial ads interrupting the browser experience to remarketing following users from site to site, people are becoming increasingly frustrated.
However, for most digital publishers, online advertising is an essential part of their monetisation strategy. So how can we explain the gap between online advertising's negative reputation and its undeniable ability to drive revenue?
The answer lies in the types of advertising presented to users.
83% of people agree with the statement that not all ads are bad, and that they’d like to filter out really objectionable ads. Furthermore, 77% wish that there were a way to use ad-filters instead of ad-block.
This is where newer ad formats, such as rich media ad formats come into their own. With consumers invariably agreeing that pop-ups are annoying and banner blindness now a well-established fact, rich media campaigns help advertisers build brand awareness, increase ROI, and ultimately improve the advertising experience for everyone involved.
Wat zijn Rich Media-advertenties?
Rich media ads offer dynamic creatives, giving consumers the user interaction they look for in an increasingly ad-saturated online environment.
Rich Media advertising offers the following elements:
- Unlike standard display ads that employ static images and text, rich media focuses on audio or dynamic visual elements.
- They are interactive and empowering for consumers, requiring user interactions for the video content or audio to play.
- They can include gaming elements, making them perfect for in-app ads on mobile devices.
- Compatible with Java, Javascript, and HTML5, they can be used on any website and app.
Why Rich Media Ads Matter?
Rich media has emerged as a game-changer for many advertisers and publishers. Studies have shown, for example, that rich media ads can increase purchase intent by 27%.
Here are more specific benefits offered by rich media.
Voor adverteerders
- Ad tech enables advertisers to increase brand awareness and recall rates.
- Greater conversion rates and, therefore, ROI on ad campaigns.
- More detailed data and insights on user behaviour.
Voor uitgevers
- Higher prices and CPMs leading to higher revenue
- Sophisticated rich media can make publisher sites more attractive to advertisers
- Publishers who can differentiate themselves with rich media gain a competitive advantage
Voordelen van Rich Media-advertentieformaten voor uitgevers
Rich in creative elements, media ads offer many benefits to publishers.
They are Creative and Dynamic
By their very definition, ads that employ rich media are creatively ‘rich.' Furthermore, due to the increased data analytics available with rich media technology, they are dynamic, allowing advertisers to target specific segments of their audience via location or browsing behaviour..
They Drive User Engagement
Uit onderzoek is gebleken dat rich media display advertising de betrokkenheid van consumenten stimuleert door kijkers aan te moedigen om met de advertentie te interacteren. Volgens eMarketer presteren advertenties met rich media formaten maar liefst 267% beter dan standaard banneradvertenties.
They Drive Purchase Intent
Further, rich media drives purchase intent, leading to greater ad revenue for publishers and advertisers alike.
Studies have shown that ads using rich media creative resulted in a 1.16% increase in purchase intent as opposed to ads using other formats, such as simple GIFS or still images.
Hoe u Rich Media-advertenties maakt
Decide on the Ad Campaign Strategy
Like any online advertising campaign, it is important to create a solid strategy before you start creating a rich media ad. Think about what you are advertising, who your target audience is, and how to engage them with your interactive ads.
Creators should also plan out which ad elements will be interactive, such as slide functions.
Create Your Assets
When creating video ads of any type, advertisers need to consider, and list, their creative assets.
Will you be using stock footage, or will you be filming the video in-house? If you are using your own imagery, you'll need to hire actors, film videos, and write the text.
Choose a Design Platform
Creating and designing rich media advertising campaigns has become simpler with a wide range of Creative Management Platforms (CMP) on the market that can support HTML5 technology.
Publishers should opt for a CMP that best fits their budget, design skills, and rich media content.
Voer uw advertenties uit en meet de resultaten
Once you have created your ad, you can run your campaign. Ads using rich media run on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, along with search engines.
Rich media advertising offers access to a range of granular data. Advertisers can see what's working and use the strategy to tweak their campaigns.
Advertisers can track video and audio plays down to the finest percentage value while analysing users by demographics to form a better understanding of their target market.
Waar u Rich Media-advertenties kunt maken
HTML5 gives publishers the technology they need to create ads with rich media. When it comes to creating rich media ads, there are several options out there for people with limited design knowledge. Some platforms that support HTML5 rich media ad creatives include:
- Bannerflow
- Canva
- Mijn Banner Maker; en
- Google Web Designer
Voor adverteerders die ervaring hebben met het ontwerpen van displayadvertenties, is Adobe (of Gimbal) mogelijk een betere keuze, omdat het geavanceerde functies bevat waarmee ze hun creatieve rich media-advertenties kunnen verfijnen.
Rich Media-advertentieformaten
Rich Media Banner Ads
Banner ads are the most widely used canvas in online advertising. This is primarily due to their positioning at the top of the page, which leads to high visibility and reduced load time. By replacing standard banner ads with rich media banner ads, advertisers can increase ad engagement and click-through rates. A study by Adform found that while CTR for static banners was 0.12%, those for rich media ads were 0.44%—267% higher.
Functies
- Kosten per impressie - Gemiddeld tot hoog
- Low loading time
Rich Media Interstitial-advertenties
An interstitial ad covers the entire screen at natural transition points as the user scrolls through the page content. Due to interstitial ad placement, they are impossible to miss, and they support HTML5 technology. In addition, their use in gaming apps encourages viewers to interact with them, making this ad format the perfect match for a rich media ad.
Functies
- Kosten per impressie - Gemiddeld tot hoog
- Zichtbaarheid-Hoog
Rich Media Expandable Ads
Rich media expandable ads are multi-directional ads. Ad expansions occur when user-based triggers occur, such as hovers, clicks, or taps. Unlike static display ads, these ads are intriguing to users, ultimately leading to high CPMs.
Functies
- Kosten per vertoning - Hoog
- Zichtbaarheid-Hoog
Rich Media Carousel Ads
Rich media advertisements use multiple images or videos within a single ad format. They are often used to highlight either several products or several features of one product. Their engaging nature encourages user interaction and tends to attract higher CTRs than static ads. Among other industries, they can be used by car manufacturers to showcase car features or travel brands promoting destinations.
Functies
- Cost per impression - varies between platforms but ranges from $0.10 - $0.50 per impression
- Viewability - varies, depending on ad placement and loading speed
- Loading time - varies, depending on file size and network used
Rich Media Gamified Ads
Rich media gamified ads embody audiovisual content with game-like elements to capture and retain audiences’ attention. Through their focus on providing a game-like experience, they aim to leave audiences with a fun, memorable experience that will, hopefully, encourage them to make a purchase. By incorporating quizzes and other similar activities, these ads are often used by financial services and utility providers.
Functies
- Cost per impression - $4 - $15+
- Viewability - High
- Load time - vary, depending on the network and device used
Rich Media Pushdown-advertenties
The pushdown ad format is somewhat similar to the expandable ad format; however, these ads only expand in one direction, down. The ads appear as a teaser, or preview on the web page, however, they don't entirely hide the content, leading to high viewability, however, load time can be quite high.
Functies
- Kosten per vertoning - Hoog
- Zichtbaarheid - Hoog
- Loading time- High
Examples of Rich Media Ads
When used strategically, rich media advertisements can be an effective way to engage with audiences..
- Disney recently employed a 3D cube to engage with the audience of its The First Responders TV series. Users could spin the cube to see different scenes from the series.
- Furniture retailer Crate and Barrel used expandable banner ads to promote their goods. The product details that users could click on helped increase traffic on their website.
Rich Media Ads: Best Practice
- Keep your messaging specific and straightforward, as you would with text ads.
- For advertisers scaling from static ads to rich media for the first time, it is essential to keep the presentation aligned with your brand profile to aid brand recall.
- Try to keep your file sizes as small as possible to keep page load times low.
- Consider creating different versions of your rich media ad to target specific audiences according to demographics, language, and geo-location.
Challenges / Limitations of Rich Media Ads
Despite their benefits, rich media ads come with some challenges for both advertisers and publishers.
- Rich media ads are usually more expensive than other ads and require technical expertise.
- Rich media ads tend to require extensive testing to ensure good UX on all ad platforms.
- Ad blockers can be used to prevent ads from being displayed.
- Large file sizes can slow down the process of page loading.
FAQs Section
What’s the difference between rich media ads and HTML5 ads?
HTML5 ads are built using technologies such as HTML and JavaScript, and can include both status ads and rich media ads. Rich media ads are a form of HTML5 ads that embody interactive elements to encourage user engagement.
Are rich media ads better for mobile or desktop?
Rich media ads are better for mobile devices because, among other benefits, they offer interactive experiences through touch gestures, along with the convenience of location that mobile devices typically offer.
How do rich media ads affect page speed?
The dynamic and interactive nature of rich media ads is usually enabled by large file sizes, which can slow down page loading speeds.
Do rich media ads need special ad servers?
Yes, rich media ads usually require special servers that can manage their complex interactive content.
If you're making more than $2,000 in monthly ad revenue,contact us today to learn more about how Publift can help increase your ad revenue and best optimise the ad space available on your website or app.