Video Ads
Motion and sound — the most engaging format online.
Overview
Video ads deliver brand messages through moving images and audio. They can appear before, during, or after video content (in-stream), or within article pages and feeds outside a video player (outstream). Video is the fastest-growing segment of digital advertising, driven by connected TV, YouTube, and social video consumption.
How it works
In-stream video is served by a VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) tag — a standard XML schema that tells the video player where to fetch the creative, how long it runs, and when a skip button should appear. Outstream video auto-plays inline in a page (often muted) as the user scrolls past, then pauses when out of view.
Common uses
- →Brand awareness and storytelling
- →Product demos and explainer videos
- →YouTube pre-roll and mid-roll
- →Connected TV (CTV) and streaming platforms
- →Social video (Instagram Reels, TikTok)
Pros & cons
Pros
- ✓Highest engagement and emotional impact
- ✓Strong brand recall vs. static formats
- ✓Audio-visual storytelling flexibility
- ✓Supported across all major platforms
Cons
- ✗Expensive to produce quality creative
- ✗Higher CPMs than display
- ✗Skip behaviour reduces completion rates
- ✗Requires video hosting and VAST compliance
Live examples
Simulated mockup — illustrative, not a real ad
Pre-roll (in-stream)
Click play to start the simulated pre-roll experience. A skip button appears after 5 seconds.
Video player — pre-roll ad
Your video content
0:15 / 3:42
↑ Pre-roll: ad plays before the video content
Outstream (in-article)
Outstream ads auto-play (usually muted) inline in article text. Click to simulate playback.
Click to play ad
Ad · Muted↑ Outstream: plays inline in article, outside a video player
Live ad slot — Google AdSense
This slot serves a real Google ad once the site is approved. What appears depends on the advertiser auction and your browser — it won't always match the format above.
Ad slot
Awaiting AdSense ad unit
Key metrics
Avg. view-through rate
15–30%
Pricing model
CPV or CPM
Typical CPM (pre-roll)
$10–$30
Completion rate (15s)
~70%
Advertisement
Ad slot
Awaiting AdSense ad unit