Expert cites video as key to engagement

Kristina: What trends are you watching in the video space currently?

Courtney McKlveen, Head of US Field Sales, Oath: High quality video content is now available across devices, so audiences of all ages are tuning in whether on their laptops, tablets or mobile phones. This shift in viewing behavior is especially true among millennials, who are heavy mobile video viewers. Marketers are paying attention. They're making digital video a more central part of their media mix, and investing in video ads that harness the power of sight, sound and motion like TV. We're also seeing a growing appetite among marketers to experiment with shorter video ad formats including six-second video ads.

Kristina: What do you expect to see in video over the next 6 months?

Courtney: You can bet that mobile video viewing will continue to increase. We also expect native video ads to continue to grow as marketers lean in to these more engaging ad experiences across screens. Branded video is also a top priority for many marketers! We recently announced RYOT Studio as our global creative studio for brands and agencies at Oath. As audiences shift to mobile, advertisers are doubling down on content marketing to build their brands this year. With a presence in 14 countries across five continents, RYOT Studio is a powerful content marketing solution that brings brands' stories to life through branded video and other innovative formats. What's more, our award-winning team has worked on campaigns for major brands around the world, including Jack Daniel's, Sleep Number and Jeep -- and there's more to come in the next six months!

Kristina: What about live video -- how can brands improve their live video strategies?

Courtney: Brands should focus on making their ads a compelling, immersive part of the live video viewing experience. It sounds obvious, but brands also need to meet their customers wherever they are and align with their passion points, whether it's live news, sports or entertainment programming. Brands like Prudential have found unique ways to connect with viewers around live video events. Prudential recently sponsored the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit, which was hosted in NYC and live streamed around the world to a global audience.

Kristina: What types of content are key for live video engagement?

Courtney: With live video, we see a tremendous amount of engagement around topics like sports, finance, entertainment and news highlights. People are passionate about this content. The emotional response to live video is so powerful, which means viewers are more likely to feel excitement and connection to what they're watching.

Kristina: What do brands need to know about live video before posting their first clip?

Courtney: It's all about authenticity. Don't create content because you feel like you should, because others are, or because you want to "engage" with consumers. Create content because it's core to your values, and because it will bring value to your customers at some point in their journey to purchase, or help them understand your brand better.

Kristina: What are your top three tips to develop a strong live video strategy?

Courtney: First, be yourself! I can't emphasize this enough. Part of that is understanding who your customer is, and aligning your advertising strategy with their areas of interest when it comes to live video. Second, embrace cross-screen viewing behavior. Our phones travel everywhere with us, so it's more important than ever to make sure your advertising translates across screens. Finally, marketers should leverage the power of data and targeting. Data offers marketers better insights on what consumers value, and can in turn deliver a much better ad experience that adds to the emotional engagement of live video.

Tags: advertising, digital video, Oath, streaming video tips, streaming video trends, video advertising, video content