In plain English
Pre-roll, mid-roll, in-feed and connected television. Most of it is skippable or scrollable, which means the first two seconds do almost all the work.
Retention curves are the useful diagnostic. Where viewers drop tells you exactly which second of the ad failed.
What to know
Skippable mostly
So the opening carries everything.
Retention curves
Show precisely where attention was lost.
Sound-off default
Captions are required, not optional.
Format-specific
Vertical for feeds, horizontal for television.
Why it matters
Video advertising rewards clarity over production value. A plainly shot ad that makes its point in three seconds outperforms an expensive one that builds to it.
Common mistakes
×Slow openings, losing viewers before the message.
×No captions.
×Repurposing horizontal video into vertical placements unadapted.
×Judging performance on views rather than retention and conversion.
FAQs
How long should a video ad be?
As short as the message allows. Retention matters more than length.
Does production quality matter?
Less than the first two seconds and the clarity of the offer.
WRITTEN BY TARIQ SALLAM
Marketing Consultant. Entrepreneur. Content Creator.
I'm a marketing consultant, entrepreneur and content creator. I help businesses grow through practical marketing, websites, SEO, content and AI.
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