Paid search has undergone significant change in recent years. Ad formats have evolved, offering more dynamic ways to capture audiences. An increase in AI has changed bidding strategies, through formats such as Performance Max. Additionally, placement choices have expanded, allowing advertisers to reach audiences across more platforms than ever before.
We’re witnessing a shift and blur of social media and search formats, with platforms increasingly adopting search-like features, changing how users interact and experience with their platforms. In 2023, TikTok introduced a search function similar to Google’s, highlighting a shift towards video and display content. YouTube, as a result, has become a central platform for major campaign types.
Search alone is no longer enough
It was found that 6 out of 10 people surveyed opted into watching online video platforms over that of traditional TV, highlighting a shift in the video space and consumer behaviours when it comes to how they consume content. With the rise of popular video-centric app platforms, we’re now spending more time browsing videos on our phones in the forms of YouTube Shorts, TikToks and Instagram Reels. Video-on-demand (VoDs) have also proven popular on these platforms through more traditional devices.
It has been predicted that by 2025 half of viewers under the age of 32 will not subscribe to a pay-for-TV service, and I’m actually one of those.
But why does this matter though? Well, as marketers, it’s important that we move with trends to cater to and garner audience attention in the right place, at the right time. The younger generation is soon to be our largest purchase power, and at least in the short to medium term, video is going to to play a key part in future marketing strategies. However, this doesn’t mean that we simply ignore traditional acquisition strategies such as search, shopping, and importantly, social will still play a big part in the buyer cycle.
The importance of creative and video cannot be understated, but brands find that it often feels laborious, expensive and time-consuming to activate without having the right resources and people in place to do so.
Drum roll, please 🥁🥁🥁
This is why we’ve teamed up with Google to tackle this
Impression has been going through some exciting changes recently, such as building our in-house creative team to offer clients better creative solutions and help clients establish their brand and identity. This service has been used especially across our Paid Media clients.
We’ve seen a growing need to develop internal tools and offerings to help our clients grow and bring performance across their marketing strategy, not just at the point of conversion.
Google has also seen the need to increase investment into their video and creative streams, and alongside 22 other top UK agencies, Impression has teamed up with Google to join their Video Expert Program in which we will have a joint partnership to help grow our clients through video.
Over the next 12 months, Impression will be embarking on a robust and exciting program with Google to enhance our creative skills from activation to strategy, bringing best-in-class video strategy to our clients. If you would like to know more, get in touch with us. You can also talk to me more about this program on LinkedIn.
