Case Study: VOD Advertising Campaigns

Ready to take your VOD advertising to the next level?

Video on Demand (VOD) is as big as ever, and advertisers who tap into it (especially for sports) can see significant returns on investment.

With more viewers choosing on-demand viewing over terrestrial TV channels, VOD platforms offer unparalleled opportunities for targeted, engaging, and most importantly, cost-effective advertising.

Today, we’ll showcase a successful case study of an advertiser achieving high impact with lower-than-expected spending, providing you with inspiration and practical insights to apply to your campaigns. 

Stick with us, and you’ll discover more about the benefits, tips for success, and some unbelievable spending results.

But first…

What Is VOD?

“VOD” stands for Video on Demand. It’s a system that allows users to select and watch video content whenever they choose rather than watching at a specific broadcast time. VOD services offer a wide range of content, including movies, TV shows, documentaries, and more. Users can typically access VOD content through streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.

VOD has become increasingly popular due to its convenience and flexibility, allowing viewers to watch their favorite shows and movies on their own schedules, often on multiple devices such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs.

An example of a video player preview

Why Are Sports-Themed VOD Ads Effective?

Engagement
Sports fans are among the most committed to their interest across any vertical. This equates to a highly engaged audience, a strong degree of intent, and ultimately, a potentially high conversion rate for your offer or service.

Customization
Ads can be tailored based on the viewer’s preferences, viewing history, and geographic location, enhancing relevance and impact.

Convenience
VOD content is available 24/7, allowing viewers to watch at their convenience. This flexibility increases the likelihood of ad exposure, as viewers are more likely to be receptive.

Passion
Sports evoke strong emotions and loyalty. Ads that align with these emotions can create a deep connection with viewers, and allow you to target specific demographics, ensuring ads reach the right audience. 

Target Spending vs. Actual Spending

Whether you’re a small business or a global brand, a lack of consideration for target vs actual spending can make or break your campaign.

Target spending is essentially your planned budget for the campaign. It’s the amount of money you intend to spend to achieve your advertising goals.

Actual spending, on the other hand, is the real amount of money you end up spending during your campaign. This can sometimes be higher or lower than your target spending due to various factors.

Why mention this, you may ask? In the case study to follow, our advertiser performed admirably on this front, and it wasn’t simply a stroke of luck…

Campaign Breakdown

With the overview done and dusted, let’s take a look at a standout performance from earlier this year.

First off, we’ll look at the general campaign setup.

Campaign Setup

Campaign Results

As you can see, this US Mobile campaign was a whopping 4,478 EUR under target spending! 

But how did our hotshot go about achieving this?

The campaign was kicked off with a CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) strategy. This initial move was all about gathering crucial data on user engagement and conversions. Once they had enough information to discern which user types and geos were most effective, they made a strategic pivot to a CPA Target bid type. Without that initial CPM data, it would have been tough to gauge just how well CPA Target would perform, so the initial testing period was crucial to success.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The CPA results started strong with a big boost but then quickly tapered off. It wasn’t quite the sustainable success they hoped for, leading to lower efficiency. So, the advertiser had to get smart with their ad scheduling. 

Instead of running ads around the clock, they checked the sports league schedules and timed their ads to run during peak viewing periods. This strategy worked wonders, even with CPM, as it narrowed the ad delivery window, making traffic buying far more efficient.

Zone capping played a pivotal role, too. By capping the number of impressions from each source, the advertiser ensured they were getting unique views without repeatedly blowing their budget on the same audience. Once they switched over to CPA Target, they decided to remove the 1,000 Impressions per zone SubID cap to allow more flexibility. 

Another key insight from the campaign was the performance difference across devices. Mobile outperformed desktop significantly, which led to separate campaign strategies for each.

One crucial lesson is the importance of adjusting target costs dynamically. The model learns and adapts, and if actual costs start creeping up, it’s vital to manage the system’s expectations. Finding that sweet spot in spending is critical; without it, the campaign budget can become too restrictive, limiting reach and impact.

An example of a sports streaming ad

The use of sports-themed backgrounds and landing pages also played a significant role in the campaign’s success. These elements tied perfectly to the sports vertical, making the ads more relatable and engaging for the audience. Plus, they employed a clever tactic with fake loading screens, teasing users and making them feel like they were about to access exclusive content before presenting the actual offer.

The Takeaways

Start with Broad Targeting and Narrow Down

Initially, set up broad targeting to gather data on what works best. This includes targeting multiple demographics, interests, and geographic locations.

Analyze the performance data regularly to identify high-performing segments. Gradually narrow down your targeting to focus on these segments to maximize efficiency.

Use Conversion Tracking

Implement Adcash’s conversion tracking to monitor which ads lead to conversions. This data helps you optimize your campaigns by focusing on ads and audiences that generate the best results.

Leverage CPM Bidding to Gather Data

Begin with CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) bidding to collect initial data on user engagement and conversion rates. This helps in understanding which ad placements and times are most effective.

Transition to CPA Targeting

Once sufficient data is collected, switch your campaign to CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) targeting. CPA targeting ensures you only pay for actual conversions, helping keep costs aligned with performance once the campaign has gathered enough data to do so.

Optimize Ad Frequency

Use frequency capping to limit the number of times an ad is shown to the same user. Start with one impression per user per day, which can help prevent ad fatigue and overspending on non-converting users.

Monitor and Adjust Bids Regularly

Keep a close eye on the performance metrics and adjust your bids accordingly. Lower your bids for underperforming segments and allocate more budget to high-performing ones.

Employ Dayparting

Analyze when your target audience is most active and engaged. Schedule your ads to run during these peak times to maximize impact and reduce wasted spend during low-activity periods.

Zone Capping

Implement zone capping to control how many impressions you buy from each source. This prevents overspending on a single source and ensures your budget is spread across multiple high-potential zones.

Utilize Adcash’s Advanced Targeting Options

Use Adcash’s advanced targeting options, such as device, browser, and OS targeting. This helps you reach the most relevant audience and reduce spending on less relevant users.

Regularly Update Relevant Creatives

Keep your ad creatives fresh and relevant. Regular updates to your ad creatives can keep the audience engaged and prevent ad fatigue, leading to better conversion rates and lower costs.

Segment Your Audience

Create detailed audience segments based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This allows for more precise targeting and better ad performance.

A/B Test Creatives and Landing Pages

Run A/B tests on different ad creatives and landing pages to determine which combinations yield the best results. Use this data to optimize your campaigns continuously.

Set Realistic Budget Caps

Define daily and total budget caps to prevent overspending. Monitor these caps closely and adjust as needed based on campaign performance.

Utilize Retargeting

Implement retargeting campaigns to re-engage users who have previously interacted with your ads. For example, did they click a CTA button? If so, try hitting them with a new or refreshed prelander to close the deal. Retargeting is often more cost-effective as it targets users who are already familiar with your brand.

Now that you’ve seen how these campaigns work, it’s time to create your own.

Want to start jumpstart your campaign success with Adcash or learn more about VOD advertising campaigns? Contact us or leave a comment below!

Until next time!