What is Video Advertising?

Video advertising is any advertising delivered in video form across digital screens, including websites, mobile apps and connected TV, using formats such as in-stream, out-stream, rewarded and in-app video ads.

Also known as: digital video advertising, online video ads

How it works

Video advertising is the umbrella term. It covers every place a video ad can run, on any screen. The main formats are:

  • In-stream. Ads that play inside a video player, before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll) or after (post-roll) video content. This is the most TV-like format.
  • Out-stream. Ads that play in their own player inside non-video content, such as an article page, often starting when scrolled into view.
  • In-app video. Video ads inside mobile apps, including interstitial video and rewarded video, where the user opts in for a reward.
  • CTV video. In-stream ads on a connected TV screen, covered in detail under CTV advertising.

When a video ad slot is available, the player sends an ad request. The response usually follows an industry standard from IAB Tech Lab, such as VAST, which tells the player which video to play and how to track it. The request can be filled by a direct campaign, a deal or an auction, as with other programmatic media.

Why it matters

Video combines sight, sound and motion, so it can tell a brand story in a way static formats struggle to match. Advertisers use it for awareness, consideration and, increasingly, for action-led campaigns.

For publishers, video inventory typically commands more attention from buyers than standard display advertising, but it also needs more care. A good player experience matters, ads should not overwhelm content, and quality signals such as viewability and completion rates shape how buyers value the inventory. Each environment, web, app and TV, brings different user expectations and technical needs.

Example

Example (illustrative): A mid-size sports news publisher runs short highlight clips on its website with a pre-roll ad, places an out-stream video unit within long match reports, and offers rewarded video in its companion app for users who want to see extra statistics. Its video content also streams through a CTV app, where in-stream ads run during longer shows. All of this is video advertising, sold across three environments.

IncrementX perspective

Video sits across every channel IncrementX represents. The Web channel includes video alongside display, native and rich media. The Mobile App channel includes in-stream, rewarded and interstitial formats. CTV has its own CTV page. IncrementX also offers a Video Player product for publishers.

For advertisers, video and CTV inventory across represented publishers can be accessed through curated deals, including video and CTV curation packages. For publishers, the focus of media representation is presenting video inventory clearly and connecting it with buyers who value it.