Short Yet Sturdy | Is It The Era Of 6 Second Ads?

Short Yet Sturdy | Is It The Era Of 6 Second Ads?

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Advertisers, tech platforms, media owners, agencies are all looking forward to shorter ad formats nowadays. The era of mobile-first screen has brought about a lot of changes in the ad formats. But can a video as short as a few seconds really make a long-lasting impact? Is it capable of developing a human connection with the viewers? From 60 seconds, to 30 seconds and then the quick 15 seconds, we have now advanced to the era of 6 second ads. The changes took place because of the advent of social media and technology. The emergence of technology has lowered the attention span of humans.

So a 6 second short ad will prove out to be a success if you have the right content to showcase. In this fast world, each user is impatient and on the verge to press the ‘skip ad’ button. Therefore, to make sure that your message reaches the audience, you need to have a short brand or product story. By following the right strategy, you can make sure to address the users and gain their attention.

Major Growth In Mobile Views

The 6 seconds ads result in a more immediate and efficient connection with the user on mobiles. The short 6 second ads are primarily ingested by the audience on mobile phones. So the major concern for marketers is to come forward with an optimized and interactive shorter video. If the video tells a story that the audience connects to, then it is a success. And a lot of 6-second videos have been successful in doing so.

The ad should be able to make the audience feel something and not be forceful down the throat of the audience. And it takes an immense amount of creativity and art to be able to do that in 6 seconds.

From 30 seconds To 6 Second Ads

The 30 second ad videos are still on a higher scale as compared to the 6 second ads. But the 6 second ads are really gaining attention and have become hyped recently. The only challenge is that the advertisers need to make sure that the video is good enough to catch the audience’s attention within seconds. YouTube started the six second ad content and pushed back the tried and tested 30 second ad format.

With the 6 second format, YouTube came up with its new unskippable video ads. This feature has turned out to be a lifeline for the advertisers. And ever since YouTube stepped forward with this feature, other online media platforms also followed. But every new proposal comes with challenges of its own. So was the case with the 6 second ad format.

The Challenges Of 6 Second Format

Narrative and emotion are two utmost important factors that connect a user with the ad. So the main challenge for a 6 second ad was to present a story with a narrative as well as emotion in the span of just 6 seconds. Advertisers started to insert a dominant emotion in their 6 second ads to build an emotional audience. Studies have devised that longer ads are more effective. They allow conveying of more information and in a proper chronological sequence, more causation to be exhibited, which allows for narrative persuasion. These are a few factors that are critical to the success of an ad.

While the above facts present a challenge living in the era of 6 second ads, some markets and brands have mastered this concept and have achieved higher success rates in short form ads which turn viewers into buyers. 

The Era Of 6 Second Ads

The era of 6 second ads has shown that you do not need time but a story to grab the attention of the audience. If a 6 second ad has a story that the audience can connect to, then those 6 seconds turn out to be more than enough. However, do not let the era of 6 second ads hamper your creativity. Your creativity should extend to your media strategy. Only then will you be able to position your ad and be able to move your consumers and users to be convinced about your products and services.

The Production Of 6 Second Ads

While shorter ads are inviting more and more advertisers towards them, with all benefits in its favor, there’s one barrier that stays. The hangup is that it is not an easy task to be able to tell a worthy story in 6 seconds. Therefore, creativity constraints are the biggest challenge against short span video ads. 

This constraint makes the production of shorter ads difficult and a properly thought strategy is needed to succeed. Be creative, try new ideas. In fact, creativity is all about new ideas. So do not confine yourself to the cliches.

Snackable Content

30 second long videos have a higher tendency of getting skipped by the users. Therefore, compared to the usual 30 second or 60 second ads, the 6 second short ad formats have a major advantage. They are considered as ‘snackable content’ and the millennial age does not bother much spending 6 seconds on an ad.  

These 6 second ads can co-exist with other content in real time as well. So you can advertise your short ads on a number of media platforms. These ads can be placed in between slow transitional moments throughout various broadcasts which people come in contact with on a daily basis. For instance, you can place your ads on streaming music websites, online social media platforms, etc. 

The generation of today is used to an instant world around it. Everything needs to be quick and instant, or else it goes unnoticed. So if people open a page or website and an ad pops in, no one will have the patience to pay attention to the 30 second ad which is a barrier for them. But a 6 second short ad will have a chance of being noticed, especially when they are unskippable. 

Cost-Effective

6 second ads force the content to stick to the product and get to the point quickly. The policy to adapt to the six second ad is not only advantageous because of the above-mentioned points. It is also an optimal option for small companies that do not have a huge marketing budget. Production as well as post-production ads often cost higher than the amount required for 6 second ads.

The 6 second ad videos are versatile. The room for a longer video will never be empty. But the 6 second ad is making its place in the room and expanding it at a fast pace. In the end, you need to try and evaluate whether your product engages the audience with a 6 second video or a 30 second video. 

FAQs:

1. Why are 6-second ads more effective?

A 6-second short ad will prove out to be a success if you have the right content to showcase. In this fast world, each user is impatient and on the verge to press the ‘skip ad’ button. Therefore, to make sure that your message reaches the audience, you need to have a short brand or product story.

2. How are 6-second ads more compatible with mobile devices?

The 6 seconds ads result in a more immediate and efficient connection with the user on mobiles. They are primarily ingested by the audience on mobile phones. So the major concern for marketers is to come forward with an optimized and interactive shorter video. And a lot of 6-second videos have been successful in doing so.

3. What are the challenges of the 6-Second format?

The main challenge for a 6-second ad is to present a story with a narrative as well as emotion in the span of just 6 seconds. The advertisers need to make sure that the video is good enough to catch the audience’s attention within seconds.

4. What is the primary advantage of 6-second ads?

30 second long videos have a higher tendency of getting skipped by the users. Therefore, compared to the usual 30 second or 60-second ads, the 6-second short ad formats have a major advantage. They are considered as ‘snackable content’ and the millennials don’t mind spending 6 seconds watching an ad.