For many streamers, hitting pause is a natural reflex – a quick bathroom break, a phone check, a dash to the kitchen. But what if that pause could be an opportunity for advertisers? Pause ads, those brief promotions that appear when you ⏸️ your show, are a new weapon in the streaming ad arsenal, and according to a recent Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) report, they’re surprisingly effective.
The VAB study found that nearly half of all streaming viewers (around 50%) take some kind of action after seeing a pause ad. This can be anything from clicking for more information to simply remembering the brand for later. These findings challenge the idea of pause ads as interruptions. Instead, they seem to capture viewers during a moment of focused attention, leading to potentially higher engagement than traditional pre-roll or mid-roll ads. Imagine pausing a cooking show and seeing an ad for a new recipe app – relevant, timely, and attention-grabbing in that micro-moment.
So, how can you leverage pause ads for your brand? Here’s the key: understand viewer behavior. Unlike pre-roll ads that viewers can skip entirely, pause ads appear when viewers have voluntarily stopped the content. They’re already in a receptive state, perfect for a short, engaging message. Additionally, pause ads are a relatively new format, lacking the ad-aversion viewers might have towards traditional commercials. This novelty factor can work in your favor.
The takeaway? Don’t dismiss pause ads. By keeping your message clear, concise, and visually engaging within a few seconds, and tailoring it to the content viewers are watching, you can turn those pause moments into opportunities to connect with your target audience in a way that feels relevant and even helpful. Embrace new shoppable ad formats and focus on a clear call to action, and you might just find pause ads become your secret weapon in the competitive world of streaming advertising.
