Outstream video ads have become a game-changer for digital publishers thanks to the ever-growing number of mobile device users. The technology allows for mobile-specific video ads to play outside of video players, expanding the potential reach of video advertising and publisher monetization options.

What Is an Outstream Video Ad?

Outstream video ads, also known as in-read or native video, are mobile-specific ads that appear within non-video based editorial content.

Previously, users only saw video ads within actual video-based content, such as on YouTube, where ads would pop-up pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll. Now, thanks to technological advancements, publishers can use video ads that lie outside of video players.

What Are the Types of Outstream Video Ad?

In-Page - An in-page outstream video ad consists of a customized video player that is placed on the web page to exclusively play video ads.

In-Banner - In-banner ads are eye-catching ads that generally sit at the top of the webpage and often include subtitles as they are playing.?

In-Text - In-text ads are designed to appear as the user scrolls through the article. They generally appear around 50% of the way into the article to ensure the highest audience engagement.

Instream vs Outstream Video Ads: What’s the Difference?

In the past, digital video advertising generally referred to ads that would run on existing video platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo. These ad formats are known as instream ads.

Outstream videos are a form of native advertising that involves a large-format video player that emerges within the page content as the viewer scrolls.

Outstream video content is easier to set up than instream advertising and offers a far less intrusive experience for the user.

Benefits of Outstream Video Ads for Publishers

Big publishers such as The Washington Post, Forbes and CBS are all using outstream video ad formats, and Buzz Feed claimed in 2024 that video advertising was making up 50% of their entire revenue. With so much ad money on the table, publishers need to be thinking in terms of the financial benefits from incorporating programmatic outstream video ads in editorial content.

Previously, users could only use video ads with video content. But not every publisher has video content. Since outstream videos don’t rely on existing video content, publishers can start displaying video ads within their text-based content.

Typically, an outstream video ad is not visible until the user reaches a particular point on the page. The video will auto play, but if the user decides to scroll through, the video will pause. If the user chooses to engage, they can tap to activate sound or expand to form a video player.

How much does an Outstream Video ad cost?

Outstream Video ads use the CPM (cost-per-mille or cost-per-thousand impressions) bidding strategy, which means that advertisers have to pay for every 1,000 times their ad is displayed to an audience, regardless of whether those viewers interact with the ad.

An Outstream Video ad can cost advertisers somewhere between $5 and $10 USD, which is also the average cost for YouTube Ads in terms of CPM. Outstream Video ads are therefore a very budget-friendly ad type for advertisers.