Short-form video is currently the most viewed content type across the internet. YouTube Shorts, which is among the top short-form video platforms, reports that 70 billion views are registered each day on short-form video content on their platform. Average adults spend upwards of one hour each day watching short-form content on their mobile devices.
From an advertising and marketing perspective, these metrics are incredible and lucrative. Online advertising has been focused on the Pay-Per-Click (PPC) pricing model for a long time. The rise of short-form video ads is here to change that. So, if you are a PPC marketer, stick around. We’ll discuss how disruptive short-form video ads are for pay-per-click marketing and also compare the results generated by each marketing type for your reference. Lastly, we’ll look into case studies of how short-form video ads have successfully helped businesses grow.
A Comparison Between Short-Form Video Ads Vs PPC Ads
Here’s a brief comparison between the two formats. It is important to understand the differences between short-form video ads and PPC ads, considering short-form videos are also used as PPC ads in certain cases. So, let’s review their differences to get a clearer understanding of them.
| Comparison | Short-Form Video Ads | Pay-Per-Click Ads |
| Ad Formats | Short-form video, as the name suggests, is only limited to one format, which is audio-visual. | Pay-per-click advertisements can be made in different formats ranging from text to image and even short-form videos.
Note: Short-form videos used as PPC ads on social media platforms become short-form video ads only, making the separate classification of short-form video as a format of PPC ads redundant. |
| Pricing Model | Short-form video ads are shown to the target audience on either a pay-per-view or pay-per-click calculation. As these ads are generally placed on social media platforms, the ads are run by the platform themselves, who calculate what counts as a view or a click on the placed ads. | PPC ads are priced on a per-click model and the clicks are calculated by the platforms that were used to place the ads. |
| Targeting | Short-form video ads are targeted using the algorithm of the social media platform where they are posted. Clients can choose to show the ad to a particular demographic and further target it based on audience behavior and interests shown on social media platforms. | PPC ads are shown on search engine result pages in many cases as “sponsored” results. These ads are shown based on search intent and search engine keywords. If someone searches for the keyword, the sponsored result is shown, it’s as simple as that.
Based on the keyword search volume and competition, you can guess the returns from a PPC ad campaign at the time of placing them. |
| Reach | The reach of short-form video ads is shown at the time of posting the ad, based on the targeting you choose.
However, the conversions from that reach can be difficult to gauge. Since social media platforms are not meant for business, specifically, it is difficult to generate leads from these platforms. |
The reach of PPC ads can be predicted using the monthly search volume of the keyword you’re using. Based on the cost-per-click, you can identify the maximum budget you’ll have to spend in a month if you’re running an ad on that keyword that every single search clicks on.
Since searching for something on a search engine comes from intent, the conversions can be higher as per the reach of the PPC ad compared to short-form video ads. |
| Best Use Cases | Short-form video ads are best used to improve brand identity and create product demos or awareness programs. | PPC ads are best used for generating high-intent, high-conversion leads, which directly impact sales. |
Even though the use cases suggest PPC ads are better for sales and conversions, short-form video ads should not be considered any less. Social media platforms have continually improved features and facilities to make it easier for businesses to sell directly from short-form video ads. This is why it is important to note and update your perspective of short-form video ads, especially as a PPC marketer, because the results may otherwise shock you.
How Results Compare Between Short-Form Video Ads & PPC Ads
Considering PPC ads have been around for much longer compared to short-form video ads, the results each of them draws should be of no contest to each other, right? Well, not exactly. Considering how short-form videos have taken over the internet, their better storytelling ability and product showcasing features make them an effective medium to improve sales. Let’s review how each of these fares against the other in terms of results.
PPC Ads Result Statistics
Since we’re writing from a PPC marketer’s perspective, you may be very well aware of the benefits that PPC ad results can bring. The most popular metric often PPC marketers by heart is: “For each dollar spent on advertising using Google Ads, businesses earn $2 in revenue.” This equates to a 200% return on investment and is actually supported by Google itself. It is not unheard of for businesses to earn an 800% return on their investments, too, when they use the right expert insights to target and improve their ad campaigns.
However, despite the impressive ROI mentioned above, do you know what the average conversion rate is for PPC search ads on Google? On average, it is just over 3% of all clicks tracked by your campaign. So, considering your CPC and the average sale price on your platform, you can do the math of how the products or services need to be priced for you to get the “200% return” that’s common knowledge industry-wise.
Certain industries perform better on PPC ads than others, which is what was being hinted at. Check the efficacy of your specific industry on PPC ads before you ask your clients to invest their marketing budget in it.
Short-Form Video Ads Result Statistics
The most commonly expected results of short-form video ads are that they improve brand identity and create trust with consumers. While it sounds good on paper, you can’t take consumer trust to the bank. So, aren’t there any measurable metrics for short-form video ads? There sure are, and here’s what the most common ones are:
- As per a study performed by Hubspot, 96% of the participants mentioned that they are interested in learning more about a product or service through an explainer video.
- 89% of the 96% mentioned that they would be interested in making a purchase based on video evidence of a product or service offering results.
While there are other metrics, these are the two you should focus on at the moment. The main complaint against short-form video ads was that there’s significant friction between sales and short-form video ads, considering there’s a lack of user intent. That’s where social media platforms come in.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have all incorporated changes to make it easier for marketers and brands to increase sales through short-form video ads.
- TikTok introduced the TikTok shop, which became revolutionary for impulse purchases.
- Instagram has a swipe-up to-visit the website feature that allows users to directly visit the brand’s website.
- YouTube incorporates product images as small thumbnails in the video itself, along with pricing information. This allows users to click on the thumbnails with full knowledge of the pricing, improving conversion rates even more.
Industries that have hugely benefitted from these changes include beauty and makeup, gadgets, and fashion. So, just like PPC ads, there are industries where short-form video ads work optimally and ones where they are best at improving brand positioning.
Lastly, as per a study conducted by Hubspot in 2025, visual storytelling is the new norm of the marketing industry. Many marketers even remarked that they’re able to generate the best ROIs with short-form video ads.
Ending Note
The rise of short-form video ads has been meteoric. It has forced marketers to rethink their strategies to market their clients on short-form videos. With the constant developments in short-form video ad technologies, the rise shows no signs of stopping. In 2024, the short-form video ads market was valued at $34.79 billion, and the market is expected to grow to a whopping $289.52 billion by 2032.
So, as a PPC marketer, it is high time you give a better chance to short-form video ads. If you need help optimizing your video advertising campaigns, you can always connect with our experts at Digital Marketing 360. We offer complete short-form video advertisement campaign solutions that offer optimized ROIs.
