But don’t let the online versions of those cross-platform ads end up as what Gary Stein in Online Video Advertising’s Breakout Moment calls “broadcastware.”

By “broadcastware,” Stein means ads that never make the digital leap, that remain mired in television think and fail to take advantage of the interactive possibilities that online offers.

With the VideoAd platform, it’s easy to turn passive TV ad footage into a digital-ready, interactive online video ad. In this post, we’ll focus in particular on two convenient features of the Timeline:

• Overlay management.
• Selecting and re-ordering Timeline elements.

Overlay management

For the purposes of this discussion, let’s assume the advertiser you’re working with is a travel agency promoting a trip to Barcelona, Spain.

After you upload the advertiser’s TV video file, the Studio looks something like this.

Studio with uploaded TV spot in Timeline

The 30-second TV spot you uploaded, shown here in red because it’s selected, appears as a visual in the Timeline.

Now’s your chance to cross the digital divide.

Given the nature of television, all the TV-spot can do is verbally encourage viewers, who want more information about the Barcelona tour, to contact the travel agency by phone or email.

In the VideoAd version, you have other, much more powerful options.

If you add a lead capture overlay, viewers can request information about or even sign up for the tour right from within the VideoAd.

Overlay that opens a lead capture form

You can also add website link overlays that viewers click to visit the travel agency website or to open an annotated map of Barcelona that shows the tour highlights.

Website link overlays linked to pages on the travel agency website

Each overlay you add is automatically added to the Text row on the Timeline. You have full control over each overlay’s position and duration.

Overlay selected in the Text row of the Timeline

To position an overlay in the visual flow, drag it along the Timeline. To set how long an overlay remains visible, drag the handle on its right end.

Dragging an overlay handle to set how long it's visible

To learn more about overlays, see The power and glory of overlays, Don’t forget lead capture, and The power of video and image overlays.

Selecting and re-ordering Timeline elements

Unlike television ads, online VideoAds often play only in response to viewer actions, such as clicks or mouseovers.

This means that, when you create an online version of a TV spot, it’s essential to take the time to make the VideoAd as inviting as possible.

One of the most effective ways to make a VideoAd more inviting is to add a compelling image as the VideoAd’s initial thumbnail.

Here’s how the Timeline might look immediately after you upload a compelling initial image to the Barcelona tour VideoAd.

Initial image added to right end of Timeline

The initial image is the first image that viewers see so you need to move it from the end of the VideoAd (far right on the Timeline) to the beginning (far left on the Timeline).

However, if you simply drag the image from right to left, you’ll shift the elements on the visual row while leaving the overlay elements in place. This means that you’ll have to reposition all of the overlay elements in relation to the video clip.

This is when you can take advantage of the Timeline’s multi-select features.

Click the T at the far left end of the overlays row. This selects all of the overlays.

Click the T to select all overlays

Then, press CTRL (or the Command (Apple) key on the Mac) and select the video clip in the visual row. Drag these related elements together to the right until the initial image is in its proper location on the far left.

Selecting and moving multiple overlays and the video clip

To learn more about the power of initial images, see Better thumbnails mean more views.