Advertiser Case Study: Native Video Thumbs versus static images. Which performed the best?

Native Video Thumbs are one of ExoClick’s latest innovations. This new video creative for the Native ad format helps Advertisers create more engaging dynamic creatives which still blend with the website’s look & feel, leading to higher CTRs, thus increasing conversions and reducing the overall campaign costs. To test out the benefits of Native ads with video, we will explore Native video versus static thumbnails: are Video Native ads more effective than static ads? Keep reading to find out.

Can I use video on Native campaigns?

Traditionally, Native ads display a static image. With Native Video Thumbnails, Advertisers can now use a short video loop to give users a quick preview of their offer. On Desktop, the video plays without audio when an end user hovers their cursor over the thumbnail and pauses, returning to a static image once the cursor moves away. On Mobile, the video begins when the user taps on the thumbnail and switches back to the static image when they tap or scroll away. 

One of the main benefits of Native ads with Video Thumbs is that they provide higher CTRs than traditional static image Native ads. One Advertiser decided to put this to the test by launching 3 different campaigns with 6 different Native Thumbs variation sets each: 3 static, 3 Video. So let’s discover once and for all, ‘Can Advertisers gain higher CTRs with Native Video Thumbnails?’.

Case Study: Native Video versus static thumbnails!

This Advertiser wanted to promote his VoD offer with Native to Members Area traffic. The objective of the campaign was to get free registrations in the US from English speaking end users.

As his product was Video based, it made sense to test out ExoClick’s new Native Video Thumbs format. Mainly, he wanted to see if adding a looping Video preview of his offered content would further convince end users to click through to the landing page. So, he launched 3 different campaigns, each of them with 6 different ad variations (3 Static/Video variation sets):

• 3 traditional static image Native ads per campaign.
• Each traditional static Native ad was paired up with 1 Native Video Thumb loop variation, so there were 3 Native Video Thumb variations in total per campaign.

The 3 campaigns and their Static/Video variation sets ran from the 05/03 to the 14/04 2025. 

Campaign 1: Mobile Smart Bid Target CPA campaign with Native Video thumbs

For this campaign, the Advertiser targeted Mobile devices across the US. For his bidding strategy, he used Smart Bid with Bid Strategy set to Target CPA, and Bid Optimization set to Maximize Volumes. The table below depicts average CTR increases for each Static/Video Native set. As we can see, CTRs showcased noticeable increases when comparing Native Video Thumb variations to traditional static Native images, with +61.8% higher CTRs in one of the Video Thumb variations: 

Campaign 2: Mobile Exclusive CPM campaign 

For the second campaign, the Advertiser targeted Mobile devices across the US. He used a Brand keyword strategy combined with an Exclusive CPM bidding strategy. Once again, the table below demonstrates a substantial average CTR increase for Native Video Thumbnails compared to its traditional Native counterpart, with +51.7% higher CTRs being the highest increases:

Campaign 3: Desktop & Tablet Exclusive CPM

For the last campaign, the Advertiser targeted US Desktop and Tablet devices, once again with a Brand keyword and Exclusive CPM bidding combination. On the table below, we can see average increases up to +35.6% for CTRs on Video Thumb Native variations:

Campaign results: Can Advertisers gain higher CTRs with Native Video Thumbnails?

As explained, this was a split test of static thumbnails versus Video Thumbnails Native ads, which the ExoClick client ran. As we can see on the tables above, CTR metrics for Video Thumbnails increased from 23.3% to 61.3%, depending on the device type and campaign setup. This feature made the client’s clicks cheaper and as a result, the end cost reduced by -17.9% on average.

Benefits of Native ads with video

A more interactive format for your target audience: Video content tends to be more engaging than static images due to its stronger storytelling capabilities. It grabs attention more effectively while conveying key information, leading to higher viewer interaction, better campaign performance, and increased brand awareness.

Possibility to deliver more information on the ad placement: We know one image is worth one thousand words, and Video is composed of hundreds or thousands of image frames. This allows Advertisers to deliver much more information than a single static image. By adding a Video loop on your Native Thumbnail, you can offer a preview of your product, providing the end user with valuable information about your offer and further entice them to click through.

Increased CTRs and performance & lower eCPA prices: Video offers the opportunity to showcase products or services in action, making their benefits easier to understand, thus boosting CTRs & lowering eCPAs. If your ads are well-performing, they will be favored by algorithms, making your campaigns even more efficient and giving you more opportunities to convert your offers.

Scalability over multiple sites: Native ads with video are no more expensive than static Native ads. And because, once again, they increase overall campaign performance and lower eCPAs, you can better allocate your budget, targeting more ad zones per campaign, thus expanding your reach.

How to create high converting Video Thumbnails

TIP! Align your creatives: Make sure that the Video preview you have picked for your Native Thumbs matches the design and style of the main Native static image. It needs to be relevant to the image to set the right expectations for the end user. If you use a different image and Video the flow will be disrupted and the messaging could become confusing, affecting watch times, CTRs, and retention rates. 

TIP! Video as an expansion of the image: For the sake of storytelling, continuity and sparking the end user’s curiosity, use the video to reveal more details on what’s presented on the static image, as an extension. Expand on the image’s message by giving more details about your offer using the storytelling capabilities of Video to your advantage.

TIP! Segment campaigns by GEO location: When you target your campaign, make sure to segment by GEO for more accurate targeting. Then, use the Keyword Insertion feature to automatically replace specific text with keywords relevant to the end user, whether it is by language, city, etc. 

TIP! Start with a bang for increased view rates: The first 3 seconds of the video are crucial, as if in this time the end user loses interest, they will scroll away. Then, it is important to use the most dynamic and engaging content possible to grab the user’s attention during that time, making them interested enough to click through.

Conclusion: Native video versus static thumbnails

In this article, we have explored the question, ‘Can Advertisers gain higher CTRs with Native Video Thumbnails?’. Based on the Case Study, we can clearly see that Native Video ads are more effective than static ads. If you are an Advertiser interested in using Native Video Thumbnails for your campaigns but you do not have a dedicated design team, try tools like Vision Story or Domo.AI if you would like to learn more about using AI to bring your static images to life, check out this blog!

If you would like more information, talk to your Account Manager or our Customer Success team to discuss the best strategy for your Native Video Campaigns. If you are not yet using ExoClick for your campaigns, sign up now and gain access to high-converting ad zones!