As an advertiser paying for impressions, it's important to know that the people you're serving ads to are actually seeing them. After all, if your video ad plays while a user is actively browsing within a different tab, is it really fair for the publisher to charge you for the impression?

Ad viewability is one of the industry's most hotly debated issues, and as of now, there is no single standard of measurement.

But what does viewability mean for video marketing, and what exactly are marketers debating? Let's dive in and take a look.

For much of the past decade, advertisers have hailed video as the go-to content format for high engagement. But huge gains in ROI have recently sent mobile video trends skyrocketing, making a strong, numbers-driven argument in favor of creating more branded video.

According to an AdColony report, video advertising now accounts for one-third of all mobile revenue for advertisers. This video is being delivered in a wide range of formats, including interstitial and pre-roll video ads, with rewarded video ads leading the pack in terms of ROI.

The best practices for YouTube advertising are nothing like the strategies used for advertising on other platforms. Not only are brands creating video content specific to the platform, but YouTube offers several ways to incorporate supplemental ads into the experience of a single video.

This functionality can provide you with additional opportunities to drive customer actions in the form of multiple video views, ad clicks and referrals to your business website. Clickable ads inserted into a video are at the heart of this advertising strategy.

Here are some basic guidelines to help you make better use of these unique mid-roll ad solutions.

It's been nearly 13 years since the first video was uploaded to YouTube, and since then, the platform has amassed more than a billion users. From social feeds to online streaming networks, video content is everywhere — and yet audiences' appetites only seem to grow. Massive global brands and small businesses alike are looking for ways to capitalize on online video trends.

There's just one problem: Since online video trends are constantly changing and growing in complexity, knowing where to invest your marketing budget and how to maximize your success can be challenging — especially for smaller companies with fewer resources.

To help, we took a look at the future of video marketing and compiled a few tips on how you can keep up.

Want to get audiences talking about your brand? New research from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) found that you should ensure your ad strategy includes over-the-top (OTT) devices and airs during programs people watch together.

People are not only more likely to talk about the products or brands they see, they're also 10 percent more likely to change their minds about the products they see when co-viewing on an OTT device rather than linear TV, according to the recent report.

OTT Co-Viewing Is a Powerful Trend

So why does co-viewing (particularly with OTT devices) yield such great results? The IAB noted that this activity is more common "among younger viewers, and with strong brand engagement." Given that a Media Math study concluded that 64 percent of millennials reported being brand loyal — or more brand loyal than their parents — it's no surprise that these younger audiences are more engaged with OTT ads.

It's no secret that film and television content is migrating to the internet at a rapid pace. When's the last time you logged on to Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube, Sling TV, CBS All Access or Hulu? Yesterday? An hour ago?

We strive to create uncommon, memorable messages and give customers what they crave. Did you know the hottest medium online today is video? These brief, easily consumable content clips educate and entertain, making brands stand out.

That's why it's key to learn about outstream video and how this popular digital marketing technique can make campaigns run smoother for both advertisers and publishers.

Facebook video is big. According to Facebook's 2016 Q4 earnings call, people are watching 100 million hours of video per day on the platform, a number expected to rise even further in the future. Video marketing is also growing as well, as eMarketer reported that 63% of marketers plan to increase their social video spending in the next 12 months, with much of that going to the social media giant. However, if you're just getting started with Facebook video advertising and wonder how you can boost your viewership, here are three tips and tricks you can use to get ahead of the game.

Imagine you order a piece of furniture online. Much to your chagrin, it arrives unassembled in a box filled with various parts, dozens of tiny nuts and bolts and an instruction pamphlet the size of "War and Peace." But before you dive in, you search online and discover the manufacturer has created an easy-to-follow, step-by-step video. Less than an hour later, you're admiring your new piece of furniture from the couch with a cold drink.

Convenience is just one of the many reasons people love videos and why YouTube has more than one billion users, the video website explains. An explainer video or a short clip that gives a simple and concise description of a company's product or service helps break down complex topics and makes brands more memorable.

Car lots have grown quieter in the past decade. As any dealership owner can testify, salespeople used to spend their Saturdays selling vehicle after vehicle. And yet, car sales are up: Americans purchased more than 17.5 million cars and trucks in 2016, according to a report from Autodata and reported on by the Los Angeles Times. This was a new record for an industry that's experienced seven years of steady growth.

How are successful dealers tapping into this thriving market? The answer is online video advertising. But why do consumers love videos? And which types of videos are most likely to drive shoppers to buy?