Getting Started With Video Gating

What Is Video Gating?

Now that video marketing has been adopted by the enterprise, there is a large push by video hosting software companies to create solutions that give marketers the ability to make their videos interactive. Two of the most popular interactivity types are gating and calls to action (CTAs). Gating is restricting video playback with the requirement that the user take some sort of action, while CTAs make the action an option.

One of the most popular CTA types is an email request. But there are many other types of CTAs you can use within or at the end of your video content. Gating can occur pre-roll (before the video plays), mid-roll (anywhere in the center of the video), or post-roll (after the video plays).

A couple examples of video gating are in-video email or custom forms, interactive quizzes or exams, buttons, and subscription walls. There are myriad custom annotation types that also classify as video gates, but we'll stick with the basics in this post.

Pre-Roll Video Gating

The most common, yet least recommended type of pre-roll gating, is email capture or custom forms. There are a number of solutions that handle this basic lead generation functionality well. In choosing a solution, be sure you understand what options you want in addition to basic lead capture abilities.

For example, if you are using a marketing automation platform (MAP) and need to pass both new contact information and video engagement analytics directly to that software, then you need a solution for passing that information and analytics that works with your specific MAP.

Pre-roll gating on videos is not usually recommended, unless the video is sitting on a landing page positioned to replace a standard form. The result of this strategy is a lower conversion rate and a lower quality lead. There will be a percentage of contacts that convert because they are “curious about what is behind the door,” but these contacts are not highly qualified.

Mid-Roll Video Gating

Mid-roll gating is preferred because the conversion rates are really high and the quality of lead is far better. Mid-roll gating is very similar to placing commercials throughout your favorite television episode. Once viewers get hooked on the content they are more likely to complete a form to continue watching, particularly if the early content is compelling. Placing a contact form mid-way through a video, just before the next piece of meaty content is revealed, is an excellent strategy and one that produces high quality leads.

Post-Roll Form

Having a contact or email form at the end of your video is extremely important. The modern marketer’s goal is to include a strong call to action with each piece of content, whether it's a blog post, case study download, or email. So there’s no reason for video to be excluded from that. By placing CTAs at the end of all your videos, you can ensure that viewers who reach the end of the content and convert are strong, qualified sales leads.