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In last week’s blog, we talked at great length about the different types of Facebook Ads, but one ad type stands out among the rest – Video Ads. Whether for organic or paid content, video is amongst the most engaging content on Facebook. Let’s take a look at why Facebook Video Ads should be a part of your marketing toolset, and look at tips to succeed.

Why you should use Facebook Video Ads:

There are two main reasons you should include Facebook Video Ads in your marketing efforts: video drives engagement and conversions. 54% of people want more video content from brands they like. Users want to engage with more video content from brands, so brands should answer this call. As for conversions, consumers are 85% more likely to make a purchase after seeing a product video. Plus, video ads get 20% more clicks than image ads. So videos are a great way to get people interacting with, and buying from, your brand.

8 Tips for improving your video content:

1 – Don’t make your ads too long:

Limiting the length of your Video Ads increases the chances that people will watch the whole ad. There’s a lot of competition for attention on Facebook, and users have precious little time to see it all. To get people to watch your ads, they should be limited in length. If a video ad is less than 30 seconds long, the average view length is more than 80% of the whole video. However, that drops to less than 70% once the video approaches 2 minutes in length. Facebook themselves suggest that ads be a maximum of 15 seconds long. Overall, keeping your ads short and sweet gets people viewing more. 

2 – Front-load your videos and tell a story:

As we already said, there’s a lot of competition for people’s attention on Facebook, so quickly grabbing attention is important. Your ads should be structured to have the most important and attention-grabbing information/narrative at the start. Users need to be interested the moment they see your ad, so they stop scrolling. An interesting thumbnail or first second of the video is needed to grab attention. Plus, if you can get people to watch three seconds, the amount of your video people watch increases. 65% of users who watch three seconds will continue watching for at least 10 seconds. Think of it like flicking through television channels. People will change the channel if the program doesn’t interest them quickly. On Facebook, people will just keep scrolling. Also, have a story to your ad. Telling a story, rather than just selling a product, increases your trustworthiness and memorability. Stories allow you to build a relationship with your audience. Just remember to have the most interesting parts at the start.

3 – Create videos that don’t require sound:

Most people watch Facebook videos with the sound off, so making videos that don’t rely on sound is a must. Research has found 85% of people watch Facebook videos with the sound off. So, don’t rely on the audio in your video ads. Focus more on your visuals and using captions where necessary. If your ad’s message requires verbal explanation, use captions and text cues. However, don’t leave the audio out. There are still people who have their volume on, and it would be strange to have an ad without audio. 

4 – Boost impressions using in-stream ads:

In-stream ads place your video in front of an audience who are already engaged with a video. In-stream ads appear in the middle of other video content on people’s Facebook feed. Some people find these ads annoying, but 70% of in-stream ad views are watched to the end. These ads receive large numbers of impressions and view times because people are already engaged with a video. Just make sure you have clear and strong messaging because people will be distracted by the main video.

5 – Use square or vertical videos:

Most people use Facebook on their phone, so square and vertical videos use more of the devices screen real estate than landscape videos. Taking up more of the screen means people will be more likely to notice you. Out of the two, vertical video is the better option. Recent studies found that vertical video ads perform better and cost between 26% and 38% less per click than square video ads. So, vertical ads will get your brand noticed more, for less.

6 – Don’t neglect your text:

The video may be the star of the show, but make sure you still write compelling copy. The text should have a hook that makes people want to watch to learn more. It can also provide extra information and a call-to-action. Otherwise, people may be confused about the product or where to go. Also, the text should be front-loaded. Much like the video, you should include the most interesting and important content at the start of the text, so people know why they should watch.

Don’t have the skillset to make video ads?

Not everyone has a background in video shooting and production, but there are ways to make up for this: use a template or outsource production. If you don’t have the equipment or the skillset for creating videos, you can still create video ads. For recording, Many modern smartphone cameras are up to the task of ad recording. There are even kits and tutorials to turn you and your smartphone into a video recording machine. As for the editing, there are programs online that let you put your footage into a template to create an ad. Facebook even has its own templates. 

However, if this still sounds too difficult, you can always outsource. By outsourcing, you can let a video professional create a high-production quality ad for you. SBIM has an in-house videographer who can both shoot and edit high-quality ads for your business. To get more from your video ads, contact SBIM today on 07 3325 0505 or at webmaster@sbim.com.au.