Video advertisements are the future. According to Tubular Insights, by 2020, video content will account for 75% of mobile traffic. People are more likely to scroll past an image advertisement than they are a video. As a marketer, however, what you need to consider is how long a viewer will watch your video advertisement. It is important to understand what your target audience wants to see so they will stick around until the end of your video.
Most importantly, your Facebook video ad should grab attention right away. Since Facebook videos auto-play, your ad has about three seconds to make viewers interested and be counted as a view. Think about what your business or service does, and make sure that message is clear within those first few seconds of the video playing.
Although the video can be general or more specific in its content, it should be relevant, not only to your services but also with what the audience wants to see. A great way to get an idea for your video is to relate it to the interests of the specific audience you are targeting.
There are 3 main elements your Facebook video should have in order to be successful:
1. Your Facebook Video Ad Must Have Value
Videos should contain quality content, but try not to overthink it and lose sight of the message you are trying to get across. If your video is not relevant to your audience or to the product you are trying to sell, people are going to scroll past after those three seconds. Your video should be valuable to your audience. It may not be the top of mind to a viewer, but ultimately they’ll want to know what it is they are going to take away from the three seconds they spend watching your video. What will your product do for them?
One example of valuable content includes testimonials. People love doing their research before they purchase anything these days. Hardly anyone blindly purchases anything anymore; even word-of-mouth referrals are not as trustworthy. Online reviews can really make or break a business. This is why testimonial videos can be so effective.
If there is someone who left you a positive review, you should consider asking them to be a part of your video campaign. They will pretty much do all of the talking for you, and make your business seem more relatable. Testimonials can also help your business out if you have a lot of competition. Here is a helpful article from Forbes that might give you some ideas for your testimonial video advertisement.
Another type of video that usually sparks people’s interest is the product demonstration video. This is where you show how your product works or the unique features it has, in a fun and intriguing way. These are great for launching/announcing a new product.
An example of this is the Tasty videos. Tasty started out filming unique cooking videos from a fast-paced, birds-eye view that last about a minute long. Their videos became so popular not only because of the delicious recipes, but because they were just long and simple enough to keep their audience’s interest. They became an empire and introduced their own non-stick kitchen utensils. They use their products in their own videos for a subtle product demonstration occasionally.
2. Your Facebook Video Ad has Visual Effects
As mentioned before, your video needs to grab attention right away. One of the best ways to do this is through the visual effects you include. Ad Espresso suggests thinking like a “silent film artist,” because nearly 85% of video views happen in silent mode. You are more than likely going to want to add captions to your video for this reason. Facebook makes this easy for you with caption adding preferences when you upload your video ad.
Another effect you should consider using as an advertising technique are the use of GIFs. These are short, animated images that play in a continuous loop many people tend to use for humorous purposes. GIFs are used light-heartedly and are very easy to create. And because they are so short, people do not mind stopping to watch. GIFs are shareable and silent, making them a perfect advertising strategy if you are going with something simple. If you would like to learn more about how to create a GIF, check out this great article by Wix.
You should also focus on bright and bold colors that would catch someone’s attention, and maybe even add bold text to your video. A large, bold text in your video could be used for dramatic purposes, and it allows the viewer to watch without turning on the sound. The use of color is also a lot more thought-provoking than you might think. Different colors are used for different effects. According to Ad Espresso, certain colors strike emotional responses with people, making someone feel a certain way when they see that color.
3. Your Facebook Video Ad Produces Results
Once you have created your video advertisement, you will obviously want to post it and wait for the results. One way to gain clearer results for your advertisement is to split-test your ads. This means, creating two video ads that vary in length or have different visuals and text and comparing the results of each to see which one has a higher viewing rate. Facebook has you covered with these split-testing features on Ads Manager, making it easy to track results.
Incorporating these three must-have elements into your Facebook video advertisement will result in more views and shares. Value within your video advertisement will make your business come off more personal to your target audience. Visual effects will make you video stand out from others. Lastly, tracking your results will help you see how well your advertisement is doing and what you can do to modify it.
Ready to get started, or need help creating your Facebook video ad?
Changescape Web can provide the guidance, creativity, and management to help you effectively use Facebook video ads for your business. Schedule a free consultation to learn more.