By Cristian Stanciu . Posted on October 14, 2022Facebook videos earn billions of views every single day. It’s the go-to medium for brands to grab attention, entertain and educate, and convert viewers into leads.
Facebook video advertising is the preferred marketing tool for brands wanting to benefit from the huge user base that the social media platform provides. Furthermore, brands cannot ignore the many tools that Facebook makes available to identify, research, and target the ideal audience.
Although Facebook users are crazy about video content, you’re competing with hundreds and thousands of businesses to attract the attention of the users. We want to provide you with a head start. This blog post will help you make effective Facebook video ads.
1. Gain User Attention within the First 3 Seconds
To create great ads, start planning videos with the premise that hundreds of videos are fighting to attract the attention of your target audience. This is certainly true. You only have a few seconds to hook the viewers and convince them to stay till the end.
Give the audience a reason to continue. The hook can be anything from talking about their pain points, introducing the product without delay, or using visually arresting images and transitions by a video editing company.
A lot can be achieved in the first few seconds of a video. According to Nielsen research, 74% of the videos that have an impact on the audience do so in the first 10 seconds.
Purple Mattress: The Raw Egg Test (https://youtu.be/4BvwpjaGZCQ )
Goldilocks – the bed expert and the Raw Egg Test is enough to grab your attention in the first 3 seconds. The video ad is creative, unique, and informative (highlights the USP of the Purple Mattress Company).
Instead of a plain demonstration, it uses a playful children’s story theme to convey its message. The acting, costumes, script, and message compel the viewers to watch the full ad.
2. Focus on Only One Super Specific Message per Video
Use each Facebook video ad to communicate a single message to avoid confusing the viewers. You can generate leads by having one primary message and goal per video.
Squeezing several messages in a single video will dilute the impact of each message. Plus, after watching the video, viewers may not remember what the video is about.
This might appear to be a silly point. Many have done it in the past and if you’re not careful, then inadvertently you may include multiple messages in one video.
Ideas to avoid squeezing too many good things about your product or service:
- Talk about the main pain point of the customer and a suitable solution provided by your brand. Then, take the viewer to a page that addresses the other needs of the prospective customer.
- If the video is about product demonstration, then the audience should be guided to the product page that highlights all the features and functions.
- Video ads that show the behind-the-scenes footage of your team must later nudge the audience to visit the ‘About Us page that contains information about the brand, its history, and its mission and vision statement.
3. Make Facebook Video Ads Mobile-Friendly
More people using Facebook watch videos on their mobile devices than on laptop or desktop computers. This is a fact. According to a report, 95% of all Facebook users access the platform from their smartphones.
Make video ads that suit the social media platform where most people will watch them. Hence, the ideal video ratio is 4:5 format for vertical videos or 1:1 format for square videos. Also remember, the video when viewed in the ratio you have picked must create the desired impact on the audience.
There are free tools online and offline that allow you to check Facebook video ads in multiple display ratios.
If you don’t have time for experimentation then go with square video ads. Research on square vs landscape videos has found that square videos had better reach, higher engagement, and more views.
4. Develop Videos that Users Can View, Understand, and Enjoy with and without Sound
Imagine you’re in a crowded place and the video you come across starts with a high-pitch sound. Of course, this would inconvenience others, and the looks they give you will make you hate the video ad and the brand that’s promoting it.
That’s the reason Facebook video ads come without sound and 85% of the users prefer to watch videos without sound. This means you need to find ways to engage the audience without sound.
- Use graphical elements and bold text to convey information shared in the video. Companies such as BuzzFeed and NowThis use this technique quite well.
- We can learn a thing or two from silent films on how to convey information effectively without any sound or dialogue. You can also use animation which is highly visual in nature.
- The most popular method is using subtitles. This gives freedom to the viewers to watch the video ad with or without sound. Ensure the subtitles are bold and clear without any errors.
5. Use Storytelling and Social Proof to Stand Out
No. You don’t need 90 minutes to tell a story. A 90-second video ad can have the same impact if you can create a script with emotional appeal.
Facebook video ads that capture a story will stay with the viewers for days. Plus, there is a greater chance of the audience liking and sharing such videos.
Most importantly, every time the viewers recall the video your brand will be first to pop up in their minds. Bear in mind, the viewers will connect and engage with the content if they can relate to the story.
The Lamborghini Video Ad ( https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2539542369628612 )
We know why you’re surprised. A large majority of the population cannot afford a Lamborghini luxury car.
So, why did I share the video ad? Because the ad doesn’t sell luxury. Instead, it focuses on family values – on the bond between a father and son. The story is relatable and it reinforces our belief that Christmas miracles do happen.
One of the best methods to convince viewers to trust your brand is to show social proof. Don’t blow your own trumpet. Use real-life customers to share their stories and experience of using your brand.
Make video testimonials part of your overall marketing plan and use them on your website, on social media platforms, and as video ads to build trust and credibility.
6. Create Short and Succinct Video Ads to Make Them Effective
For a long time, marketers have been experimenting with various video ad lengths to find the sweet spot – the ideal duration.
A study on this subject found short video ads are more effective at conveying brand story and imagery, engaging and creating brand awareness, and successfully driving home the key brand message.
In addition, there are other advantages of making Facebook video ads short and succinct.
- You won’t be tempted to say everything about your brand in one video. You’ll be forced to handle one issue, one problem, and convey one message effectively.
- Short videos fit well into your prospect’s average viewing session. Studies show an average person spends just 4 minutes on a mobile device per session. He or she will look to cover as much of the latest information on their feed as possible. Short video ads will allow them to do that.
- It’s easier for you to make short video ads. You can make more videos with the budget allotted for Facebook ads.
- Â When you have more video ads, they can be used at every stage of the sales funnel that you create with click funnels or click funnels alternatives.
7. Strategically Place Your Call-to-Action
Your Facebook video ads are incomplete without effective call-to-actions (CTAs). This tells the viewers the next step they have to take (and the action that’s expected of them).
An effective CTA has two characteristics; it should be obvious and easy to do. The CTA depends on the goal you have set for the video ad.
We also recommend creating a sense of urgency. You can do this by including words such as ‘Join Today,’ ‘Learn More,’ or ‘Shop Now’.
It’s equally important to place the CTA in one or more places that the prospect can easily find. Use every possible element to signal and inform the viewers where the CTA is placed and what you want them to do.
Use a video editor to highlight the CTA with graphics and/or use voiceover or visual cues to encourage the prospects to take action.
8. Test Your Video
Whether you’re new to Facebook video ads or starting a new campaign it’s prudent to start small and invest in user testing.
Creating videos, paying for the ad spots, investing in its marketing, and more – all these steps cost money. If the video advertisement campaign fails, you lose money as well as confidence.
Testing is the best tool marketers can use to save money, time, and effort. Start small and test as many times as you can to find what works and what doesn’t, and increase the chances of success.
Testing videos with Poll the People allows you to get feedback from your target audience in minutes without blowing your ad budget. All you have to do is upload your video or upload multiple to compare and find the best design. Then choose your audience and launch.
You will instantly start gathering great feedback from users on which video is the most engaging if your video is easy to understand and find the video ad design that will succeed. The qualitative and quantitative feedback will give you an idea of the winner and why one video is better than another.
Final Thoughts
Millions of people watch billions of hours of videos every day on Facebook. You should make every possible effort to tap into this huge resource. The tips you see here are simple enough to implement, but their cumulative effect on the outcome is huge.
Here is a recap of the tips we discussed:
- Arrest user attention within the first 3 seconds
- Focus on only one super-specific message per video
- Make Facebook video ads mobile-friendly
- Develop videos that users can view, understand, and enjoy with and without sound
- Â Use storytelling and social proof to stand out
- Create short and succinct video ads to make them effective
- Strategically place your call-to-action
- Test different options to see what works
These tips will also make creating Facebook video ads an enjoyable and rewarding experience. If you are ready to start optimizing your Facebook video ads, sign up for Poll the People and get feedback on your ads.
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William
The article is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their video advertising skills on Facebook. The step-by-step guide provides valuable insights and actionable tips that can help marketers create engaging and effective video ads. I especially appreciate the practical examples and case studies included in the article, which make it easy to understand and apply the concepts discussed. Overall, this is a well-written and informative article that can benefit anyone looking to elevate their Facebook video ad game.