There are so many different options for advertising online. Brands can use display ads, email ads, or search engine ads, just to name a few. One of the ad formats that many businesses overlook is video advertising.
Running a video ad campaign can be intimidating at first, but you should still think about it. In this article, we'll be talking about whether video advertising is worth it for your next campaign and how Optimize can help.
What Is Video Advertising?
Video advertising is a form of digital marketing that appears before, during, or after a video. The classic example is a pre-roll or mid-roll ad that viewers see while watching a video on YouTube.
It's not just limited to YouTube, though. Examples of video ads include:
- Display ads with videos
- Mobile app video ads
- Native advertising videos on e-commerce, news, or entertainment websites
- Promotional videos on social media
Step one of developing your video marketing strategy is choosing which types of video ads to use. Even just on YouTube, you can choose between skippable and unskippable ads with traditional videos or YouTube Shorts ads.
How Effective Is Video Advertising?
Video advertising is very effective. That’s why more than
90% of brands are using videos in their marketing campaigns in 2024.
Around
88% of marketers say video advertising helps customers understand their products and services. Even more,
90% of businesses say that video marketing boosts their brand awareness among their target audience.
Just adding videos to your existing marketing campaigns can dramatically improve your results. For example, incorporating a video into your marketing emails can
increase your click-through rate by up to 300%. Marketing campaigns with videos have
34% higher conversion rates than those without.
If you aren’t already using video advertising, now is the perfect time to start. You might be surprised by the big difference video content can make in your advertising strategy.
Tips for Creating Video Ads
When you’re working on your video content, there’s a lot to keep in mind. Try these tips to simplify the process and create the most effective video ads.
Stay True to Your Business
It may be a totally new format for your business, but your videos should still fit in with the other types of content you publish. Make sure your videos communicate your brand's personality, tone, and message. You want to be as authentic as possible.
Try to incorporate your established colors, fonts, and phrases to help viewers connect your video to your overall brand.
Choose Your Audio Carefully
People often focus only on the visual content of their videos, but the audio plays a key role, too. Carefully choose what users will hear when your video plays, from your script to the background music.
Try to mention your brand out loud in the ad. On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, many users watch videos without sound, so make sure to add captions as well.
Keep It Short and Engaging
People don't have the time or attention span to sit and watch an overly long ad build up to the punch line. You need to grab users' attention right away so they'll keep watching to learn more about your product or service.
Try out
short-form videos, which typically run between 10 and 90 seconds long. They’re compelling, bite-size pieces of content that many viewers find highly engaging. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are the most popular platforms for short-form videos, but you can also post these clips on your own website or incorporate them into other marketing materials.
Short-form videos force you to cut all of the unnecessary information from your content. You have to keep everything quick and snappy, making your videos more appealing to your audience.
Aim for Their Heartstrings
Video ads are far more effective if they connect with users on an emotional level. Many successful ads play on humor, suspense, or nostalgia. These emotions help your ads connect with viewers and keep them watching until the end.
Include a Clear Call to Action
You want customers to further engage with your brand after watching your videos. Include a call to action (CTA) that tells them exactly what to do next.
Examples of video CTAs include:
- Follow us on social media.
- Apply the promo code.
- Share this video.
- Join the conversation.
- Take advantage of our exclusive video offer.
- Sign up for a free trial.
- Learn more here.
- Contact us today.
There are a few different ways you can structure your CTA. You might have a brand spokesperson read it, include on-screen text, or incorporate an interactive CTA button. Use a strong action verb and make your CTA as persuasive as possible to maximize your conversions.
Track Your Campaign Performance
No campaign is perfect right out of the gate. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) from your video advertising campaign to understand what’s working and what could be improved.
Video advertising KPIs include:
- View count
- Average watch time
- Click-through rate
- Shares
- Conversion rate
- Cost per view
- Return on investment
Keeping track of these metrics will provide insights into how you can make your future campaigns more effective. Track KPIs that directly align with your campaign goals. For example, if you want to expand your brand's reach, statistics like views and shares will reveal your progress toward that goal.
How Can Optimize Help?
Here at Optimize, we can help you set up and manage your video ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Our team of advertising experts is here to help you develop your campaign and expand your brand's reach.
Creating top-notch video content is often the trickiest part of video marketing, which is why we offer videography services for businesses across the U.S. If you already have video content ready, we can craft an effective campaign using those videos. Please note that unless you purchase a video production package through Optimize, you will need to provide content for us to use in your campaign.
If you would like to learn more about how Optimize can help you with your next advertising campaign,
schedule your free consultation today!
