How to Create Effective Facebook Video Ads
Updated on March 16, 2020
When it comes to Facebook, we’ve seen the future, and it is video.
Even a cursory scroll down your news feed will confirm this truth. Videos that instantly start playing line the screen, whether they’re crossposted Instagram videos from your friends or sponsored ads from companies you might like.
For online entrepreneurs, the allure –– and potential profit –– from Facebook video ads has become too big to ignore. Now, to catch the attention of would-be clients, making the jump to video content has become a must for engagement.
But you might wonder how, amidst all of the other elements of your business that you’re focused on day-to-day, you might squeeze in a video component in your social media strategy. Similarly, you may not know where the best place to begin is.
Here we have a few tips to get you started down the road of Facebook video ads, and some elements and ways you can make sure that your videos drive tangible results.
Types of Facebook Video Ads
Before we get into the logistics, let’s address the question that pops up first for most people who are considering to create video ads for their business: What content should go into a Facebook video ad in the first place?
Note that Facebook video ads are different from videos you might post on your business page, although they might have similar content. Facebook ads have the capacity to reach new audiences and potential clients who do not already follow you.
There is no one “right” type of Facebook video ad, and, as with any other content, there are many creative ways to get people’s attention and deliver a message. That said, there are some general themes that have emerged in the Facebook video ad realm that you may want to follow for your video ads.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Highlighted Content
As with other types of content on your website, the best kind of content can be used in multiple ways. If you aren’t sure where to start, you could take a piece of existing content you created as a blog post or article and turn it into a video.
For example, if you run a site about fixing iPhones, chances are you have a how-to or DIY blog post with steps or tips that could be made into a video. Tease a few of the main points from the blog post or article to entice people to click through to your main site.
Testimonial/Case Study
Sure, you love your business and could shout from the mountaintops about how great it is. But nothing quite beats an endorsement from prior customers who have great things to say about working with you.
A video showcasing all of the happy people talking about your product or service can be both persuasive and engaging.
Product Demonstration
Showing almost always beats telling. Pick a product of yours that you would like to highlight and make a video presenting all of its features. A video like this can easily connect back to a sales page that leads potential buyers immediately toward a purchase.
Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list of video ad ideas, but it gives at least a few considerations to get your brainstorming juices flowing.
Key Elements of Effective Facebook Video Ads
Now that we’ve looked at what kinds of ads you might create, let’s examine the key elements of effective Facebook video ads. Or, in other words, what should you make sure to do and not do in a video ad?
Frontload the Good Content
People just don’t pay attention the way they used to: Now, you only have a few seconds to grab people’s focus and hold onto it.
For that reason, make sure that the first 10 seconds of your video are the most interesting, attention-grabbing, or value-packed. If you don’t capture someone’s interest within that window, you will probably lose them, and the rest of the video content will never get seen.
Maximize Your Time
Most Facebook ads are between 30 to 60 seconds long. Distilling your content down to fit it into that amount of time is a challenge, but it can help you determine the most important elements you would like to include in your video.
For this reason, take plenty of time to plan out the content that will be included in the video and ensure that you are not wasting time with fillers.
Make It Watchable Whether Silent or with Sound
You can’t always be sure that a person scrolling through their Facebook feed has their earphones plugged in. A lot of the time, people may be viewing your videos with the sound turned off, which is an important point to keep in mind when designing the ad.
Or, some viewers may have disabilities that prevent them from seeing or hearing the video, and it is important to remember accessibility in your video planning.
Use text in the video to help you accomplish this. You could incorporate subtitles for any of the talking sections, or place text within the video itself to help tell the story. It might feel like a challenge to communicate your message without relying on audio, but working within this limited framework will help clarify what you’re communicating.
Fit Your Ad to Your Audience
This piece might seem obvious, but make sure that your branding and tone stay consistent with that of your target audience. Do your research and try to incorporate elements that will be attractive to your desired viewing audience.
Leave Them Intrigued
The goal of any Facebook ad is to draw people in enough to get them to click. Much like a call-to-action at the end of a blog post, the end of your video should make people want to find out more information about your product or company. Include an element at the end of your video that will help turn people’s intrigue into a click.
Facebook Ads Best Practices
Now that you have a better understanding of the key elements of a strong Facebook video ad, the question still remains: How do I create them and make sure they work?
Hire Out
The good news is that you do not have to be a video wizard in order to have strong Facebook video ads. Now, there are many websites that can help you create professional-grade, customizable videos at low costs, such as Animoto or Shakr. These types of sites often feature drag-and-drop platforms that can lessen the difficulty of creating a great video.
Alternatively, video creation can be a perfect task to hire out a freelancer to complete your project for you. Or even an agency such as Avadel.
Track Your Engagement
If you haven’t noticed the trend already, a good rule of thumb with Facebook video ads is to apply the same processes you would do with your other content. In other words, once the videos are up and visible to the public, make sure to split test, track, and check the statistics on the videos to see which ones attract more views, clicks, and conversions.
Make Facebook Video Ads Part of Your Larger Strategy
As you get more comfortable with Facebook video ads, you will see the many ways they can be incorporated into the larger strategic plan of your business.
By starting out with a common type of video ad—such as repurposed content, testimonials, or product demos—you can test the waters. From there, be sure to place the best content first, make every second count, use visuals to tell the story, and remember to make your content fit your audience. Whether you are choosing to create them yourself using an online tool or hiring some help to make it happen, don’t forget to circle back and keep an eye on the engagement to help direct your video ad strategy in the future.
With some luck, you will soon start to see how Facebook video ads can help your business get noticed in the feeds of your future clients.
Photo Credit: EdZbarzhyvetsky