The Power of Video Content in Digital Advertising
Digital ads have taken the world by storm, and there’s a new wave of video content that’s changing how we go about advertising. Whether you’re scrolling on social media, watching YouTube, or watching a show, you’re bound to run into an ad or two (or 40).
Although ads can be a nuisance, there are a few that we catch ourselves enjoying, cracking a smile at, and not even realizing they’re trying to sell us something.
Personally, I’m a victim of the Progressive ads with the narrative of trying to prevent you from turning into your parents. I genuinely get enjoyment from them, and if I were in the market for bundling my insurance policies, you know I’d hit up Progressive.
The question is, what makes that video ad stick out to you versus one that you count down the seconds until it’s over?
In this blog post, we’ll go over the best practices of video content and how you can help get attention faster.
The Power of (Good) Video Content
If you own a phone or computer, you know the power of video content, especially in ad form. A video tells a story and can help create an emotional connection between you and the brand (if done correctly).
Social media is the king of video content. TikTok solely uses video, and has over 1 billion monthly active users on the platform globally, 150 million in the U.S.
That number is insane to think about, and as a marketer, it makes you think of the opportunities that video content can bring to you and your brand.
But it’s not as simple as uploading a video and crossing your fingers. You need to make your video content engaging, enrapturing, and downright mesmerizing. Ok, maybe not that far, but enough to stop the scroll at a minimum.
Best Practices for Creating Engaging Video Ads
Keep It Short & Sweet
We’ve all seen an ad drone on and on, mentioning every detail ever written in the fine print. So my point here is simple: don’t waste people’s time. Better yet, find the sweet spot between giving them enough information, but also keep them wanting more.
This is easier said than done, so here’s a little formula you can use when creating video content for an ad:
- Attention Grabber: BOOM. Out of the gate, that first 1.5 seconds must be engaging enough for someone to want to stick around for the rest.
- Example: a baseball hitting the camera to make it feel like it’s coming through the phone.
- Pain Point: Talk about a common pain point someone may experience based around your product.
- Example: If you’re selling a pillow, start by talking about neck pain or getting a bad night’s sleep from sleeping on a thin, low-quality pillow.
- Product Introduction: Here’s your chance to brag a little bit. Talk about how your product eliminates the pain point you described to them above.
- Example: Introduce your awesome, sleep-inducing comfy pillow
- Call To Action: Now you put the ball in their court. Give them a clear next step: visiting a website, calling a number, or downloading an app.
- Example: Tell them where they can order this life-changing pillow: “Better sleep starts tonight. Order your pillow now at [insert fake pillow site] and feel the difference for yourself.”
This ad by Airbnb is under 20 seconds, but it’s engaging, introduces a pain point, solves that pain point, and is fun to watch.
Use Captions and Text Overlays
Always make sure your video ad has captions or text overlays. Some users may rely on reading the text to understand your video. Some users scroll with the sound off, so captions are crucial to get your point across to that audience. Others (like me) just enjoy reading along.
No matter what the instance is, add those captions in there to appeal to everyone<3
Include a Clear Call to Action
Like I said above, you should leave them wanting to learn more and give them the best next step to learn more. No matter what the action is, make sure it’s clear, accurate, and a can’t-miss call out.
This TikTok ad shows a very clear CTA, “Get yours now”, which makes it easy for the user to take action after watching the ad.
Test Different Formats
Feel free to try out different things. This could be animations, testimonials, or maybe a more comedic style. Some might work better than others, so it’s important to try out different video styles, while also making sure it matches your brand voice/style.
Tools and Resources for Video Ad Creation
You don’t always need high-quality video production with a boom guy following you around to make it appealing. You can try out user-generated content/video, using apps like CapCut.
Now that you have the secret sauce to create awesome video ad content, go forth and do so. And if you don’t want to do it yourself, hit up our team and have us do it for you. We’d love to help:)
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