Video Ads | Facebook Advertising

Video rules the web and has cemented its place in the marketing world. As it has been stated before “a picture is worth a thousand words” however what does that make a video? Experts crunched the numbers for this and came to 1.8 million words a minute if the adage is to be believed. Now, that may be a slight exaggeration, however video is more important today than ever before, so why not use it to advertise.

Facebook offers multiple avenues to post video ads to across its many platforms with a wide variety of objectives. Let’s start breaking them down.

Video ads may be embedded into the Facebook feed itself. Millions of people use the Facebook feed every day to share everything from articles to life updates. 

Video ads may also be utilized within other videos. Think about it. People are already watching a piece of content, why not advertise to them during this period of engagement. Much like a television ad of yesterday or a YouTube ad of today, in-stream video ads allow for the viewer to get informed, the message is communicated, and the original creator of the video the ad is placed in earns a small amount of money from Facebook. Win, win, win.

Stories allow for customers to create and engage, so why not mimic that with video ads. Inserted between stories, these video ads allow for a deeper immersion, and the format as a whole will be discussed in the next article.

So what makes a successful video for a Facebook Video Ad?

You only have a mere matter of moments to capture the attention of the viewer, so utilize that time effectively by communicating your brand and message in a simple way.

Especially important if the ad plays in the feed, but also a good rule to live by for interesting visuals. Thinking of the imagery is just as key in video as is a photo. Compel the viewer to turn on the sound to enhance their experience, don’t assume that they’re listening.

The average user on any social media platform is scrolling through a mountain of updates. Utilize compelling visuals to stop the viewer dead in their tracks and give their undivided attention.

Message vs. Time

Keep the length of the video brief enough to communicate the targeted message effectively. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Create for the Experience

Phones are used vertically a majority of the time so why not build a video that is created for that experience. Vertical video, while not cinematic inherently, can be utilized effectively to immerse and engage the viewer, especially when referring to story ads.

Experiment

One in the same means that you’re a part of the noise and not breaking through. Experiment and break the generic mold to find new ways to appeal to the targeted audience. Think about the Super Bowl advertising, everyone takes risks and that’s the charm. Not only does experimentation create a memorable experience, but allows for you to also be creative, test, learn, and adapt for the ever changing landscape that is digital marketing.

Maximize Results

Match the Objective

Understanding what your objective is is key to meeting the objective effectively. Read up on Facebook ad objectives here. 

Reach the Audience Effectively

Knowing your audience from likes to dislikes to where and when they’re online are key factors to targeting your video ad. From start to finish one should consider the most cost effective way of achieving results.

What is the difference between a ThruPlay and Continuous Plays

Facebook defines a ThruPlay as “an optimization and billing option for video ads” The ThruPlay option lets advertisers target and pay for ads shown for 15 seconds or more depending on length.

Two second continuous video views is another billing option. Facebook defines this option as the “number of times your video was played for 2 continuous seconds or more”. Other options are available such as 100% video views and 3 second video view metrics and are covered in an earlier article found here.

Brand Safety

When working with in-stream ads, sometimes certain industries will be less than desirable to advertisers. Be sure to consider this and adjust the Brand Safety Controls within Facebook.