If you use Facebook at all, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ve come across at least one video ad.
A Facebook video ad is exactly what you’d expect: it’s a video that you run as an ad on Facebook. Along with other options like YouTube videos, it’s a form of video marketing.
Your video can be a few seconds long or as much as four hours long (not recommended), and should ideally match up to Facebook’s specs (explained here).
Why Use Video Ads?
Compared with ads that are comprised of images and text only, video ads might seem like a lot of work. Your team or contractors will need to create a high-quality video, which means paying for lighting, microphones, and cameras – or, if you’re not using live actors, paying for custom animation and voice recording. You might well be paying to include music, too, or even paying fees if you want to include copyright material.
The costs of Facebook advertising can add up very fast – and you might be questioning whether it’s worth it. But research suggests that video ads can be hugely effective. As HootSuite’s AdEspresso puts it:
“Using Facebook video ads not only helps you connect with your audience on the channel they prefer, but you make that connection using the type of media they already like to consume. A targeted video ad is the best opportunity you have to get your content to people at the right place at the right time.”
People are more likely to watch a whole video vs read a whole article (especially if you keep your video short) – and young people, in particular, are more engaged by video. This means that it’s a great option for reaching your audience and for getting conversions.
Five Tips for Creating a Great Facebook Video Ad
#1: Keep it Short (15 Seconds or Less)
Yes, Facebook allows you to create a video up to 240 minutes (four hours!) long… but that definitely doesn’t mean you should be aiming for anything remotely approaching that.
Very short videos are much more likely to be watched in full… and they’re almost certainly going to be cheaper for you to produce. Keep your ads to 15 seconds or less, if possible: even a minute or two is likely to be too long.
Note that, if you’re using ThruPlay optimization, Facebook will aim to show your videos to people who will watch them till completion (if they’re under 15 seconds) or for at least 15 seconds, if your videos are over that length.
#2: Use Facebook’s Video Ad Specs
You don’t want your video to look fuzzy or display oddly (and you definitely don’t want to find that you can’t use the files you’ve created at all), so make sure that you’re familiar with the Facebook Video Ad Specs.
Where possible, follow Facebook’s recommendations, as well as their requirements. For instance, while Facebook supports most file types for ads, they state that:
“[W]e recommend H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio compression at 128+ kbps.”
#3: Use Captions So Your Videos Can Be Watched Without Sound
You’ve invested in getting your videos recorded with crystal-clear sound, and you’ve got some fantastic background music too: of course you want people to listen to them!
But the reality is that many people won’t have sound on when watching video ads. Perhaps they’re at work, waiting in line for coffee, or on a bus. They may not be in an easy position to dig out headphones. Having captions means that your video can still be enjoyed by them – plus, of course, it helps make your video more accessible.
#4: Use Video Content That’s Performed Well Elsewhere
Rather than spending a fortune creating completely new video ads, you might want to repurpose (or, if it’s short, use in full) content that’s performed well elsewhere.
Could your most popular YouTube video, for instance, become a Facebook ad? Or is there a video on your website that gets shared a lot on social media? This could make a great starting point for trying out video ads on Facebook.
#5: Create a (New) Custom Audience
Although you probably already have a custom audience set up for your existing Facebook ads, you’ll want to create a fresh one for your Facebook video ads. That way, you can include traits like “device usage” – so that, for instance, your videos are only shown to mobile users.
Note that you can also retarget people who’ve taken a specific action (such as filling in a form) or who’ve already watched all or part of one of your existing videos. This can be a great way to move people further along your sales funnel.
Facebook video ads might seem daunting if you’ve had little experience with video – but they could prove hugely effective. Next time you’re on Facebook, pay attention to the video ads that capture your interest in your news feed – and see what you can learn from them.
Facebook video ads are a great way to increase brand awareness and boost sales. But you don’t have to rely on video ads alone to grow your following. Grow your followers on Facebook effortlessly by installing our Facebook follow button – it’s free, easy to install, and makes it simple for your readers to follow you with a single click.
And, lastly, take a look at our guides to everything Facebook marketing to get answers to questions like: how to create a Facebook pin to the top of the page?
