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Nearly 50 percent of consumers watch a video online before buying a product. Online video ads are incredible tools for catching people’s attention, educating them about your products, and getting them excited about buying from you.
If you haven’t invested in video ads before, what’s holding you back? If it’s a lack of information about how to create these ads or how to monitor their effectiveness, this guide is for you.
It breaks down everything business owners like you need to know about buying online video ads, from the benefits of these ads to how to create the best ones for your audience.
It doesn’t matter what you sell or how big your business is. You can benefit from online video ads. Here are some reasons to invest in them:
Video ads allow you to connect with your target audience on a deeper level. You can also use paid video ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to reach people based on factors like age, location, or interests.
Most people find videos and video ads more engaging than other types of promotional content. It’s easier for them to remember what they see in a video, too, which increases the likelihood that they’ll want to check out your business in the future.
Videos are easy to share on social media -- and people love to share them!
Approximately 720,000 hours of video content get shared on social media each day. Think about how many people you could reach if just a portion of your followers shared your ads with their audiences.
Search engines like Google reward businesses that share videos and include them on their website. If you buy online video ads and publish them on the right platforms, you can boost your ranking on search engine results pages and encourage more people to visit your website.
Many people find it easier to tell a story through video than text alone. Videos allow you to pull in multiple elements to bond with viewers, make an emotional connection, and encourage them to take action.
One of the actions people might take after watching your video ads (especially if they’re well-made and shared in the right places) is making a purchase. Video ads can help you make more sales and boost your bottom line.
Video ads come in various forms and flavors. The right video ad for your business depends on factors like your goals and your audience’s preferences.
Here are some of the most popular types of online video ads to consider creating:
In-stream ads are some of the most well-known types of video ads among marketers and consumers. These ads show up before, during, or after video content -- think of the ads that appear when you’re watching a YouTube video, for example.
A non-linear ad plays outside a primary video and isn’t connected to the main video’s content. If a person clicks on a non-linear ad, the primary video stops. They can also continue scrolling if they don’t ‘want to view the ad.
Rewarded ads often show up in video games. They incentivize the gamer with a reward, like an extra life, in exchange for watching.
Native video ads integrate branded messages into existing content -- usually in the form of in-feed videos that look very similar to other types of content on the platform.
Many in-feed videos are click-to-play videos. They play independently but don’t include sound unless the user clicks on them.
Shoppable ads encourage internet users to make a purchase after watching the video. These video ads include a link the viewer can click to buy a product right away.
In some cases, the shopping experience takes place directly in the app, further simplifying the buying journey.
Search ads complement what a person is already doing online. For example, if someone is searching for a distinct product or a solution to one specific problem, videos will show up among the search results as a potential option for them to click on.
Before investing in online video ads, deciding how long you want your video to be is a good idea.
There is no one hard-and-fast rule for the ideal video ad length. In general, though, the shorter the ad, the better. People will lose focus or get frustrated if an ad is too long.
Short ads are especially beneficial if the majority of your audience will be watching them from a small screen -- i.e., a smartphone.
The smaller the screen, the shorter the attention span. TV ads can be one minute long without feeling cumbersome, but one minute of a mobile screen feels a lot longer.
One of the most significant benefits of online video ads is that they allow you to cater to certain groups of people and get them interested in your products.
Here are some critical factors to consider to ensure the right consumers are viewing and connecting with your ads:
Social media is easily one of the best places to share video ads. However, you must choose the right platforms to reach your target audience.
Consider your audience and their preferred channels to avoid wasting time and money posting ads in the wrong places. For example, do they spend more time on TikTok and Instagram than on Facebook and LinkedIn?
One way to figure out where to post your video ads is to learn more about your customers and their demographics.
What is their average age? Where do they live? What’s their average income?
The more you know, the easier it is to create content tailored to them.
Consider your audience's location, too.
Are they located in the United States? A region of the United States? A particular state or city?
The wording you use when writing the script for your videos and the overall tone of the content will help you create ads that resonate with your audience and encourage them to take action.
Is your audience drawn to a fun, lighthearted tone, or do they prefer something serious?
On a similar note, consider the style of video your audience prefers, too. For example, do they like animation? Humorous videos? Behind-the-scenes content?
To see the best results, you need to make sure your video ads end up in front of the right people -- your target audience. The following are some of the most popular platforms for sharing video ads:
● TikTok
● Yelp
● YouTube
You can also share video ads on your website and include links to them in your marketing emails. Publishing them in these locations helps you boost your search engine ranking and connect with people who have previously expressed an interest in your brand.
You’ve invested time and resources in buying and creating video ads. Naturally, you want them to perform well and resonate with your audience.
How do you know if your online video ads are working? The following KPIs (key performance indicators) can help you measure success:
Measuring impressions tells you how many times your video ad has been shown to a viewer. Some platforms count viewing the video’s thumbnail as an impression, and others count viewing the first frame.
A video’s reach refers to the number of unique individuals who have seen it since it was published. Many brands use this information to help them decide when to post their videos for maximum views.
If someone watches a particular amount of your video (30 seconds on YouTube), that counts as a view.
The unique users metric provides additional insight not who is watching your videos. If you have many views but few unique users, that means the same people are watching your videos over and over.
Ad recall-lift is a metric that helps you see how many people remember your brand or video. If, after a certain amount of time, a significant number of people say they know about your brand, that means you’re doing something right.
The view-through rate refers to the number of people who watched your whole video. It’s calculated by dividing the number of completed views of a skippable ad by the number of initial impressions.
Watch time, as the name suggests, describes the amount of time people spend, on average, watching your video.
Bounce rate refers to the number of people who click on your video but then click away soon after and don’t take any additional actions.
Click-through rate is measured based on the number of people who click on your video and follow through with your call-to-action.
Similar to the click-through rate, the number of leads generated helps you see how many people are interested in your business after watching your video. People who express interest after viewing a video are more likely to sign up for a service or purchase a product.
Tracking sales helps determine how many people buy products or invest in services after watching your videos.
Cost-per-acquisition tells you how much it costs to get the viewer to complete a specific action and become a paying customer.
Can you create compelling video ads on your own? Sure.
Is this the best use of your time and resources? Probably not.
You have enough on your plate already.
When you hire a professional video production company to create your online video ads, you have more time to handle other aspects of your business.
You can also enjoy peace of mind knowing seasoned experts are in charge of your videos.
The video production team will listen to your goals, get to know your target audience and their preferred platforms/video types, and then create videos that align with that information.
The best video production company will do the heavy lifting for you and create an impressive video that helps you achieve your goals, from building brand awareness to increasing sales.
The key to seeing these results, though, is choosing the right team to make your video ads. The following tips will help you sift through your options and select the best company for the job:
Look for a video production company that offers the specific services you want to utilize in your video ads.
Do you want to work with professionals that offer 2D animation or motion graphics? Check their list of services to ensure they can do those things for you.
Once you know a company offers the services you need, the next step is to evaluate the quality of those services. Look at their portfolio to see their past work and decide if it meets your standards.
Read reviews to find out what past clients have to say about the company’s services. Are they pleased with the quality of work? Would they recommend them or use them again?
If you’re interested in the company’s work and they have a good reputation, you might be ready to go ahead and hire them.
Before you follow through and buy online video ads from them, schedule a consult in person or over the phone. A consult lets you learn more about the company, share your ideas, and find out about its prices.
Online video ads can revolutionize your marketing strategy, help you build brand awareness, and boost your sales.
Do you need help creating high-quality, attention-grabbing video ads for your business?
If so, let us help at Control Shift Video. We assist with all stages of the video production process, from planning to post-production.
Contact us today to get started.
Houston's Award-Winning Video Production Studio
