A video ad is a powerful way for brands to capture their audience's attention and drive conversions. Videos have a unique knack for giving people a quick insight into your product or service – and there's more to them than meets the eye! According to experts, video ads reach more viewers than image or text-based ads, especially on social media platforms like Facebook. Gone are the days when video ads were limited to TV; now, they can find their way to consumers through the vast reach of the Internet.
But how do you create a video ad that truly sells? Look no further. In this article, we will share eight expert tips to help you create a video ad that captivates your viewers and persuades them to take action. And to inspire you, we've also included examples of video ads that really hit the mark. You'll gain valuable insights to apply to your own video ad campaigns, helping you craft top-notch videos that boost your brand's visibility and connect with your customers.
1. Make It Relatable. Or Make it Pure Imagination.
Deciding between these two options really depends on your brand, audience, and what you are trying to achieve with your video ad.
For a relatable approach, make your audience feel like a character in the video. Understand their specific needs, know their pain points, and provide solutions in your ads. You should incorporate realistic elements and familiar settings, use actors that look like your target audience, and show how your product fits into their lives. Avoid exaggerating the impact of your product or sounding like a sales pitch. Remain honest and authentic. Take viewers on a journey, and make sure your business provides a solution or addresses a need at the end.
This video ad for Bane-Walker Equipment targets the farming community and shows a fun and relatable character with a common farm equipment issue. It then offers a solution to the problem, highlighting features that set this company above the rest.
For an imaginative approach, take your audience somewhere they have never been. That could be a world of fantasy or just somewhere they never imagined themselves going. With this approach, visuals are everything. You want to captivate your audience with scenes that leave an impression and are hard to forget. You’re still taking viewers on a journey and showcasing your offering but in a completely different way.
Created for Linden Lab’s Second Life, this video ad immerses viewers in a captivating virtual world. Its stunning 3D animation grabs the viewer's attention and takes them to a limitless space beyond their imagination. It’s memorable and leaves the viewer wanting to find out more.
If the magic of 3D animation sparks your interest, check out our informative article on the history and potential of 3D animation.
2. Make it Informative
What most people want from an ad is information. Content must be stimulating and informative to capture and retain your viewers' attention. Start with a concise message relevant to your viewer's needs. Highlight the benefits and facts about your product or service in concise snippets with text, visuals, or voiceover. Provide details about your business; don’t make them too wordy or exaggerate the impact.
This animated video for Synergy Hop Essences is clear and to the point. Though the images are colorful and captivating, the ad explains their product's benefits and essential details in simple, straightforward language.
3. Create a Story
Always tell a story in your video ad. There should be a clear beginning, middle, and end. It’s how humans think, live, and consume information. A typical storyline shows a problem, lays out a solution, and creates a happy ending for all. Begin by outlining your story plot. Write a shooting script, like a screenplay, and ensure your story reflects your brand's values. Keep the narrative brief yet compelling, telling your viewers a story from start to finish.
In this short video ad for Parts.Cat.com, you are given a brief but complete story that begins with a problem commonly dealt with for those needing repair parts and ends with a simple, convenient solution and happy customers saving money!
To learn some tips and tricks for writing a video script, look at this great article.
4. Include Emotional Appeal
Make your video ad relatable and authentic, and avoid using hard-sell tactics. Make sure your audience can see themselves in your ad or relate to a value. And sprinkle in emotion! Emotion doesn’t always have to be empathy or the warm fuzzies. Laughter, anger, anxiety, and fear can all create a spark in an ad, provided it fits the message and brand. Emotion is one of the biggest triggers to hardwiring memory, and statistics prove that emotional content sells, so creating a video ad that evokes feelings means your viewers will remember your brand when it’s time to buy.
Marketing with more than just a product, but also with a cause is a great way to elicit emotions and get your viewers to rally around your campaign. This video ad for J&J highlights their interest in diversity and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
5. Match the Tone to Your Brand
You want your video to match the tone of your brand. It’s tempting to use funny or evocative material to get views, but you have to ensure that it is in keeping with who you are as a business. Hone in on your brand voice and keep it consistent and unique. Design your ad to evoke engagement, be concise, and bring it all together, including your brand colors, fonts, and logos where it makes sense.
When we think of the brand Aveno, we think of a soothing, natural body care product. The tone of this Aveno video ad is consistent with their branding and has a natural, down-to-earth vibe that resonates with their target audience.
To learn more about branded video marketing, read this article for tips and mistakes to watch out for.
6. Have a Recurring Theme
The best video ads are part of a larger campaign or branding effort. Hitting your audience from all angles with consistent imaging, slogans, and messaging compounds the effect of your ad strategy overall. If you’re making multiple videos, have a theme, character, or colors that stay the same throughout. If you can match them with print, social, and digital efforts, even better!
Ogx hair products do an amazing job with consistent branding. This video ad contains common themes you see through their entire marketing campaign like their “Hair Wants To” slogan, a bold logo, bright colors, and, of course, luxurious hair.
7. Keep it Short and Concise
We know today's audience has short attention spans. To win the attention game, your video ad must be short and to the point. Dive into your content quickly and cut the suspense within the first 8-10 seconds. You want your video to immediately capture the viewer's attention, but stick to a length of less than two minutes to keep them engaged, with 30-45 seconds being ideal.
This video ad for Locker proves that you can pull your customers in and give them all the info they need in 45 seconds. The ad utilizes bold, moving text and sharp, recognizable images to help quickly and clearly tell their story.
8. Include a Call to Action
Remember to add a clear CTA to your video ad. Make it specific and appealing with a sense of urgency. Placing it at the end of your video ad and keeping it motivating can transform your viewers into customers. A good best practice is to speak the call-to-action and have it written on the screen, generally with a pause for full consumption at the end.
A fun and effective video ad created for Clevelander ends with a bright, bold CTA asking the viewer to Book Now and throwing in a second call-to-action, “Be The Real You.” This is Inspiration 101.
Summing Up
Creating video ads that genuinely resonate with your audience and drive results is both an art and a science. By following the tips outlined in this article and drawing inspiration from the remarkable examples shared, you‘ll have the tools to craft compelling video ads that capture attention and convert viewers into loyal customers. Remember that the key lies in creativity, storytelling, and understanding your target audience. So, go ahead, put these strategies into action, and watch your video ads soar to new heights of success!
If you are ready to make a video ad that sells, reach out to Levitate Media. Our team of professionals can help take your video marketing campaign to the next level! Contact us today!
