Video advertising is said to be the future of marketing, and that is true. There are over 244.4 million digital video viewers in the U.S. alone, and this number is expected to grow as experts continuously see an increase in video consumption over the years. A report by Optinmonster in 2019 concluded that video ads brings in 66% more qualified leads per year. Furthermore, they also reported a 54% increase in brand awareness.
By creating video ads, your brand can offer a more immersive experience for your target audience and allow them to understand your brand message better. When done correctly, using video ads can generate more leads and sales for your business.
Here’s a brief guide on how to create engaging video ads that will generate sales:
- Capture viewers’ attention in the first three seconds.
- Hold the viewer’s attention with a hook.
- Solve your audience problem.
- Use impressive visuals.
- Highlight your brand.
- Use in-ad text dynamically.
- End with a call-to-action.
1 – Capture viewers’ attention in the first three seconds.
Facebook and Nielsen reported that 47% of the value in video campaigns is delivered in the first three seconds. As online users gain more control over what content they want to watch and for how long, the faster you capture their attention and communicate your brand message, the better. As viewers can easily choose to skip your video ads, you must make the first few seconds count.
Create a video that can deliver an excellent hook in the first three seconds. Start your video with something that will instantly spark the interest of your target audience. Ask a relevant question, address a common problem, or say a statement that makes your brand stand out.
One of the best examples of video ads that deliver this issue is the first promotional video ad of Dollar Shave Club on YouTube. During the first 15 seconds, the founder directly introduced himself, the brand, and what they do. And with an engaging and witty approach to their video ad, Dollar Shave Club racked up 4.75 million views in three months and got 12,000 orders within 48 hours.
2 – Hold the viewer’s attention with a hook.
If you’ve managed to get the audience’s attention in the first few seconds, the next challenge is to make them stay and watch the video until the end. You need to create your video in a way that will keep them interested until the very end. It has to be as compelling as possible that it pushes them to watch through your end pitch.
Your video needs a hook that simultaneously grabs your audience’s attention and generates interest. According to Buffer, a compelling hook gives viewers a quick preview of the video’s core message. As long as it sparks curiosity and entertains them, users will watch through the end of your video ad. Don’t be afraid to keep it fun, fascinating, and enticing for your audience.
3 – Solve your audience problem.
According to HubSpot.com, 94% of marketers stated that videos helped increase their user understanding of their product or service. Use your video ad as an opportunity to solve your audience’s problem. Identify the actual pain points of your potential customers which can be addressed with your product or service. What are the things they usually struggle with? How can your product or service make their lives easier? These are the points your video needs to deliver to let them know you can. Use your video to explain the solution you are offering in a creative and engaging way.
Poo-Pourri did a great job delivering this issue with their “Girls Don’t Poop” ad. It starts with a classy lady addressing the “stinky” problem people encounter when using the bathroom. She continues by providing a solution. This strategy made viewers want to know more about the product and watch the entire video.
4 – Use impressive visuals.
Approximately 65% of the entire human population are visual learners. The human brain can understand visual information in 250 milliseconds, so watching has always been the best way for people to learn. Using impressive visuals makes it easier to get your audience’s attention and helps them quickly understand the concept or information.
Hubspot uses this technique by complementing its video’s text and narration with popular movie scenes and impressive graphics. Each time a concept in the video is presented, viewers can listen to the information being narrated while watching a visual representation. The visuals help viewers clearly understand the video’s message.
5 – Use emotions to influence.
Emotion is a key ingredient in almost all decisions, including online buying. Psychology Today reported that consumers’ emotional response to an ad has a more significant influence on their intent to purchase a product than the ad content. If you want your video ad to resonate with your target audience, you need to appeal to their emotions.
Creating a video ad that evokes an emotional response is the best way to get your audience’s attention and engagement. Video ads with emotional appeal are more memorable and profoundly impact the audience, ultimately forming a bond with your potential customers.
6 – Use dynamic text in your video ad.
A survey conducted by Verizon Media and Publicis Media found that 92% of U.S. consumers watch videos on mute when using their mobile phones. This report shows the importance of adding text to your video ads. By using in-ad text, you can send your brand’s message even to consumers that turn off their volume or have auditory problems.
Video ads should then be created with dynamic text and visual cues, and captions to improve ad recall, brand connection, and information relaying. But when adding text to your ads, remember to balance between context and distraction. Choose the right formats and placement for your text to avoid overcrowding.
Check this ad example from Colgate. Although short, the text on the video helps send the brand message without any audio needed.
7 – End with a call-to-action.
The ending of your video ad is as important as the beginning, so it should be where your call-to-action is. A call-to-action is the part of your ad which tells your target customers what they should be doing after seeing your video ad. KISSmetrics found that adding a CTA in your video content can increase clicks by 380% compared to a CTA placed anywhere else on a webpage.
Add an eye-catching call-to-action at the end of your video ad to let viewers know the next steps. You can use call-to-action to encourage your viewers to check your website or learn more about your product. Use the CTA to motivate your potential customers to take action.
The takeaway
Video ads are the most effective form of marketing you can use for your business today. So it makes perfect sense to put in extra effort when creating videos. We hope that this guide will help you create a winning video ad campaign that generates sales.
If you need help creating video ads, Cybertegic is a top digital marketing company in Los Angeles. We can help your business produce videos to reach your target audience and help boost exposure and sales. You can schedule a business consultation for free on our website for more information about our video ad services.
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