W
ith more than one billion people actively using Facebook, it’s hard to justify not using Facebook video ads as a platform to reach consumers and expand brand awareness.
Using Facebook video ads increases the value of your marketing by scores. But how often do you scroll through Facebook and immediately move on when a video ad pops up? Probably all of the time. So how do you make Facebook video ads that work? Let’s jump in
Facebook VIdeo Ads
1. How to make a video on Facebook
How do we make Facebook video ads that work? It's actually fairly simple.
We optimize them for the way people look at Facebook.
All you need is a camera (the one on your smartphone would work fine), some apps to help you edit and adjust the video, and last but not least… a great idea.
I’m sure you’ve seen some video ads go viral for all the wrong reasons. The lighting is awful, the sound is way off, or the editing is just plain wonky. By investing in video editing apps you can splice up and adjust any element of your video ad to make sure that it looks sleek, clean, and modern.
Once you have the video ad to your specifications, all you have to do is upload it.
It’s that easy.
Can you make the process larger? Of course. You can opt to use a high-quality HD camera and drag in some lights… if you want. You can even hire a crew and some actors, even a writer to put together a dynamite A/V script. StudioBinder even provides free A/V script templates.
But you don’t have to do all that.
We’ll show you the Facebook video ads best practices you need to make your video ads work.
If you want to make your video ad a big budget, Michael Bay movie - then by all means go ahead. But if you think you can pull it off with just your phone and a great idea - then go for it.
How much you invest in your Facebook video ad is up to you, and it might not actually change how effective it is.
Why Social Media
2. Why use Facebook video ads?
As mentioned, Facebook has over one billion users. Compare that to the 111 million viewers who watched the Super Bowl this year. Then compare that to the fact that a 30-second Super Bowl ad could cost upwards of $5 million. Why spend $5 million on thirty seconds of air time to maybe reach 100 million people when you can connect with a billion for pennies on the dollar?
So again, why should we use Facebook video ads? Obviously, pure viewership is one thing.
But the video ads are also targeted, which means that those who see your Facebook video ads have some kind of connection to your business already.
Additionally, people gaze 5x longer at video than static content on Facebook or Instagram. Some researchers believe that mobile video will make up at least 75% of mobile traffic by 2020. Furthermore, nearly 100 million hours of video are watched on Facebook everyday.
Long story short: at this point, I’m not sure why you aren’t engaging in Facebook video advertising. Facebook video ads give you the choice of displaying in your video ad in the right-hand sidebar, in-feed as users scroll, or also on Instagram.
You have more options and ways to reach consumers with Facebook video advertising. And you have the opportunity to reach an audience that could be much broader than any sort of traditional video ads.
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Facebook Video Advertising
3. Make them mobile
Just because you have a gorgeously shot, anamorphic advertisement doesn't mean it'll work on Facebook.
People predominantly use Facebook on their mobile devices.
Therefore, your Facebook video ads should be tailored toward a mobile viewing experience by following the Facebook video dimensions.
This means that your video ads should be vertical rather than horizontal. This way they take up more screen space as most people don’t scroll through Facebook horizontally.
Mobile means accessible
Facebook video specs dictate that video ads should be a 9:16 aspect ratio, that way nothing gets lost when moving it to a mobile screen from your editing software. If you can't do a 9:16 aspect ratio, other Facebook video specs to aim for are 2:3 or 4:5.
These allow your video ads to remain vertical and take up the majority of the screen while also conferring to Facebook video dimensions.
Facebook video ad specs
While Facebook may present the option of horizontal viewership, that's not typically how people spend time on the app.
If you were to create a video with a 16:9 aspect ratio rather than a 9:16, someone watching it vertically would have to squint to see it or you risk the edges getting cut off and, therefore, alienating the viewer.
That’s a potential sale, driven away by an easy fix.
How to Make a Facebook Ad
4. Make them short
Now that you have the format down it's time to think about content.
Facebook video ads have to be short.
The graph below shows the longer the video is, the higher percentage of engagement loss. (Up until it becomes a longer length video, like a film).
The left represents engagement LOSS
The vast majority of consumers who come across your video will likely move on within the next five or so seconds. That means all the good, important stuff has to be in the first 5-10 seconds. If your video is longer than that, you have to make sure it's specific and meaningful. Additionally, your Facebook video ads have to compete with the rest of the internet.
That's... a lot of content.
By creating Facebook video ads with dynamic visuals and an engaging premise at the get-go, you can at least guarantee that the consumer stays within that first five to ten seconds. If you get across everything you need to in that timeframe… well then everything else is gravy.
So why should you ever bother to make Facebook video ads longer than five seconds? Because not everything that needs to be said can be said that quickly.
But no matter what, the most important things need to be expressed up front or you risk losing your audience.
So get the key points packed into that first fives seconds in an engaging manner!
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More to The Video Ad
5. Tell a story...silently
Eighty-five percent of Facebook video ads are viewed with the sound off.
Gone are the days of a talking head explaining the benefits of one thing or another. In this modern world of advertising, it's critical to use strong visuals in your Facebook video ads. This is especially true if sound is not an option.
Use bold, primary colors and clean infographics to draw viewers in. Whenever you can, make sure to incorporate a narrative into your Facebook video ad.
Humans are naturally drawn to stories. We want someone to root for.
This is why branded content has taken off as the latest Facebook video advertising trend. Framing a video ad within the structure of a story is a great way to “stop the scroll.”
If you engage the viewer in those first five to ten seconds with strong visuals that set up a compelling narrative, you can guarantee you'll see tangible results from you Facebook video ad.
While telling an engaging story silently and quickly may seem like a Herculean feat, think of how often you've been able to play charades and guess right.
It happens more often than you think.
Another way to get a better hold of this concept - watch silent films. If you check out the classics, such as Buster Keaton's The General or Charlie Chaplin's City Lights, you'll notice that you know exactly what's going on at all times.
These guys were great visual storytelling because they didn’t have the crutch of dialogue to allow them to get lazy.
The General, 1926
Body language and imagery communicate much more than people think, so if you think like a silent filmmaker, you'll be able to tell a narrative like one.
Here’s a Facebook video ad example for Mailchimp that effectively uses great graphics, colors, and a small story to keep us invested:
How Mailchimp does it
While I may not know exactly what that cat is after, I found myself invested in his ability to get it. This is due in part to the high quality graphics and the bright colors in the video ad.
It’s content like this that makes consumers feel more connected to your brand. That’s a big motivator when it comes to turning views into clicks, and clicks into sales.
Facebook Video Requirements
6. Make sure you A/B test
A/B testing, otherwise known as split testing, is a tactic where you find out which headlines, copy, images, call-to-actions, or any combination of such work best for your Facebook video ads.
Essentially, you create two versions of the same video ad, put both out for a couple weeks and wait for the results.
Once you get the results, you take which one performed best and use that for the real campaign.
Make sure you monitor impressions, click through rates, sales generated through the Facebook video ad, and how much was spent on each ad.
That way you can calculate what the exact cost per sale was for each ad and use the one that had the lowest because it's more effective and, also, possesses more value than the other.
Concluding Video Ads
7. Wrapping up
So in review: You know now that in order to make Facebook video ads that work, you have to tailor them for mobile viewing through a couple ways.
First is to make sure you're creating it to visually engage mobile users. Try to film in a 9:16 aspect ratio so viewers don't lose anything when they watch it vertically on their devices.
You also want to make sure that all the necessary information is communicated effectively within the first five to ten seconds. Anything after that should be specific and striking. In the long run, the shorter the video the better.
Additionally, it's key that the Facebook video ad doesn't need sound to get across the message. The vast majority of viewers don't use sound when watching Facebook video ads and you should plan for that.
Think like Charlie Chaplin and use striking, strong visuals to express a clear and compelling story. Once you get all that, A/B test a few versions and pick whichever performs the best.
Given how cost-effective it is to run Facebook video ads, making ones that work and drive sales can be of great value to any business.
One way to ensure you make a compelling and engaging Facebook video ad?
Use an A/V script template. This format of scripting is a great tool for short format scripting when used effectively.
It’s the preferred method for most music videos, which is essentially what you’ll be making. A story told visually, with little if any use of dialogue, especially crafted to elicit an emotional response from the viewer.
Now that you are more comfortable with making Facebook ads, you can move on to another platform to add to your repertoire.
You can use StudioBinder's production calendar feature to manage your workflow, and various campaigns you'll be running.
No matter what social media platform you use for your ads, production calendars can help track all of them. Now that you have the technical tools, you might be just lacking the idea. Read below for some creative inspiration.
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161 Creative Video Ideas
With so many mediums to choose from, creating and distributing ad campaigns has never been easier. But that doesn't mean getting a great idea is quite as simple. Moving onto YouTube, let's explore 161 creative ideas to kickstart your video ads.
Create production calendars with a drag-and-drop timeline
Create customizable production calendars for your next video or photoshoot. Add events, tasks, and dependencies. Invite your team and share calendars with clients.
