There are several ways for marketers to increase interaction, highlight a band, and get people’s attention on Facebook, but none is as powerful as a well-executed video ad campaign. Take our word for it, but don’t simply take our word for it. Facebook saw the trend and launched Facebook Watch, a video-on-demand service, in 2017. Almost five years later, every month, more than one billion Facebook users watch video content on Facebook Watch. This suggests that there are a lot of people on Facebook who are eager to see your videos. Furthermore, Facebook video ads practices receive twice as many clicks as image ads, implying that your ads are receiving twice as much engagement.

What is a Facebook video ad?

Some basics first. Video ads are ads that use video content to convey messages about your business or marketing campaign. They’re like the single image ad’s smarter, quicker older brother. That is to say, video ads are excellent for showcasing your brand in new ways, displaying distinctive characteristics or telling your business’s story, or instantly grabbing people’s attention. The beautiful thing about launching a video ad campaign on Facebook is that you can build video ads directly from Ads Manager, or you can boost a post that already includes your own video from your business or brand’s Facebook Page.

Best Facebook video ads practices

You may be wondering how to use video ads successfully now that you understand what they are and what they can do. And you’d be right to ask. What’s the point of creating engaging video content if optimization isn’t a major priority? Before you begin your video marketing campaign, use these guidelines and best practices to create high-quality videos that will garner the maximum video views and raise brand recognition.

1. Capture attention in the first 2 seconds.

The ability to reach a wide audience is one of the benefits of using Facebook for video marketing. And in order to reach your target audience, you must create engaging videos that will entice them to convert from casual online viewers to real-life customers. That is why it is important to hook them in the initial few seconds of your video. When creating your video ad, attempt to entice people to stay by asking a question at the beginning, developing a scenario they can relate to, or providing an exciting teaser in the introduction to hint at what’s to come.

2. Select an intriguing thumbnail or upload a custom image in case the video does not load or auto-play.

Aside from the content, make sure your video captures the interest of your viewers before they even hit play. Choose a thumbnail for your video ad that reflects the essence of your company and may persuade a person to pause scrolling through their news feed.

3. Always provide subtitles.

Having stated that, if a sound is needed for your video, captioning is vital. Captions give your videos a wider viewership and a more accessible message to your audience, whether it’s a viewer in a situation where they can’t play audio loudly or someone who is hearing impaired.

4. Upload videos that have been formatted for their placement.

Make sure that your videos are released in the correct ratios so that there are no formatting issues when people try to watch your video ad. Videos for stories should have a 9:16 aspect ratio, whereas videos for people’s news feeds should have a 4:5 aspect ratio.

5. Don’t forget to include a call to action.

You can do an excellent job of discussing your company, but you must still tell them what you want them to do. Make a clear call to action for your readers, whether it’s to visit your business page, follow you on LinkedIn or other social media sites, or make a purchase on your eCommerce site.

6. Try different lengths to find what works best.

Shorter videos can make for effective video ads. Try producing 6 second videos, or as short as a gif and looking at a couple of seconds of video. Varying the durations of your video ads might also help you determine which kind of videos your audience prefers. Determine which length produces the greatest interaction, and you’ll have a better understanding of how to tailor future video ads to your audience’s preferences.

7. Think mobile first.

Over 98% of active users globally accessed the platform via mobile devices in January 2021. As a result, Facebook video marketers would be advised to prioritize mobile video. When creating a video ad on Facebook, consider how a mobile user will interact with it. Will this content still look good on a smaller screen? And will it appeal to someone who is always on the go or has a limited amount of time? Will it be understandable with or without sound? All of these aspects must be considered to ensure that your mobile audience receives the full effect of your ad.

According to Facebook, people on mobile devices prefer shorter video ads with runtimes of 15 seconds or less. Furthermore, according to Facebook’s meta-analysis of video ads on Facebook and Instagram, mobile-first commercials had longer average view times and higher brand recall than mobile-adapted or traditional video ads: Consider mobile users as your key target when creating your next Facebook video ads practices campaign.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve probably learned a lot about running Facebook advertising campaigns using video, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test. Pick up your camera, set up your set, and start working on your next eye-catching online video to help raise your conversion rate and get people talking about your brand.