Advertising with Video On Facebook: Make It Count

June 5, 2017

When advertising through Facebook, visuals need to communicate information about a brand or product efficiently and succinctly to capture an audience’s attention before they scroll past it. Videos in particular can be very effective when employed strategically. When advertising with video on Facebook, keep these best practice points in mind to attract viewers.

Make a Strong and Quick Impression

Facebook says it’s all about first impressions. Videos that pop up in a consumer’s Facebook feed need to be constructed differently than for television. According to Facebook’s ad statistics, 25% of people who watch 10 seconds of video will still be watching at the 30 second mark. Additionally, three times more people are engaged when the brand and message appear in the first 10 seconds. Within that first 0.0 seconds—with no sound—”22% of rated ads grabbed attention in the post and initial frame.”

To get the message across to the consumer quickly, Facebook advises that the product or service being advertised should be featured for a majority of the total 30 seconds of the video. To get the message across strongly, give the video a unique or captivating edge. For instance, a humorous snippet or a colorful image may be all that’s needed to reel in a viewer.

Include High-Quality Visuals

The quality of a video gives consumers confidence in your brand or product. If a video is put together with a poor-quality video camera or editing software, the viewer can tell. Sound should accompany the visuals for a stronger effect, whether it’s music or a narration. A creative text overlay can also give a video extra “umph”.

Make Your Brand or Message Easy to Identify

According to Facebook’s statistics, 23% of rated ads have messaging that is easily understood, and 46% have easily identifiable brand links. You can make a video that is very visually appealing and entertaining, with all the bells and whistles that get viewers watching. But unless it’s clear what you’re trying to communicate to your audience, all it will be is a video they walk away from having enjoyed but not remembering what it was for.

Choose an Effective Way to Communicate

When deciding how to communicate your intended message in the video, consider what method is most effective for your message. Is instrumental music with text overlay more effective or is a voice over narration the way to go? For example, if you’re advertising photography services, you might determine a voice over is too distracting from the photography visuals you want the viewer to take in. Or perhaps you’ll decide that overlay text is too distracting from the image.

Keep Information Simple and Concise

Too much information or information that is conveyed in a complicated manner sends your audience a scrollin’, as the point of the Facebook feed is information that is quick and easy. For instance, when using text, you want simple words and short sentences or phrases. Too much text or advanced words can be an overload of information for viewers. Keep it simple and breezy. Viewers shouldn’t feel like watching your video is a chore.

There’s a lot of creative opportunity through Facebook video ads. So get the most out of Facebook’s platform and be strategic in your planning.

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