How to Create Effective Video Advertising Campaigns

Television advertising may not be as popular as it used to be as people shift to digital mediums, but marketing through video is still thriving because no other form of communication can be as effective as one that combines sight and sound.However, creating an effective video marketing campaign isnt a walk in the park. First of all, it requires expertise.

Second, all the important elements of marketing have to align to pull off a successful video ad campaign. In todays post, Ali Soudi will share the tips he has learned from years of creating effective video ad campaigns for clients of his company, Be Unique Group.Tip #1: The First Few Seconds of a Video MattersPeoples attention span is decreasing: Today, human attention span is shorter than that of a goldfish.

On average, internet users spend fewer than 10 seconds viewing a piece of content. This means you need just a few seconds to grab the attention of your audience before they skip to the next piece of content.To do this effectively, start your video ad with a bait-like statement.

That is a line that will spark the interest of your target audience. This can be highlighting an obvious problem, asking a relevant question, offering a unique solution, or providing powerful insight.Another factor to consider is the appeal of your first set of visuals.

This is important because, on some platforms, videos ads start by playing on mute. If your visuals are captivating enough, people will want to listen to the message your video is trying to convey. Otherwise, they will skip it and never listen to any of your video.

So, keep in mind that the first 5 seconds of your video will determine if it will generate views. And when it isnt viewed, you will see no results.Tip #2: Timing Is EverythingWhen it comes to creating effective video ads, timing is everything.

The first 5 seconds may help you capture a viewers attention, but how long can you keep that person viewing?First, you and I know that nobody visits YouTube or any other social media platform to view advertisements. They are either searching for information, interacting with friends, or seeking entertainment.

This means that your advertisement is living on borrowed time.Keeping this in mind, your ad should be long enough to convey the important message but as short as possible so people dont click away. Unless you are telling a brand story or using social proof such as testimonials, the optimal length for a video ad should be 30 to 60 seconds.

Tip #3: Tell Your Audience Whats in It For ThemTelling people they have a problem isnt important because they know that already. Telling them you have a solution isnt all that important, either, because they may have a plethora of businesses offering similar solutions. What is important is offering a solution that is better than what is already on the market and finding a way to convey that in your video ads.

Assuming your product or service has a unique selling point (USP), you should make sure that this point(s) is clearly highlighted in the video.However, it should be done in a subtle manner; there is a balance between sounding boastful and being helpful. There are many big and small-scale businesses producing amazing video ad campaigns.

Dollar Shave Club is one of them.Dollar Shave Club has generated millions of dollars through its creative video marketing campaigns. The thumbnail above is from the companys first ever video ad and has been viewed more than 25 million times on YouTube alone.

One thing to keep in mind is that at the time of shooting the above video, the company was yet to become the multi-million-dollar company it is today.This shows that you dont need a ton of money to create an effective video ad campaign. The most important thing is to be able to promote your brand in a manner that convinces your audience that you have the product or service to solve their problem.

Tip #4: Use Intent-Based TargetingIn the past few years, effective marketing has moved from targeting the supposed audience to targeting the right audience.Today, it has gotten even more competitive. It is no longer enough to just target the right audience; it is also important to get to them at the right time.

And what is the right time? Well, the answer depends on your campaign goal. Assuming you have a thorough understanding of your target market, the next step should be to find out what they are in the market for.

There is a lot of guesswork and trial and error involved in this process, but one targeting option has proven to be ultra-effective: targeting customers using intent signals. This is even more effective when you are interested in generating leads or store visits to your business.What Is an Intent Signal?

As the name implies, an intent signal is simply identifying your audience based on their intent what they want and how urgently they want it.Simply put, intent signals go beyond identifying a target audience and their needs. In this case, you are showing them your ad at the point they need it the most.

For instance, if you are an ophthalmologist trying to promote your laser eye treatment service, the usual strategy is to target people who are interested in such treatment procedures. So, you choose specific demographics and target people based on their interests. This can be effective.

But imagine shifting your focus to people who have recently searched for laser eye treatment, people using applications related to specific eye conditions, or even people who have visited a website offering laser eye treatment.Intent-based targeting is a goldmine.According to Google, campaigns that use this targeting option on mobile have 20% higher ad recall lift and 50% higher brand awareness lift when compared to the ones that use only use demographic targeting.

Tip #5: Hire Professionals To Help YouFor a video ad to be effective, everything about it, from scripting to execution, should be perfect. If you have the personnel to pull this off, then go ahead and get it done in-house. Otherwise, it is advisable to hire a professional.

Ideally, its best to hire a digital marketing team or a creative team specialized in producing video content for businesses. At Be Unique Group, we specialize in creating video marketing campaigns for businesses across different industries. And the information I have shared in this post is based on our experience with clients.

Over the years, we have created hundreds of successful video ad campaigns, and I am glad to say that we have been able to understand what works when it comes to this subject matter. So, if you need help creating a video ad that will work for your business, feel free to get in touch with us.Create a Video Ad Campaign that WorksVideo ads tend to engage and entertain consumers more than text-based content and are therefore more likely to convert.

An effective video ad grabs the attention of its audience immediately, keeps people engaged, and offers a unique solution. Businesses should also target users based on their intent when creating and promoting a video ad.Hiring a digital marketing agency for help with a video ad campaign can help businesses create the most effective video possible.

This article was originally published on Clutch on March 20, 2019, and was written by Ali Soudi. This story is published in The Startup, Mediums largest entrepreneurship publication followed by 436,678 people.Subscribe to receive our top stories here