The statistics for including video ads in your content marketing efforts are impressive, and there are plenty of valid reasons why businesses cannot afford to ignore video ad content.
But once you have taken the decision to make a video promotion, you want to be assured the content has the desired impact on your audience. You need to be able to get your message across to viewers.
The value of communication between company and consumer is stronger when using video. And because the majority of internet users are accessing the web using mobile devices, videos are the preferred choice of content format.
It is therefore important to understand how to structure a video ad. You need to be able to tell a story and arouse emotion in the viewer. But do you know how to do that?
Video Ads can Tell a story
Story-telling in online advertising is a growing trend. The reason for that is because it works. When you tell a story in video format, it stays in the memory of viewers longer than any other type of content.
A story has a beginning, a middle and end. But if you don’t engage the audience within the first five seconds, viewers have the option to skip over the ad and return to the video they were watching.
A strong intro is therefore vital. It has to have an impact on the viewer that compels them to keep watching. There are many ways you can achieve this so get creative – but there is one vital ingredient you cannot leave out…
… appeal to the emotions of your audience.
Define the emotional goal of your ad
Humans react emotionally to what they watch on screen, and watching video ads is no different. Unruly.com found that Millennial men are the most likely to react emotionally to ad content.
Before making a video ad, define the emotional goal you want to achieve. This should relate to a benefit your product or service offers customers.
Once you know your emotional goal, consider how you will achieve this in the first five seconds of your video. Will you immediately identify the pain points of your audience, or you could set the mood by using music?
Again, there are any number of ways to evoke emotion, and by striking the right chord early, it gives you time to deepen the emotional bond between your audience and your product.
Provide your solutions
Consumers are typically in the market for merchandise that either helps them resolve a problem, makes their life easier or is something cool they desire.
By focusing your video ad on one particular emotion potential customers are most likely to have before they purchase your goods.
When promoting your product, you have to get the viewer to imagine they are using it. Put them in the picture. When describing the benefits of your product show viewers clearly what they can expect in return for their investment.
The middle of the video is arguably the easiest part of the story to tell, but it is critical that you deliver your message clearly. You need to appeal to what your potential customers want and show them how your product fulfils their needs.
Include a call to action
A strong marketing message falls flat if you do not tell your audience what to do next. Consumers need directing so don’t forget to include a call to action at the end of your video.
Remember that a video is only part of the purchasing process so you should decide where it fits into your overall campaign and determine what the next step should be for viewers to take.
Include a URL and phone number at the end of the video and also in the comments field of video host sites if a field is available. Most of them have a description field which should be updated.
You can of course use more than one CTA. Perhaps you want to encourage viewers to share your video, download a pdf or subscribe to your channel. Whatever action you need potential customers to take next should be clearly communicated.
Video marketing is not only one of the most effective forms of digital media, but one of the most exciting to produce. Sure, it can be a challenge, but isn’t this what every creative marketer thrives from?
If you structure your video ads in a way that engages your audience and communicates your message in a way that leaves a lasting impression, you increase your chances of customer engagement and conversions.
