At this point, you already know that video is THE most powerful of all content formats today, and video ads are the holy grail to increase brand awareness and improve sales. A major share of marketers the world over already leverages the resources to generate leads and improve business.
However, given that the internet is full of videos in this day and age, how do you get your video to stand out and make an impact? How do you get your ideal customer to watch your video and perform an action when your competitor is doing an equally wonderful job?
The ONLY possible way to make your video worth watching is to make it creatively attention-grabbing to start with, and immersive in quality to retain the interest.
Here we discuss a few crucial elements that will help improve the effectiveness of your video commercial.
Partnering with experts in video production will help you stay on top of these elements, and more. At K3, we have qualified professionals with a strong grip on the psychology of video consumption by users, who can help you devise data-driven techniques to boost engagement and conversions. Together, we can help you craft video ads that perform exceptionally well for your business.
Video Length – Less is More
Consumers’ Attention spans are lower than ever; long videos are only effective when discussing hot topics for niche customers. When looking to grab the attention of new potential customers and make them click on your landing pages, short videos are the yardstick. Social media video ads are best kept within 25 to 30 seconds, while explainer ads for PPC do well under 40 seconds. Needless to say, the first 3 seconds for social media, and the first 5 seconds of other ads are crucial in terms of capturing attention. Craft a strategic storyline that starts with a powerful hook to get viewers to stop and click into the video.
The Message – Make it Clear and Straightforward
A great video commercial is never confusing. It gets straight to the point and conveys a strong message upfront, without giving too much information. It has to be scripted and executed in a way that intrigues the viewer just enough to click on your landing page to know more. The hook of the video must be strategically crafted to lead to the message of your video, without beating around the bushes. You can use different means to craft your message powerfully, such as through humor, emotional appeal, shock and awe, etc. The key is to get your message across without confusing the viewer or filling in too much fluff. It is crucial to strike that delicate balance between conveying the message enough, and not giving away everything; a job only qualified experts in video production can master.
Visual Appeal – High-Quality Wins
While the internet is flooded with videos, a large share of these is shot on subpar equipment, such as smartphones. Tap over this to make your video stand out by using high-quality production equipment. Generate high-quality visuals and motion graphics to make your video visually striking for the average viewer. Use a combination of strategic angular shots, up close shots, and detail shots among others to craft a visually immersive video that is irresistible for the viewer to skip. For example, for a video ad for food, include detailed appealing clips of any type of food such as a burger, showing the delicate flavors and ingredients to appeal to the senses of the viewer, such that it will make their mouths water.
Takeaway – Highlight What the Viewer Gets
When crafting the story and script for your video, focus on what your customer wants to hear or see. While your product or service may have innovative features and Avant Garde capabilities, no one wants to hear about them unless people know how they help them. Hence, make your message clear, and the takeaway clearer in conveying how the viewer stands to gain from watching the video. Highlight the benefits of your offering, and induce them to click through to your landing page or product page by appealing to them in different ways. For this, use an empathy-driven approach, determine the main pain points or challenges of your ideal customer, and draw your narrative based on these. Professionals in video production can do this for you efficiently.
Video Format – Optimize for Different Channels
The format of your video must match the typical requirements of the distribution channels that you have chosen. To make this more effective, start by researching the channels that your target audience primarily uses. Then tailor your video ads to match the format of the platforms. For example, besides being typically portrait-oriented, most social media ads are viewed on a smartphone. When creating a video commercial for Instagram, shoot it and edit it in portrait mode to ensure that no distortions or content breaks creep in when the ad is live.
In terms of resolution, use at least 720p, which is also known as a standard HD. Most common platforms accept a full HD resolution too which is 1080p. if your video will likely be magnified through another device, such as a projector, you are best off using full HD, however, the rendering and post-production attributes may take longer to implement. Consult with your team of experts in video production to figure out your optimal format and resolution.
Accessibility – Use Video Captions
Captions are a godsend for videos in today’s busy age. Research states that more than 80% of videos on Facebook are consumed by viewers with the sound off. This means that a video that relies solely on voiceovers or sound, will fail to make the desired impact or even get watched fully. To tap into the full potential of your target audience, utilize video captions to make your video equally accessible at the same level of quality, for viewers on the go. Also, pay attention to other aspects like language, and subtitles to make your video further watcher-friendly to a broader group of customers bound by such aspects.
Call to Action – Include a Clear and Compelling One
The call to action is perhaps the most crucial part of your video. Once you create a video that is immersive and persuasive enough to make viewers watch till the end, it is time to tell them what to do next. Statistics state that video ads with a strong CTA generate up to 300% more clicks. It guides the users in taking the next step with their intent, which means it brings the lead one step closer to your overall goals. When creating your CTA, ensure to make it sensible, crisp, and clear. Most importantly, follow up the CTA with appropriate links or buttons to lead the viewer right into the next stage. For example, if your CTA is a request for viewers to sign up for an online launch event, or to buy a product at a discount, ensure to include the direct links for customers to do those actions easily.
Wrapping Up
Considering the mega influx of video content currently taking over the internet today, it is crucial to make your video a cut about the rest if you seek to achieve significant business goals with it. While the value of the content, the narration, and the concept or story of your video hold prime importance in terms of its impact, other attributes like its length, accessibility, format, and CTA immensely also add to its effectiveness significantly. You can think of them as boosters that ensure to get your message delivered in the right places, to the right people, and right times.
Partner with an experienced video production company to leverage these essentials and more for your video commercial. Contact K3video production the best headshot photographer for your next compelling video ad.
