Remember the movie, the 5th element? Well this article is a lot like that except without the angry alien warlocks and flying taxi cabs. I’ve gone over how powerful video is in quite a few of my articles, including this one ( Video and ROI. A match made in heaven. ). Now it’s time to focus on Ads. Strap in, I’m going to be your guide today when we talk about ways to create Quality Video Ads.

Choose the right platform

There’s a reason why this element is at the very top. Choosing where you want to post your ad is important. Your target audience is out there and you need to tap to it accordingly, the thing is, you’ve got a lot of platforms to choose from. Clearly, you want to advertise where you audience is. All of your favorite social media channels offer advertising options, whether it’s Facebook ( see also: Create Facebook Ads! ) or Instagram or even Twitter.

Which channel should you use? As expected, the answer isn’t as simple as you’d think, for a good reason. There are a number of things to consider that play determining roles in how your ad will due in a given environment. We aren’t going to go over every single channel in complete detail, but here are a few things to consider that could prove useful.

• Facebook – It’s probably your biggest bet as far as advertising goes. Facebook has generated millions in advertising revenue within the last quarter and that number is only rising. There are almost 2 billion users, and that’s a big piece of the pie.

• Instagram – This is a platform that lives off of creative content. The demographic isn’t as wide as Facebook, but don’t let that discourage you. Instagram ads are great for business with visual content that stands out, use that.

• Twitter – It’s know for it’s simple approach. This is the platform you’ll want to use if you’re looking for a calculated approach. To be effective on Twitter with your ads, you need to engage and converse with people. Communicating is key and make sure to find the target audience that you’re looking for first.

Choose wisely and adapt! Which brings us to our next element…

Keep it nice and simple

I live by the motto of “Less is more”. It can be applied to a lot of the things we often over analyze. In this context, ads. People often try to make their ads stand out, which is a good thing. But a lot of the times, it’s unnecessarily over the top and sophisticated, which is a bad thing. Long videos using complicated structures and wording with the idea to convert. They’re in for a rude awakening. If you’re looking to make your ads as effective as possible, you need to apply this way of thinking and run with it. Make them simple.

In general, our attention spans are getting smaller which means you should definitely consider that when creating your ads.

47% of the total campaign value of a Facebook video ad is created in under three seconds

Source: 99firms

Stand clear of long videos in hopes of packing in as much CTAs as possible, it’s just not worth it. Create video ads that get to the point and communicate the overall message fast! This applies to the wording you use as well, as mentioned above. Pretend like a 5th grader is watching your ads, what would you do to adapt to grabbing their attention within a short attention span?

Most social media channels will equip you with insights of how your video ads are doing. Make use of that. You’ll get an in-depth look of what really makes the difference between a profitable ad and a waste of time. Along with that, you’ll see the views, comments, sales, etc. Don’t be afraid to experiment with video lengths either. Shortening your 60 second ad to 30 seconds could be what you were looking for this whole time.

Use Subtitles

There are many reasons why you should implement subtitles on your video ads and here’s a major one right now:

85 percent of Facebook video is watched without sound

Source: Digiday

And what if English isn’t your viewers first language? Chances are, they’ll have a difficult time understanding what you’re even talking about in your video. Some people are deaf, and hard of hearing, consider that fact as well. And what about yourself? Think about when you’re on the metro or at the park, are you scrolling through your Facebook feed with the sound on or off? Exactly. Take the right steps to make your video as watchable as possible.

Add subtitles. Studies show that when you add subtitles, the viewer is 91% more likely to watch your video to completion. There are many programs that allow you to do this, YouTube for example.

Which ties in context and the plot of your ad. Make sure it’s easy to follow when you’re watching, and reading.

Create Retargeting Videos

You want your ad to generate more sales, right? Right! So lets get specific about WHO you are targeting, this is the secret. There are many situations but lets use this scenario for the puprose of this article. You want to retarget people who viewed your blog or possibly people who abandoned their shopping cart, you need to create retargeting videos (see also: Retargeting with Video! ) just for them. And because these type of people have already been familiarized with you and your brand, you’d be able to create shorter videos to focus on the point.

Website visitors who are retargeted are more likely to convert by 43%

Source: Criteo

A video underlining the statement of ” Why did you leave your cart stranded?” followed by a nifty coupon for their next purchase to get them to return.

This will without a doubt drive traffic that will ultimately convert to the sales that you’re looking for.

The click-through rate (CTR) of a retargeted ad is 10x higher than the CTR of a typical display ad

Source: Wishpond

If you’d like to see how retargeting works in the real world, just try visiting the websites of your favorite brands. Keep an eye out on how they use ads that basically stick to you as you jump from page to page. Study what methods were used and if any of the information that I just provided you with, are reflected with their ads.

Have a clear goal

You’re excited about your new ad. That’s normal. But make sure to consider that it’s just as important to have a focus for your ad. And this should apply to any video you publish on your favorite social media channel. I can’t stress how many times I’ve encountered ads with multiple goals in their videos, ultimately devaluing the true essence of that videos purpose. The truth is, when you give people too many things to partake in, it just overwhelms them and their favorite option will be option C, OPT OUT!

If you want to increase your sales for example, your ad should ONLY focus on getting viewers to not only visit your site but to buy your product. No need to ask them to tag their friends, or post a comment, this will serve as a unnecessary distraction. These kind of CTAs will be more useful for when you’re looking to increase overall engagement or just improve brand awareness ( see also : Beefing up your Brand Awareness ).

Stay focused. A good ad to drive sales will do just that. Guide the viewer to the shop now button in a clever and engaging way. Don’t over analyze it.

Now it’s time to create

Well now it’s your turn. I’ve provided you with sufficient information on how to properly turn your video ads into forces of nature. Luckily for you, there are out of tools to get the job done. Some are free, some are extremely overpriced and some are just right, that middle balance. Videommerce, it’s completely free to start and you’re provided with essential tools to take your ads to the next level. I’m talking hundreds of templates to choose from, to match your brand and even the ability to add interactive elements within your videos! Very cool.

Don’t take my word for it. If you’re a new business, you’re probably looking for something to help you create stunning videos, at a fraction of the cost and time. This is your turn to enter the world of video marketing with some cool tools at your disposal. Enjoy the ride my friend.

Use this knowledge

Alright, so these were the 5 elements of quality video ads, how did you like them? Some of them you might of already known, some not so much. The most important part is that you’re going to take some of this information, and apply it to your brands marketing strategy. Remember that less is more and don’t over complicate things. Start creating those ads! You’ve got the tools.