How to Craft Highly Converting Video Ads

Understanding how to create high converting video ads can improve sales conversions by 86% compared to text only Ads, find out how in this post.

Image Source: © Pexels

As consumers’ attention spans continue to shrink, the ability to deliver a message quickly and effectively through video has become a critical tool in companies’ marketing arsenals. 

True enough, video ads can help increase engagement, brand visibility, and conversions simultaneously. 

Read on for our vital tips on how to create highly converting video ads for your brand.

Why Video Ads?

Video advertising has become an essential part of marketing campaigns for many businesses across all industries. Statistically speaking, video ads perform better than any other format, and they win the battle of video vs. image ads for several reasons.

First of all, video ads can summarize a large scope of information and deliver it quickly — unlike any written word or sponsored image could. Secondly, a well-designed video ad can better explain both your product and the problem it is solving.

Furthermore, it makes it easier to transcend your unique value compared to your competitors. Explainer video ads, for example, can share the experience of a user and make it more relatable for the viewer. It has also been shown that products with explainer video campaigns reduce the number of customer support calls.

But, not every video ad will convert the same. Below we have summarized the best practices for creating and distributing video ads with high conversion potential in 2023.

Here are six important tips to follow.

#1. Work on Your Video Ad Structure

No matter the niche, every brand should stick to a proper structure to ensure their video ads get noticed, watched until the end, and inspire appropriate action in viewers.

One effective way to structure high-converting video ads is to use the AIDA formula, which stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.

• Attention. Refers to the part of your video ad that grabs the viewer’s attention. This can be achieved with a powerful opening line, a striking visual, or anything technique to draw your target viewer in immediately.

• Interest. Once you have their attention, you need to maintain the viewer’s interest by introducing the problem that your product or service solves. This can be done by presenting the viewer with a relatable scenario. Think about common struggles or needs that your target audience often wishes to be addressed, and turn those into ad material.

• Desire. For this part, you should inspire the viewer to want the thing that you’re advertising. Highlighting the unique features or benefits of your product and how it can solve the viewer’s problem, is one way to create the desire you want your customer to experience. This is the part of your ad that should strive to make an emotional connection with the viewer, so they feel passionate about your product and what it can do for them.

• Action. Push the viewer to take action by outlining clear steps they need to take, such as making a purchase via your website or contacting you for more information.

Taking your audience through these steps using a video ensures the ad is captivating, relevant, and conversion-focused. 

#2 Understand Your Target Audience

Without a clear understanding of your target audience, the kind of video content you end up using for ads may not resonate or encourage enough engagement to drive sales.

Knowing exactly what your target audience likes to see will help you properly tailor your messaging, tone, and visuals to match their preferences and interests. This increases the likelihood that your video ads will be received positively, leading to better conversion rates.

For example, if your audience consists primarily of millennials who are interested in sustainability, you could create a video ad that showcases your company’s commitment to eco-friendly practices. 

To carry an important point like that across, you should use the same videos in your ads and important landing pages describing that kind of commitment. A working example where a video that starts playing as you scroll into it, and it pauses as you scroll away, should be incorporated into said landing page. Maintaining consistency like this also has a positive effect on your conversion rate.

#3. Focus On Good Storytelling

People feel more inclined to buy something they see in an ad when it comes off as trustworthy and genuine. If you tell a story that showcases your brand’s positive values and mission, potential customers are more able to relate to your products, team, or existing customers.

Storytelling in video ads can be enhanced by following some best practices: 

• Show, don’t tell. For a fitness brand, a video ad that simply states the importance of exercising won’t be as effective as one that shows its benefits and how your products can help achieve them. Including customer testimonials with before and after shots also adds to your brand credibility.

• Work on your hook. The best video ads always have a strong opening. Use a special image, scene, music, or voiceover to grab the viewers’ attention immediately. If you’re using video ad makers, they often come with tools that can help you create impactful openers.

• Have a clear goal in mind. Knowing the exact message you want to convey to your viewers, as well as the kind of impression you want to make, needs to be established even before you start producing videos for ad purposes.

• Above all — know your audience. By understanding who the primary viewers of your video ads are and what genre of video they are most likely to enjoy, you can tailor your storytelling in a way that resonates with them and nudges them in the direction of buying.

#4 Include a CTA

A call to action is what prompts the viewer to take appropriate action after watching your video, whether that be an ad, an organic post, or even a live stream (for which you can use a centralized tool like OneStream Live). 

Let’s say you are creating a video ad for a software company that provides a project management tool. At the end of the video, you could include a CTA that says Sign up for our free trial to experience the benefits of streamlined project management today. 

The above example of a CTA is clear and specific, creates a sense of urgency by highlighting the free trial, and is relevant to the needs of the target audience. 

To make the CTAs in your videos stand out, use contrasting colors for the text and include animation to draw attention to it. Repeat the CTA in the voiceover a few times throughout the video and include a link to any relevant landing page to make it easy for viewers to take action and boost conversions.

#5. Research Your Market

Before investing in a video marketing campaign, you should conduct market research to know how to optimize the placement and targeting of your video ads. By placing your ads on platforms that your audience is most likely to frequent, whether that be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok, you can increase their visibility and effectiveness.

To decide which kind of video content and formats you should be implementing for the platforms you advertise on, always check what trending content creators and brands are already doing. Recreating trends on TikTok is often as easy as downloading a template that everyone is using (in this sense, either CapCut or SSSTikTok is relevant). 

And, of course, no matter how many social networks we create, the place where our favorite videos live will always be YouTube. A great partnership can be achieved with relevant influencers who share your audience, and content creators who allow Youtube Studio monetization.

#6. Ask Your Customers to Create a Video for You

More companies are taking advantage of the high potential that user-generated content is bringing today. This is also why influencer marketing is a must for building and maintaining your brand reputation.

Short video content produced by a user is now an essential part of marketing a product. For example, shoppable videos on Amazon blur the line between regular content and promotion. This is a nice tactic you can apply to other platforms.

Feature your most satisfied customers and let them share their own experiences. You wouldn’t need a large budget for high-quality production, only a genuine recommendation for an ad that will convert.

Over to You

Crafting highly converting video ads requires a combination of research, creativity, and proper execution. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can create a video marketing strategy that not only engages your audience but also drives conversions and helps your brand achieve its sales goals.