With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world. For businesses looking to reach new audiences, advertising on Facebook can be highly effective. When creating Facebook ads, businesses have the option to use images, carousels, slideshows or videos. In recent years, video ads have become increasingly popular on Facebook. In this article, we’ll examine the pros and cons of using video ads on Facebook and look at when videos are the best format choice.
The Rising Popularity of Facebook Video Ads
In the last few years, video has exploded on Facebook. In 2021 alone:
- Over 1 billion video views per day occurred on Facebook
- 500 million users watched Facebook Watch videos daily
- 100 million hours of Facebook Watch videos were viewed daily
With users flocking to watch video content on Facebook, it’s no surprise that video ads are also on the rise on the platform. Here are some statistics on the growth of Facebook video ads:
- 20% of all mobile video ads were on Facebook and Instagram in 2020
- 500 million people watch Facebook video ads daily
- Facebook video ads see 135% greater organic reach compared to Facebook photo ads
The numbers make it clear that video is a major trend on Facebook. As users spend more time watching videos, video ads have become more effective for brands looking to engage their target audience.
Benefits of Using Video Ads on Facebook
So why have Facebook video ads become so popular with advertisers? Here are some of the major benefits of using video ads on Facebook:
Higher Engagement
One of the biggest advantages of Facebook video ads is that they generate higher engagement than image or text ads. Viewers are more likely to watch, comment on, like and share video ads with their friends. According to Facebook, video ads see 135% greater organic reach compared to image ads. The more engaging your ads are, the better their visibility becomes.
Ability to Tell a Story
Videos allow brands to tell a story and make an emotional connection with the viewer. Instead of just showing a product, video ads can demonstrate how a product is used in real life or the story behind the company. Storytelling forms a deeper bond between the viewer and brand.
Better Explanation of Products
Rather than just showing a photo of a product, video ads allow you to demonstrate how a product works. For example, an eCommerce brand can create a “how-to” video to show customers how to use a product. Seeing the product in action makes it more appealing.
Higher Recall
Consumers are much more likely to remember video ads compared to static image ads. In fact, Nielsen found that video ads had a 23% higher brand recall rate compared to TV commercials. Video also had the highest brand recall rate (37%) across all digital ad formats.
More Versatile Ad Options
Facebook offers a range of different video ad formats, allowing brands to choose the one that works best for their audience and goals. Options include in-stream ads before videos, Stories ads, Messenger ads, carousel video ads and more. You can select the placement and format that has the greatest impact.
Appealing to Mobile Users
An increasing amount of Facebook usage comes from mobile devices. Video ads are eye-catching and memorable on mobile feeds. And optimizing video content for silent playback makes them ideal for users scrolling without sound.
Considerations When Making Facebook Video Ads
While video ads have many benefits, there are a few things to keep in mind when creating them:
Higher Production Time and Costs
Quality video production takes significantly more time and budget compared to image or text ads. You need to factor in the costs of hiring a videographer, equipment, and editing software or hiring a video editing company.
Ad Placement Restrictions
Not all Facebook ad placements allow video. For example, you cannot use video ads with the Audience Network. Be sure to check the requirements for your desired placement.
Longer Watch Time for Results
With video ads, viewership matters just as much as overall reach. While image ads can achieve results quickly from views, video ads require longer watch times for the best ROI. Keep videos short, engaging, and to-the-point.
Testing Different Lengths and Formats
The ideal video length and format will depend on your audience, product and campaign goals. Most experts recommend testing videos between 15-30 seconds long. Be sure to analyze the viewing metrics to see which video styles resonate most.
Types of Products Best Suited to Video Ads
While video can be impactful for all types of businesses, some product categories especially shine with video ads. Here are some of the products especially well-suited to video ads:
Physical Products
For retail brands and eCommerce stores, video is perfect for showcasing physical products. Fashion brands can show clothing in motion on models. Electronics companies can demonstrate devices in action. The tangibility of video makes products come alive.
Food Brands
Mouth-watering food videos grab attention and appeal to viewers’ senses. QSRs and restaurants use tempting food close-ups to make you crave their dishes. Capture your food sizzling, brewing or served in an appetizing setting.
Beauty Products
Cosmetics and skincare brands allow customers to visualize the product experience through video. Show your products being applied with attractive visuals. Or use mini-tutorial videos to demonstrate makeup or hair looks.
Travel Companies
Videos instantly transport viewers to a location and build excitement to visit. Tour operators, hotels, airlines and destination brands can all highlight their offerings through video. Tours of rooms, amenity walkthroughs and local city scenes inspire customers.
Software Products
Rather than explaining how your software works through images, video can directly demonstrate the user experience. Walkthroughs of product functionality and tutorials help convert software buyers.
Events and Experiences
Bring events like conferences and classes to life through recap videos. Or promote an upcoming event with video trailers highlighting previous years. Sneak peeks and recaps generate FOMO.
Getting Started with Facebook Video Ads
Ready to start harnessing the power of video ads for your Facebook marketing? Here is a simple step-by-step guide to creating your first video campaign:
Step 1: Create a Video Asset
First, you’ll need to make your video asset. You can produce it yourself or hire a video production company. Ensure the video is optimized for mobile viewing and includes captions. Keep it 15-30 seconds long for the best results.
Step 2: Upload to Facebook Ad Account
Upload your video file directly into your Facebook ads manager account. You’ll also want to include a thumbnail image and title to represent the video.
Step 3: Set Up Your Video Campaign
In the Facebook Ads Manager, create a new campaign and select your objective – brand awareness, website conversions, lead generation, etc. Specify your target audience, placements, and budget.
Step 4: Launch and Monitor Your Ad
Make your video ad live! Track its performance in Facebook analytics and Ads Manager. Watch for strong video completion rates. Optimize the targeting and placement as needed.
Step 5: Create More Videos to Test
Run A/B split tests with multiple videos to see which style resonates most with your audience. Experiment with different tones, formats and lengths. Analyze each video’s cost per result.
Video Ad Best Practices
Following video ad best practices will help maximize your ROI and results. Here are some top tips for optimizing your Facebook video ads:
- Hook the viewer in the first 3 seconds
- Highlight key product features/benefits
- Use captions for sound-off viewing
- Keep videos short, under 30 seconds
- Show real people using your product
- Leverage emotions like humor or inspiration
- Use high-quality production value
- Test ad variations to see what resonates
Should You Use Video Ads on Facebook?
So should your Facebook ads be videos? Here is a quick recap of the pros and cons:
Pros of Video Ads
- Higher engagement rates
- More storytelling ability
- Improved product explanation
- Higher brand recall
- More ad format options
- Engaging for mobile users
Cons of Video Ads
- Higher production time and costs
- Some placement restrictions
- Require longer watch time for results
- More testing needed to optimize
Overall, the benefits of higher engagement and memorability make video ads well worth the investment if you have the budget. Video ads are ideal for physical products, food brands, beauty, travel, software, and events.
Just be sure to follow best practices when creating videos. Keep them short, compelling and optimized for silent mobile viewing. Rigorously test different videos to see which get the best reactions. Then scale up the top-performing variations to get the most out of your video ad spend.
Conclusion
Video ads present a huge opportunity on Facebook today. As consumers increasingly watch videos in their feeds, video ads have higher visibility and engagement. Brands that tell compelling stories through quality video ads are seeing tremendous results.
However, videos require more time and budget to produce. You also need to test different options to find the right formula. Evaluate if you have the resources to properly invest in video ads. But if you can create great videos to promote your products, video ads can become a key driver of sales and brand growth on Facebook.