The Complete Guide to Effective Facebook Video Ads Campaigns

You’ve probably already heard a lot about the benefits of using video in your Facebook advertising campaign, and that’s great. But when it comes to actually implementing a Facebook video ad strategy, information is a bit harder to come by.

Luckily, Facebook Ads is one of the most robust, complete, and effective platforms to reach customers nowadays. However, to make the most out of it and see your strategy succeed, you need to become familiar with the basic – and not so basic – aspects of using video to advertise on Facebook.

In this piece, we’re going to explore everything you should know about Facebook video ads campaigns so that you can become a seasoned video marketer yourself. 

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How Can Facebook Video Ads Help Your Business?

You might be aware that Facebook is the 3rd most visited website in the world, but what might come as new information is that it has about 2.89 billion monthly active users!

Needless to say, these numbers speak to the outstanding outreach capabilities of the platform. The combination of your video strategy with the versatility and effectiveness of video content is a powerful synergy, too powerful to ignore! Videos ads chosen carefully will prompt viewers to action. 

That said, building a consistent and reliable Facebook video ad strategy calls for more than regular uploads and a bit of creativity – especially if you want to get the most out of the platform’s customization and outreach features. Combine the strengths of both elements. You’ll have a power-packed Facebook video ads campaign that will convert customers like no other.

The Anatomy of a Facebook Ad

You can’t build a house if you don’t understand which part goes where. So, let’s get things started by going over a quick breakdown of the basic elements the platform will request that make up a Facebook ad. That will help you understand their purpose and how to leverage them to achieve the best results.

Account link

This refers to the page people will be directed to if they click on the link – usually the company’s Facebook page. You’ll notice that the word “sponsored” will be displayed directly underneath the account link; that word is what differentiates an ad from an organic video post and helps you learn more about how Facebook ad targeting works.

Primary text

This refers to the copy that appears right above the video and comprises the main text of your ad. Depending on the type of video ad you’re working on, you can choose whether your text is a one-liner or several paragraphs of ad copy.

Depending on your audience’s preferences, you might need to do some testing to discover what length best suits your Facebook ad campaigns. However, it’s recommended that you place the most important information within the first 125 characters of the primary text, as the rest of the content may be truncated – which means that viewers will have to click “read more” to see the full text.

Side note: consider using emojis in your primary text whenever they fit your brand’s tone. Not only are emojis great attention-grabbers, but they can also be useful to emphasize, express, and add flavor to your copy.

Video View

This refers to the central creative element of your ad, which in your case, will be a video.

We’ll be going into much more detail about the requirements your piece should meet in a bit, but for now, just know that you’ll be considering things like video length, quality, and what objectives it’s going to suit here.

Facebook users can choose in their settings whether they want videos in their News Feed to play automatically, so you will also need to make sure to choose a good thumbnail for those who opt-out of autoplay.

Headline

Despite its name, the headline is the copy that shows up in bold right below your video ad. Headlines should be short and catchy, and they can do a great job at convincing viewers when done right.

We recommend using action verbs to grab users’ attention while keeping the headline under 40 characters because it may be truncated otherwise.

Description

Descriptions are found right below the headline, and it’s where you can give a more detailed outlook about your product, service, or message. However, you only have 30 characters before the text is truncated, so you have to be smart about it.

While some Facebook ads examples include pricing, key features, and geotagged information in the description, you should consider one important aspect: this element is sitting right next to the call-to-action (CTA) button. 

It can be a good strategy to tell people why they should act on your CTA and what value they’ll derive from it. Include enough information to convince people to click on that button.

CTA button

The CTA button is a clickable button located on the lower-right section of your Facebook video ad that performs your desired action: taking your potential customers to their ultimate destination, whether it is visiting your website, signing up for your newsletter, and so on.

You can also pick from a pre-set list of options the CTA that better adjusts to your marketing goals, such as “Shop Now,” “Sign Up,” “Subscribe,” “Contact Us,” and more.

Where Can You Show Your Facebook Video Ads?

There are three main placements for video ads on Facebook:

• In-stream: your ads will play in the videos your audience is watching. This format can be a bit annoying to some audiences, so you have to use it wisely and sparingly.
• Feed: your ads will be placed in people’s feeds so that they can come across them while scrolling.
• Stories: your ads will play in between Stories, allowing you to reach your potential customers and deliver your content seamlessly.

But do you know the best part of creating Facebook video ads? This platform is just one member of a group of apps and services that includes Instagram, Audience Network, and Messenger – all places where your video ads can appear as well! 

Tip: Hundreds of growing businesses use Socialfix to leverage successful video ads strategies and showcase their products and services. Try us for a free consultation 

Follow Facebook Policies and Specifications to Give Your Video Ad the Chance to Shine

Facebook’s Advertising Policies describe what type of ad content is allowed on the platform. Each ad that’s posted on Facebook is first reviewed against these policies, so if you want your piece to be approved, you need to make sure your content is complying with them.

Besides knowing what type of content you can’t include in your ad, there are also helpful tips to create a successful video, such as:

• Ads must not direct people to non-functional landing pages.
• They should contain good grammar and punctuation.
• Should not contain deceptive, false, or misleading claims

Then you have specifications, which include design recommendations and technical requirements that you need to be aware of while making your video ad:

• Type of file: while the platform supports many file types, MP4, GIF, and MOV are the most recommended options.
• Video length: the placement of the video will determine its length. For example, in-feed ads can range from one second to a maximum of 241 minutes. 
• Aspect ratio: Facebook recommends that you go for the 4:5 ratio for mobile because other options may get you black bars on both sides of your video.
• Max file size: the max file size is 4GB.
• Minimum resolution: the minimum resolution is 1080×1080.
• Captions and sound: both elements are optional, but highly recommended.

Building your Facebook video ad around these policies and specifications will help you identify mistakes to avoid ahead of time and ensure that your content gets approved by the platform and has the best chance to shine.

Leverage Audience Insights for Effective Targeting of Your Facebook Video Ads

As we mentioned before, getting to know your audience to tailor your strategy to them is crucial to making effective Facebook video ads. 

Now, you probably already know everything about how to carry out audience research and have your own ways to do so. But did you know that Facebook has its own, very robust tool to do it?

Audience Insights is a tool that allows you to discover how your audience is composed by providing you with in-depth information about them. Besides the basic demographic data such as their age, gender, and location, Audience Insights also tells you about their hobbies, education level, jobs, and even relationship status.

This tool will allow you to analyze one of three audience groups (Everyone on Facebook, People connected to your page, or Your Custom Audience) and can help you develop advertising content that better suits them and their specific lifestyles – which, needless to say, often leads to better results.

Harness Audience Manager to Select Your Ad Viewers

Audience Manager is another important part of Facebook’s ad toolkit, but this one allows you to select the specific group of users to whom you will show your video ads. You can choose one of the following three groups of people:

• Saved Audience: these are those Facebook users who meet the demographic and behavioral characteristics that you select.
• Custom Audience: Those prospects who are already on your email list, have visited your website, or watched your video ads.
• Lookalike Audience: comprises new people with similar demographics and characteristics to those who have responded well to your video ads.

By selecting your ad viewers, you’re determining who will be seeing your ads pop up on their feeds, which can have a huge impact on your campaign’s effectiveness and ROI. So, take your time and pick your audience carefully! A shotgun approach is rarely the most efficient way to go.

Take Advantage of the Custom Audience Feature to Retarget Your Audience

We’ve mentioned using the Custom Audience feature of the Audience Manager to select your potential ad viewers, but you can also use it to retarget people who have already shown an interest in them.

Whether someone saw one of your other video ads or visited your website, they’re signaling that they’re probably interested in your brand. That means they’ll be more likely to become curious and engage with your next ad as well.

Bear in mind that retargeting doesn’t mean showing the same video ad over and over again. Instead, you should aim at creating quality animated pieces specifically designed for such a purpose.

The stage on the sales funnel that the prospect is in is particularly relevant when it comes to retargeting.  It will determine the type of video content you need to produce. There are several types of video styles you can choose from but don’t worry, we’re about to discuss them in-depth.

Choose the Right  Facebook Video Ad Style for Each Stage of the Sales Funnel

Identifying where your Facebook video ad fits in your marketing funnel is an essential part of an effective campaign. Different stages in the funnel typically pursue specific types of marketing goals. Each stage aims to reach a different audience. Choosing the right video style for each stage will help you set your ads for success.

Facebook Video Ad Styles for the Top of the Funnel

The top of the funnel is all about building awareness about your product or services. In this stage, people have watched less than 25% of your video ad before moving on.

So, you need to create educational content that can help your potential customers learn more about your brand. A good option here is to go for short pieces designed to get your viewers one step closer to your company.

Commercial Videos

These are the typical videos you see on TV advertisements. They’re usually no more than 30 seconds long, and they’re meant to boost your brand awareness and recognition. They’re very straightforward, which means they should not be subtle in their selling intentions.

Educational Videos

The top of the funnel can also make use of educational videos that are connected to your audience’s paint-points. This way, you can catch viewers’ attention with valuable information that they need. While, at the same time, drawing them towards your brand at the same time.

Video Ad Styles for the Middle of the Funnel

In the second stage of the marketing funnel, people have watched about 25% to 75% of your previous video ad. Sure, they haven’t watched all of it, but they now have a general idea about your offer and your brand.

You have to give your viewers more detailed information so that they consider buying your product or service. For this reason, explainer videos and product videos are some of the best choices for the middle of the funnel.

Explainer Videos

Explainer videos can be incredibly effective in conveying your value proposition in less than 2 minutes, perfect for Facebook ads. Harness the power of storytelling and combine it with engaging graphics and animations. They will help you deliver even the most complex information about your product or service. And all that in a fun and easy-to-understand way.

Product Videos

This video style places the spotlight directly on your product or service. It shows its features and benefits in action and gives your viewers a full picture of what you’re offering. It showcases how you can help them with their pain points.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOq49euWnIo

Video Ad Styles for the Bottom of the Funnel

At the bottom of the funnel, your viewers have watched more than 75% of your video ad. This means that they’re probably very interested in your offer. However, they might still be unsure on whether they should buy it from you.

Focus on testimonial and company culture videos. They will help you strengthen trust in your brand. And even convince prospects that you’re the right choice for them.

Testimonial Videos

Testimonial videos are, essentially, the interview of a happy and satisfied customer. The person should describe why they liked your product and explain how it helped them solve a problem. People trust word-of-mouth, and testimonials are the video equivalents to them.

https://socialfixmedia.wistia.com/medias/akhtvven9m

Company Culture Videos

Company culture videos show the more human side of your company: your employees. Leveraging these videos helps you showcase your values and mission through the people that make up your company. They will allow viewers to strengthen their relationship with you.

Be aware of your audience’s stage on the sales funnel and create content in accordance with that. The approach will help you refine your Facebook video ads campaigns. Offering the right kind of video ad to the right people at the right moment will set you up for success.

Summing Up

Starting your own Facebook video ad campaign might seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be! Knowledge is power! The more you learn about Facebook Ads, the easier it will be to harness them for the success of your business.

Luckily, we’ve given you more than enough information in this guide to get you started on your strategy.  That, along with some tips and recommendations to help you make effective ads that convert customers and increase your sales.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Victor Blasco is an audiovisual designer, video marketing expert, and founder/CEO of the explainer video production company Yum Yum Videos. Besides running the business, he’s a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek for all things sci-fi.