Nowadays, video advertising is something every small business owner needs to master, not only because it helps spread the word about the company brand and its products or services, but it’s also a marketing approach customers prefer and easily engage with. If you’re on the lookout for an efficient, yet a very effective way to tell the people you’re here, a well designed video ad is the way to go, not only because videos are shared 1200% more times than links and text combined, but simply because you don’t want to waste people’s time by having them scroll through a bunch of different webpages or force them to browse through a ton of text, only to get to that one essential piece of info at the end.

1. Hook them from the start
No matter how great you think your script is or how amazing the design looks, the first few seconds of your video are essential. The last thing you want is for your customers to skip the ad, so you need to grab their attention from the get-go and make the beginning frames really stand out. That means you need to address something that your customers see as a common issue or answer a question they see as relevant. Don’t shy away from sharing the things that make your brand unique and make sure to secure great visuals that will resonate with the viewers, especially if their devices are on mute!

2. Time your ad wisely
Have in mind that you don’t have to pull a Scorsese when creating your video ad, but instead focus on highlighting the important messages and script your video accordingly. The most common video ads last for up to 30 seconds, but if you’re working on positioning your brand or making an explainer video, longer formats can be effective too, especially if they feature a testimonial or a run-through of the best features your product or service offer. Just make sure you eliminate any content that might seem too plain or unnecessary, in order to get your message across quickly and to the point.

3. Provide them with a value
Your video should tell viewers why they should choose your product, your service or in general terms – your brand. Think of what is it that makes your company the best choice and whether you’re promising customers great quality, best prices, unlimited warranty or some new kind of technology. It’s important to emphasize this when creating video ads, because the best value you can offer is recognizing a growing pain your customers have and then showing them how you can be the one to resolve it.

4. Give your brand a unique selling point
Unless you’ve been catering to needs of a very narrow customer base that form a particularly small market niche, the chances are your business faces a lot of competition. That is why the key to a great video ad is answering a simple question – why should the viewers be interested in your business and what you have to offer? Let them know of all the things you do differently and to their benefit and showcase the achievements, feedback and track records that make your company stand out. Always remember that you’re selling them a solution to their problem and not just another product or service and make sure they know you’re the one for the job.

5. A proper call to action is a must
In the end, all the planning, scripting and designing you do for you ad ought to result in just one thing – your viewers need to take some action and you have to encourage them to do just that. Whether you invite them to give you a call, send an email or visit a website, you have to be clear in communicating what they need to do next, to really make sure you’re converting interest into sales.

6. Be creative
This is what makes it or breaks it many times over. Viewers can easily switch through channels if they’re watching TV or click away if they’re on their computers, so your video needs to be equal parts informative and engaging in order for you to promote your brand and really appeal to your target customers. Take the creative route and give yourself a better ‘fighting chance’ by designing a unique video that will single you out from the content your competitors are making and make you memorable.

7. Choose the right platform
Once you have your ad designed and edited, you need to make sure it sees the light of day! Choosing the right platform is key to running a successful campaign and with online ones like Facebook, YouTube and with many traditional, cable and streaming TV options available, you won’t be lacking the possibilities and everything will come down to where your customers are and what’s the best choice for your content, whether you go with one or a combination of the above.

All these tips will surely help you plan and design your video advertising campaign to boost your business, but in case you’re on the lookout for a simple marketing solution that will maximize your efforts and minimize your costs, make sure to check out AdAmp – an all-in-one platform that lets you create ads and be on air in hours, to run localized campaigns and track their progress. The best thing about it is – you’re in charge of everything and the ads will be tailor made to fit your needs, your audience and most importantly … your budget.

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