Did you know that 68% of Americans use Facebook? We’re talking well over half of our country’s population is scrolling, liking and sharing on a regular basis. Facebook is a landscape that businesses and organizations need to take advantage of, especially when it comes to running video ads.
In our experience, there seems to be a lot of confusion and misunderstanding on exactly how to 1) create amazing Facebook Video Ads and 2) what the requirements actually are around creating these ads. We’re breaking it all down below and giving you our best tips to make sure your Facebook Video Ad isn’t just amazing, but actually has the power to convert!
The Nitty Gritty of Facebook Video Ads
What kind of video format should you use?
Facebook allows quite a few different types of video formats, but these two are not only highly recommended by our team here at Jumpstart, but also by Facebook.
- MOV (recommended)
- MP4 (recommended)
What aspect ratio should you choose?
Facebook supports 9:16 and 16:9. It’s recommended to use 9:16 for vertical videos and 1:1 (a perfect square) as well. The 1:1 ratio is especially beneficial for mobile viewing because it occupies more space in the mobile app. This captures attention more as it takes up 78% more space than landscape videos.
What is the maximum file size?
What length is ideal?
While ads can run much longer than 30 seconds on Facebook, 30 seconds is optimal because it will loop up to 3 times before stopping. Any video longer than 30 seconds will simply end after it runs through 1 time. Quick, to the point and with the option to loop makes 30 seconds a great length. It can also be used across all other social media platforms this way.
What is the limit on text in a Facebook Video Ad?
The text most only compose 125 characters or less of the video and less than 20% text in the thumbnail. This is something Facebook is very strict on, so you’ll want to make sure this is right in order to be able to run your ad.
9 Tips for Creating Amazing Facebook Video Ads
Capture your audience’s attention
within the first 5 seconds
of the video.
We all know how short the attention span of the average person is today, so it’s crucial to grab their attention early, talk about how you can solve their problem and even hint at what the content of the video will be like. This is where great scriptwriting really comes into play.
Make sure your message is clear and communicated early.
This ties directly into the first tip, but is slightly different. Grabbing attention early is crucial and can happen in a number of ways, but getting to your message and communicating the purpose clearly is just as important.
Design your video to be watched with no sound.
In 2016, 85% of Facebook Video views happened when sound was not on. The majority of people scrolling day to day don’t have their sound on, so your visuals need to captivate and you’ll want to take advantage of captions as well.
Consider all creative aspects, from
the visuals to voiceover, and music.
Even though most will watch your video without sound, that doesn’t mean that the voiceover and music cease to be important. Make sure all three of these pieces are working harmoniously together.
Make it mobile friendly.
This is crucial because 95% of FB users access the platform via the mobile app. Making it mobile friendly includes things like adding captions but also creating the video in a 1:1 or square ratio. In one study, Buffer found that there was 100% more engagement with square videos than with comparable horizontal videos. This can obviously make a huge difference.
Stick
CTA’s in the middle
and then again at the end of your video.
This is a game-changer. Most every video ends with a call-to-action, but how many do you see take advantage in the middle? This is incredibly beneficial for the viewers that you may have lost by the end, but in the middle, they are still watching and may be more inclined to take action.
Publish native – always.
In case this term is confusing, posting and publishing “natively” simply means to actually add the content, video or post through the actual platform itself. In this case, posting through Facebook directly. It’s extremely important to post any video natively that you want to get traction, but in particular Facebook Video Ads. A study conducted by Quintly in 2017 found that native Facebook video posts got 168% more interactions on average than similar YouTube videos linked on Facebook. Always post natively for maximum impact.
Are you considering an animated explainer video for your next Facebook video ad? We’d love to help you through the process. Just click here.
