Did you know that 9 in 10 businesses use video marketing as a tool to reach their audiences
This statistic tells us two things:
- Video marketing/advertising is effective
- If you’re not using video ads for your business, you should
Normally, we wouldn’t urge you to replicate another company’s strategy just because it worked for them. That is horrible business advice.
But, since 91% of audiences want more videos from online brands, the advice checks out.
This article dissects video advertising to the core. We’ll cover what it is, why you need it, the most effective video ad types, and actionable tips when making one. Let’s dive in!
What is Video Advertising?
Video advertising is a marketing strategy that uses video content to promote products, services, or brands.
These ads can range from brief, attention-grabbing clips on social media to longer, more in-depth commercial-like videos aired on TV or streaming services.
With the rise of mobile usage and visual content, video advertising has become a powerful tool for businesses to increase brand awareness, drive conversions, and connect with customers when done correctly.
Why Should Your Business Invest in Video Advertising?
If you haven’t already, video advertising can be the game changer for your business. Here are several reasons and statistics that make video ads a worthwhile investment:
- Higher traffic. According to statistics, 86% of marketers said video marketing helped drive more traffic to their business. (Wyzowl, 2021)
- More conversions. Customers are 17% more likely to buy a product after watching a video ad, and almost half of all people buy after discovering a product via video ads. (Wyzowl, 2024)
- Increased revenue. Businesses that use videos in their marketing grow revenue 49% faster than those that don’t. (Wordstream, 2024)
In addition to statistics, here are practical reasons that make video ads a worthwhile investment.
Videos are more engaging that static images or text. That means you have more capacity to capture audience attention and leave a lasting impression.
Videos can convey emotion, helping you connect with your audience on an emotional level, which can foster brand loyalty.
Finally, video formats can be repurposed across various platforms, like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram. This allows you to maximize brand visibility without overspending on the creative side.
So, convinced yet?
5 Most Effective Types of Video Ads to Try
If you’re interested in dipping your toes into video advertising. Here are the 5 best video formats to try:
A. Native ads
Native ads are the pinnacle of seamless and subtlety in the world of video ads. They match and adapt to the surrounding content, making them feel integrated to the whole experience.
Native ads are also less intrusive than other traditional formats since they appear on the timeline. This encourages people to watch and engage with them.
For example, I saw a video from Monday.com while scrolling through Facebook. It was only after a few seconds in that I realized it was a native ad, as evidenced by the “sponsored” tag at the upper left corner:
Here is another example of a native ad from my Instagram feed:
B. Sponsored content
Sponsored content is a subset of native advertising where instead of showing the ad on a particular platform, a publisher is paid to feature the ad on the company’s behalf. This is more commonly observed on YouTube channels.
Fortunately, YouTube was kind enough to add before a video starts (found at the upper left corner) announcing that a video includes paid promotion:
Depending on the creator you work with, they can make sponsored video content as seamlessly integrated as possible.
One of the best YouTube creators who used to do this was Brett Cooper in The Comments Section. Here is an example [timestamp 3:35-4:51]:
Other creators aren’t very subtle in their approach or the video is not related to the content but seem to do it quite well nonetheless. One example is Future Canoe that manage to integrate Squarespace into his cooking video [timestamp 5:35-6:20]:
C. Social media ads
Social media has been the breeding ground for all sorts of video advertising: in-stream, native, and standalone videos.
But for this purpose, we’ll focus on standalone ads. These videos are commonly found not on your timeline, but when users are busy watching reels or shorts.
They are not intrusive in any way, since users can simply scroll through if disinterested. However, some ad creators do a good job in keeping users engaged and glued to the screen.
Here are a few examples:
IG reels ads:
Facebook reels ads:
D. Out-stream ads
Out-stream video ads can come in various shapes and sizes, such as pop-ups, videos embedded into the content, banner ads, or small video players. Many of these video ads have no sound or are muted, so as not to ruin the user experience.
Unlike in-stream videos, such as the ones that show while watching a YouTube video, out-stream ads are less intrusive. They are often out of focus, but you have the liberty to watch if you want.
Here is an example from CNN:
E. Bumper ads
Bumper ads are a toned-down version of in-stream ads. They are less intrusive and annoying, but they can appear at any point during a video, occupying the entire screen.
As the name suggests, bumper ads are like roadbumps that get cars to slow down but not to a complete stand-still. In other words, they interrupt the video briefly (like 6 seconds for YouTube) and then let you proceed with watching.
If you notice, most suggested video formats suggested above are deliberately non-intrusive.
Why?
Because no user wants blatant, right-on-your-face, shove-down-your-throat ads. Giving users unskippable ads leaves a negative impression on your brand, makes users not want to do business with you.
5 Tips for High-conversion Video Advertising
Here are some actionable tips to skyrocket the effectiveness of your video advertising efforts:
1. Know your audience
Your video ads is only as good as how your audience receives them. If a low-buget video ad made by some Fiverr freelancer converts better than a high falutin video ad directed by Steven Spielberg, the former is more valuable from a business perspective.
For that purpose, you must know your audience. Before creating content, or even brainstorming ideas, take time identifying your target viewers—their preferences, pain points, and behaviors.
Understand where they spend time online, what kind of videos resonate with them, and the challenges they face. Are they Gen Alpha people spending their days on TikTok or Baby Boomers who find solace on Facebook?
Then, tailor your messaging, tone, and visuals to connect emotionally and align with their needs. Personalized videos that speak directly to your audience’s interests are far more likely to convert.
When you know your audience inside out, you can deliver relevant, impactful content that grabs attention, builds trust, and drives high-conversion results for your business.
2. Collaborate with the right people
If your video advertising campaign lean toward paid sponsorships with creators, partner with brands, influencers, or industry experts align with your target market.
For instance, if you sell home security padlocks, it would make zero sense partnering up with a content creator whose target audience are kids.
Discuss how you can integrate your ad naturally into their video content. This approach will make your ad feels less forced and more organic. Plus, you gain access to a loyal, engaged viewer base, which can boost your credibility.
Authentic collaborations generate higher conversions because audiences view the message as a recommendation rather than a hard sell.
3. Keep your viewers hooked
Modern viewers, especially those watching on social media, have short attention spans. At most, you have about 5 seconds to leave an impression. This is all the time a user needs to decide if your ads is worth watching or they should just skip and go on with their lives.
In other words, keeping viewers hooked is key!
The first few seconds of your video are crucial—start with a strong hook that grabs attention immediately. For instance, use clear visuals, a strong opener, intriguing questions, or bold statements to spark curiosity.
Once interest is piqued, maintain engagement by delivering value quickly. Be concise and straight to the point, without be too fast-placed that you leave room for confusion. You may incorporate storytelling techniques and emotional triggers to sustain interest throughout.
4. Ensure high-quality production
High-quality ≠ expensive
Ensuring high-quality production simply means you leave no stone left unturned throughout the brainstorming, production, and deployment phases.
If you have the people to work your video ads, good.
If not, you can partner up with reputable video production specialists, to handle the production from start to finish.
Here is a sample:
If reputable institutions like FIFA and Hyundai trust them, you can rest assured they can handle your bidding with flying colors.
5. Include an actionable call-to-action
Think of CTA as the cherry on top of your video ad. CTAs only come into action when your audience reaches the end of your ad. It is the final push that turns viewers into leads or customers (depending on your CTA’s intensity).
Add a CTA that prompts your audience to take the next step. The idea is the CTA must be clear, direct, and compelling, and use action-oriented language, like “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Get Started” to drive immediate response.
Then, pair your CTA with on-screen visuals, clickable buttons, or links to make it easy for viewers to act.
Ready to Create Your Video Ad?
Video ads are a great way to promote your products and services in an entertaining and engaging way.
It all begins with knowing your audience and setting your campaign objectives. After which, decide if working in-house or partnering up with reputable video production companies is the best way forward.
If you need a professional team to handle your video production, Splento has you covered.
Click here to explore Splento’s portfolio.
Author’s bio:
Joel John Cariño has always been fascinated with SEO and the works. For over four years, he has helped clients boost their online visibility through top-notch SEO content with a kick of direct-response copywriting. He now works as an SEO specialist and content writer at LinkStorm, a must-have AI-powered internal linking toolkit.
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