4 Elements That Can Make or Break Your Video Ad

You’ve probably heard about the countless benefits of leveraging video ads in your marketing mix. Although consumer goods like clothing, food or jewelry might come to mind, the value of video ads aren’t isolated to B2C companies. In fact, 86% of marketers say video has been effective for generating leads. Given that lead generation is the single most important priority for B2B marketers, creating video content is a no-brainer!

So, you’ve officially decided to start investing in video advertising. But what’s next? Regardless of whether it’s short- or long-form video that you’re looking to create, it can be hard to know exactly where to begin. Although there are plenty of resources out there on the basics of video production and editing, it can still be a daunting task to identify the specific steps you need to take in order to produce a video ad that will generate your desired results.

Want to produce powerful video content for your brand? Here are four key elements that can either make or break your video ad:

1. Establish a Plan for Your Video Ad

Good marketing requires a plan to succeed. This is especially true when it comes to video. From start to finish, video production can require up to five hours for each video. That’s why you need a gameplan for choosing your topic, writing a script, recording, and editing your video so you can get the best-quality content for your investment.

Below are several tips for each stage of the video production process:

STAGE 1 – Identify Your Topic:

• Consider at which stage of the buyer’s journey this video ad will fall. If you don’t know what you want your viewers to get from the video, neither will they.
• Feedback from your customers can be extremely valuable in helping you to select a topic. For instance, maybe there’s an issue with your product that you had no idea existed. By identifying the challenges your customers face and what they’d like to learn about, you can create video content that they will find useful.

STAGE 2 – Write Your Video Ad Script:

• Take advantage of scriptwriting software. By having a dedicated tool in your belt that you use to write content, your workflow will be much smoother.
• Be patient and keep practicing. Writing a video script can be challenging at first, but the only way you’ll get better is through practice. Don’t expect yourself to be a superstar overnight. Great things take time.

STAGE 3 – Record Your Video Ad Content:

• Get familiar with your video gear and equipment. To maximize the quality of your video ad, it’s important to be proficient with the tools you’re using. This will make the production process much easier when it comes time for the video shoot.
• Get comfortable on camera. In order to make the production process as painless as possible, make sure your subjects are as prepared as possible beforehand.

STAGE 4 – Edit & Finalize Your Video Ad:

• It’s important to remember that done is better than perfect—especially when it comes to short-form video. While your video should be polished and contain all the necessary elements, none of that matters if it never gets posted.
• Learn how to leverage the art of professional software. For example, Davinci Resolve is a great, professional-quality software tool. It’s completely free to use and will deliver reliable results for your video ad.

For more tips and tricks for this stage, check out our recent blog post on how to create a long-term inbound marketing video strategy.

2. Make Your Video Ads Specific

Photographer Bruce Herwig once said, “If everything is a focus, nothing is a focus.” In order to be successful, your business must have a clear focus in mind. So, why shouldn’t your video marketing do the same?

By creating a clear focus for your video, you’re in turn infusing your content with purpose. And when your video has purpose, your potential customers will want to watch it. Whether it’s to engage, entertain, inspire or delight, people must have a reason that will compel them to watch your video ad.

Your video ad could be used to promote your latest product offering, highlight your company culture or feature user-generated content. For example, Euclid Chemical enlisted our team to develop a video to commemorate its 30-year anniversary. The video featured user-generated content that was obtained through a contest among employees. A shortened version of the video was then shared on social media to help foster brand awareness and engagement.

3. Invest in Good Audio for Your Video Ads

When you click on a video ad, are you more likely to exit the page if you encounter audio that you have to strain to hear or that sounds distorted? Nothing breaks immersion with your video quite like poor audio quality.

Below are a few tips for making sure your audio quality is top notch:

TIP 1 – Keep the Dialog a Priority:

Make sure your audio level is balanced throughout the entire video. Your audience shouldn’t be overwhelmed by loud music or sound effects. Every sound has its purpose. To achieve this, remove as much microphone noise as possible by recording your voice-over audio in a quiet room with little to no echo. This will minimize background feedback.

TIP 2 – Invest in a High-Quality Microphone:

If you’re recording an interview, try using a lavalier microphone or boom pole with a shotgun mic. Avoid your in-camera mic as much a possible, as poor compression quality can make your audio hard to hear clearly.

TIP 3 – Record Audio on a Separate Track:

By recording audio onto a second track, you’re able to edit as you see fit without messing with the video track. This can help make transitions (or cuts) much easier.

4. Include a Clear, Compelling Call-to-Action in Your Video Ads

Now that you’re finished with the recording, you’ll want to be sure to include a clear, compelling call-to-action (CTA) at the end of your video ad. This is arguably the most important part, as CTAs can increase your video’s performance exponentially. In fact, video content with a CTA gets 380% more clicks.

Some examples of effective CTAs for your video ad can include:

• Visiting your website;
• Signing up for a webinar;
• Purchasing a product and/or service;
• Downloading an e-book; or
• Registering for an event.

CTAs are most productive when they request a specific, clear action that is relevant to the content within the video. Essentially, the video acts as your salesperson, while the CTA at the end helps to close the deal.

By taking time to plan ahead, making your videos specific, investing in good audio and utilizing a clear CTA, your video ads will be well positioned to meet any objective your brand wants to achieve—whether it’s promoting a new product or driving traffic to your website. As long as you include these four elements, you’re well on your way to a successful video ad!