Should I be running video ads and what can I expect?

If you want to remind recent website visitors about your offer, running video ads will help. Some videos show on YouTube while others show on the Display network (meaning, your videos can appear on other sites.)

When budget is limited, video ads are best used with Remarketed Audiences––those who have already gone to your site and completed a conversion. People who watch your video aren’t necessarily searching for a solution at that moment. So, using video ads to remind the right audience (remarketed) about your offer can help increase their desire to buy.

Later as the budget grows, adding in some video ads to Outbound Audiences can be a good idea. Especially with impulse-buy products or products/services that don't have a pre-existing market of users who are already looking for it.

What should my videos be like?

This varies wildly depending on the industry, the product/service, the target market, the business branding, etc.

Here are a few ideas to choose from. Our recommendation is to make as many as possible because it's tough to know what will be the most effective until you test it with your audience:

• Customer/client testimonial videos
• "How to" style videos that address common hesitations or questions prospects have
• Business owner "mission statement" videos where the company founder introduces themselves & their "why"
• Professional commercial-style videos showcasing a product/service or a category of products/services
• Affiliate amateur-style videos where a partner figure recommends the product/service

Here is our helpful 1-minute script template that could come in handy if you plan on making a video soon.

Here is a succinct article that Google created to offer tips and guidance on video ads.

Here are 5 video ad sequence ideas to provide ideas for different video ads:

1. Tease, Amplify, Echo (3 videos). This sequence is composed of 3 videos. You start with a 6-second video to tease the audience. Then, you amplify your message with a longer video that explains your offer. After that, you end with a 6-second ad to reinforce your message and nudge viewers to take action.

2. The Direct Shot (3 or more 6-second videos). This type of sequence uses the same video format but from different angles to avoid repetition and viewer fatigue. We recommend that you limit your videos to 6 seconds and make sure you break down products or services into clear value propositions.

3. The Mini Series. These are like the direct shot, but with longer form videos. One of the things that makes the mini series so effective is you can sequence the video ads based on how users engage with your content. If someone viewed your video, you can serve more ads they might be interested in. If someone skipped your video, you can show a more straightforward video with a CTA. With the mini series, you can break videos into different parts of the story––the conflict, the climax, and the resolution.

4. The Follow Up (2 videos). In this video ad sequence, you start with a long form video that explains your brand and your offer. Then, follow up with a shorter video to keep the message alive and drive your viewers to your CTA.

5. The Lead-In (2 videos). This video sequence involves two videos. First, a 6-second video that introduces the narrative and teases the story. Next, show a longer video that presents your product’s features, benefits, and USP. Don’t forget to end with a strong CTA.

Pro Tips:

• Since videos are often skippable, it’s critical that you mention your brand or company name and your offer within the first 6 seconds.

• For a bigger impact (but not mandatory) show your company logo within those first 6 seconds, and place it anywhere except the bottom right.

• Start with a question or shocking statement in the first 10 seconds.

• Tell the viewer "what's in it for them" (make them the hero of the story).

• Video length and aspect ratio aren't important.

• Don't mention time-specific details. Keep the content evergreen, because Google has to re-optimize every time the video is replaced.

• Make a handful of videos & let Google rotate between them to find the winner. Don't limit yourself to one video.

• Google will create sequences from your videos automatically (i.e. it will show video A to a user and then video B to the same user if it finds that to be the order that gets the highest engagement)

How long should my videos be?

The most important thing is the first 5 seconds because most video ads are skip-able after that. Make sure to include a value statement in the first 5 seconds. As for the final length of the video, it doesn't matter too much!

Where should I host my videos?

Videos will need to be hosted on your YouTube channel.

How will video ads impact my conversions?

Videos are often not clicked on directly. Instead, leads will watch the ad a few times then search the brand on Google afterwards.

This makes conversion hard to track directly, but you should see a rise in the conversion rate of your Branded Campaign and View-Through Conversions report.

How do I keep my audience engaged?

It’s important to remember that if your video ad is not engaging right off the bat, you’ll lose a big percentage of your audience immediately. So if you want to build effective video ads, you need to grab your audience’s attention with a great hook.

4 Tips to getting your audience hooked and engaged:

1. Start from the climax. Drop your viewers in the middle of the action––the most exciting, dramatic, or interesting scene in the plot. When you start at the peak of the climax, you successfully catch their attention.

2. Make sure that the story is relevant to your audience–and specifically made for your avatar. Address your viewers’ wants and needs and make them feel like the story is about them.

3. Use imagery and language (e.g. script) that your viewers aren’t expecting. This helps in disrupting behavioral patterns, beliefs, and any preconceived notions about your story or offer.

4. Keep your viewers guessing. Add some element of surprise to keep the anticipation going. Only reveal enough information that will make your audience curious to find out more.