If you’ve been following the tech blogs over the past few weeks, you’ve likely heard about the large leaps Facebook is undertaking to dominate the video hosting/streaming landscape. Well, with the announcement they will be opening up their muted, auto-play video format to advertisers on a grand scale, not using their platform for video may no longer be an option. For many brands, who are already seeing huge increases in their conversion rates with the use of video advertising elsewhere, Facebook’s new “suggested video” feature will seem like an obvious next step; however, it does have logistical issues that need to be considered. Much like Instagram, companies and agencies will likely want to adapt campaigns to include Facebook specific versions, to address the platform’s intricacies.
Beyond general size/length, many of the considerations you’ll need to make when planning and executing a video ad for Facebook should probably be the same ones you make for all of your video campaigns. Here are a few things to think about during your planning stage.
It’s important to remember that the videos on Facebook, and some other social platforms (like Instagram and Vine), are muted by default. This means that unless a user chooses to turn on the sound, you’ll be telling a silent story. Hence, you’ll want your video to have the ability to convey the messaging and call to action visually. This way, regardless of the user’s choice to hear your video, dependant on a number of factors, they’ll get the gist of what you’re saying – and if interested, react appropriately.
Although users statistically spend around 1-2 hours a day on social networks, they do so in chunks, over the entire day. You’ll want to keep this in mind when choosing an appropriate video length. Most research suggests that anything more than 30 seconds begins to lose attention. Most networks actually cap your videos at 15 seconds. If you have multiple messages/services/products, or want to really make a strong impact, you’ll want to consider creating a series of ads – à la Old Spice. Production value should also be considered, as videos with crisper, smoother, more emotionally provoking production and sound generally get more engagement.
Facebook “suggested video” advertising, much like their messenger for business platform, is still in its testing phase, and likely won’t see a full (worldwide) rollout for a little while, but it’s not too early to start integrating elements of its specifications into your campaigns, as they will very soon be the new standard for the way we consume video adertising online.
JohnAmardeil.com 