How to create the best video for your marketing campaign

Summary

The brand remains more imprinted in people’s minds thanks to video content, especially when the company can attract attention and generate emotions.

However, to gain attention and excite the audience, the video must have some key elements to improve the marketing campaign’s performance to gain attention and excite the audience.

Key Points

• Videos convert more than other types of content.
• Videos receive about 93.3% visibility on TV.
• When the right side of the human brain is engaged, companies achieve more robust levels of attention and emotion.

If we think about it, most communication channels prefer the video format. Examples are Instagram Stories and Reels, TikTok, Youtube, Facebook Watch, and Twitch.

Of course, showing more of this type of format is not accidental. In fact, over the years, it has been demonstrated how videos generate more attention and emotions than static content leading the user to stay more on that particular channel or communication platform.

50% of marketers and marketing agencies who participated in the survey conducted by Advertiser Perception say that video is the most suitable tool to achieve the goal and business KPIs. Moreover, 47% emphasize that videos advertised on TV achieve better performance than the web.

This data makes us understand how the choice of the platform becomes fundamental when you want to advertise a video. That is why it is necessary to talk about visibility on different channels.

In a report, IAS (Integral Ad Science) highlights how visibility changes based on the chosen channel.

For example, video ads passed on TV reach 93.3% of visibility, while those published on mobile applications reach 92.6%. Only finally come to the videos given on the web from smartphones (73.7%) and desktops (73.6%).

But the research doesn’t stop there. The Attention Council shows how YouTube and Facebook ads only have a 53% attention rate; instead TV gains more attention, with twice as much active viewing on YouTube and 15 times that of Facebook.

So yes, the user’s attention level changes by platform, but it’s still the content that makes the difference. Also, although video-type content varies by channel and device on which you advertise, it takes on the same critical principles for both web and TV channels.

Let’s see the main characteristics that distinguish a good video ad from a video that doesn’t bring results.

1. The first few seconds are crucial.

Any content must attract the audience’s attention in the first milliseconds. Therefore, having a solid initial hook will increase the video’s chances of successfully entertaining the audience.

2. Highlight the product or service you are offering right away

Highlighting the product or service you are advertising right away will keep the audience’s attention, especially if the product or service is what the target audience wants.

3. Time

The video length is a critical factor; however, as mentioned above, this can change based on the channel and the devices you decide to publish the content. For example, attention spans are higher when audiences view a video on mobile rather than desktop.  

Studies show that 30-second videos generate more impressions (79%) than videos under 15 seconds (21%).

4. The Why

Why should your audience choose your company’s product or service over a competitor’s?

Whether it’s a great value, an unlimited warranty, or a unique product or service, you need to give viewers a reason to choose your company. It’s important to emphasize this when planning and filming your video.

5. Call To Action (CTA)

Your video ad should contain a final call to action. Once the target audience has seen the product/service and your company makes them understand why they chose your brand, you should add a CTA.

6. Subtitles

According to a Verizon Media survey, 7 in 10 consumers (69%) watch videos without audio in public places.

The same respondents (37%) confirm that subtitles encourage them to turn on the audio because they arouse interest in the video.

In addition, 3 in 10 (29%) say that subtitles allow them to continue watching a video because it helps them understand it. And that’s not all.

Captions also have a positive effect on ad performance.

Survey results show that respondents report not only an increase (8%) in recall of the ad in their mind but also an increase in the connection to the brand (13%). 

That creates a 20% increase in the feeling that the ad will be something people will talk about when there are subtitles.

Other studies show how videos that engage our “right-brain” (i.e., those that use stories, people, and places) provide more substantial consumer attention and emotion, generating more sales, share and profit growth.

In contrast, videos that engage the left brain (i.e., those featuring quick cuts, minimal story, and product-centric) had direct, short-term effects but were less effective in the long run.

These elements increase the likelihood of a successful video, leading the target audience to purchase your product or service.

Of course, we know that it is still challenging to choose between one video or the other, even though both have the key elements we have mentioned.

However, today, thanks to new Artificial Intelligence tools that capture specific data about emotions and the audience’s attention, you can know which video performs better on the chosen target.

AI will allow you to analyze metrics such as attention and emotions in the pre-testing phase to save your company time and budget. We discuss this topic in a more detailed document explaining how to use these metrics to your advantage so you don’t waste time and budget unnecessarily.