When Facebook officially promoted auto-play video ads in 2015, most users were confused by the videos playing out of nowhere. Although there was a certain dose of resistance during the beginnings, we all got used to the auto-play feature; and business owners agreed that Video Ads were a great opportunity for them to market their brand to the right audience.

Facebook did its best to explain how the users can create video ads, so it’s not that hard to understand the straightforward concept. The main benefit you’ll get through such marketing campaign is greater reach. Your ad will be presented to the right target audience, so you can expect more likes and conversions.

Here is the main problem: if you’re still new to this (and we all are), it won’t be enough for you to read Facebook’s instructions for posting videos. You need a strategy that will help you gain the greatest advantages from this opportunity.

Before we get into details, let’s answer the question from our headline: can a small business benefit from Facebook Video Ads? Definitely! This is the simplest way to explain how the ads function: you upload your video, you set the budget, and you allow Facebook to promote it to your specific audience. You’ll get relevant views that can easily convert.

The Auto-Play Feature

If you’ve used the traditional paid Facebook Ads before, you already know how great they are. They reach your target customer and you’re constantly getting likes on your page when the ads are active. The Video Ads are much better, mainly due to the auto-play feature. As the Facebook user scrolls down the feed, your ad suddenly starts playing and you get a chance to capture their attention and show exactly what benefits they will get from your business.

The user will either watch the actual video with sound, or he will keep scrolling down without paying attention to your offer. What makes the difference? It’s all about the uniqueness and quality of your ad. Let’s see how you can achieve the best effect.

Practical Tips for Creating Effective Facebook Video Ads

1. The first few seconds are crucial!

Remember: the viewer can easily neglect your ad if it isn’t impressive right from the start. You need to grab their attention from the very first second. You can use a funny or inspiring quote or scene, or anything else that would work well for your target audience. The viewer should experience some kind of emotion: fear, excitement, pleasure, curiosity, or anything else that will keep them watching the video.

2. There is no sound, so focus on the visual effect

The viewer sees a muted version of the video unless he clicks on it. Thus, you need to focus its visual effect. Find a beautiful actor, design colorful graphics, start with an intriguing quote written over an attractive background, or think of another way to grasp the viewer’s attention.

3. Make the sound perfect!

When the viewers like what they see, they will click on the video. At this point, you mustn’t shock them with loud, nerve-wracking soundtrack, unless you think your target audience would fall for that effect. If there is a voice presenting your products and services, it has to be pleasant, authoritative, and clear.

4. Make it short and spectacular

It would be best to keep your ad shorter than one minute. You can make it a bit longer if it’s really spectacular, but make sure it keeps the viewer’s attention to the very end. If you have many things to say, it would be best to shoot few videos and promote them as separate ads.

You can easily check if the ad is as long as it should be: ask few of your friends to take a look at the video before you publish it. Consider their feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

5. Create value!

Online marketers are aware of the fact that they need to present unique value to the users, but they often forget about this element when creating Facebook Video Ads. Why should your target consumer watch your video? Will they learn something new? Will you help them solve a problem? These ads are not meant to be just fun; they need to show how your company is better than the competitive brands.

6. Don’t forget the call to action

Okay, a Facebook user just watched your Video Ad. Now what? What action should follow? You need to guide them towards a specific direction, such as finding more information about your product/service at your website, liking your Facebook page, joining a contest, or anything else you have in mind.

You Must Be Wondering: How Much Will the Video Ads Cost?

Don’t worry; you won’t pay more than you’re ready to spend. Facebook lets you control your budget – you set your limit and the ad will be promoted to your target audience until that limit is reached. If you don’t think this campaign is producing the expected results, you can put it on pause and change something to make the video more captivating. If you notice it’s extremely successful, you can update your budget once it’s spent.

As far as the video filming is concerned, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on it. There is no need to hire prestigious actors or rent a fancy studio. A small business can achieve great effects with cool graphic content, which costs much less.

Final Thoughts

Are you ready to create your brief and attention-grabbing Facebook Video Ad? If you make this campaign really effective, it will help you build brand awareness and boost the popularity of your business.

Maria Castle is a freelance writer and social media expert. She writes articles and creative essay samples for Essays Scholar Advisor, education portal for students. Maria is passionate about writing, travelling and tech.