12 Tips for Creating Facebook Video Ads that Stop the Scroll

With the vast resources of the Internet now available in the palm of our hands through cell phones and tablets, the power of video marketing has reached epic proportions. Once viewed as fringe, luxury accessories to marketing efforts, the use of video is now an essential component of any successful marketing campaign.

The following statistics show just how effective and impactful video marketing has become in the mobile digital age:

• 60% of users prefer watching online videos over traditional television programming
• 82% of consumer internet traffic will consist of video viewing by 2022, 15 times higher than it was just five years prior
• 78% of users watch online videos every week, with more than half viewing online videos every day
• 75% of online videos are viewed through mobile devices
• 95% of a message is retained when information is presented in a video format, compared to just 10% when reading it in text

What can video do for you?

If one picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth exponentially more. If you’re selling a product, service, or lifestyle, video production is the most effective way to introduce and grow your brand to help accomplish your goals.

Examples of the kinds of goals you can accomplish with video marketing include:

• Explainer videos showing how your product or service works
• Increase the users’ time spent on your website
• Boost email click-through rates
• Build your brand recognition and awareness
• Increase meaningful connections with your customer base
• Build trust with your current and future customers
• Tell a story about your company or product
• Increase conversion rates, sales, and revenue
• Rank higher on Google and other search engines
• Increase interactions on social media

The power of Facebook

Since Facebook began in 2004 as a way for Harvard students to connect, the social media network has taken the world by storm and now has more members than many countries around the globe. Membership and time spent on Facebook continues to grow, with more people spending more time on the platform.

• Facebook currently has over two billion monthly active users, with 74% of them logging in daily
• Behind only Google and YouTube, Facebook is the world’s third-most visited website, and the fifth-most downloaded free app after YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat
• 71% of American adults use Facebook, with more than half of teens on the social media outlet
• 90 million small businesses use Facebook
• 87.1% of US marketers are expected to use Facebook marketing in 2020

Impact of Facebook video ads

Facebook has been preparing for the explosion of video content for years. They’ve made a successful push to make the platform video-friendly and video-focused on both their website and mobile applications.

Here are some statistics that show the power of Facebook ads:

• Facebook has more than 4 billion video views every day
• 100 million hours of video content is viewed by 500 million Facebook users daily
• 60% of all Americans view videos via Facebook
• The cost of video ads is 10% of the price of carousel or single image ads

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12 solid tips to stop users from scrolling

Facebook is a busy place, and it takes a lot to make your content stand out among the millions of competitors.

Here are some helpful tips designed to prompt users to “stop the scroll” and view your content.

1. Silent videos

With many people consuming content from their mobile devices, 85% of Facebooks videos are viewed without the sound on during commutes and working hours. The following tips will help you produce silent videos that are effective at getting your message across:

• Write a video script that works as well with or without dialogue
• Use large, dynamic visuals to grab viewers’ attentions
• Make the content speak for itself without the need for further explanation
• Calls to action need to be large and frequently used throughout the video

2. Square it up

While it may seem counterintuitive, you should format your Facebook video ads to be square instead of the typical 16:9 ratio that has been recommended for years. Square videos take up more room on users’ Facebook feeds and will allow your content to draw more attention and views.

3. Open with a blurred image

In a move that’ll make cinematographers cringe, blurring the first few seconds of your video before bringing it into focus will motivate users to stop scrolling to see what the image is.

4. Grab attention with shocking visual effects

Using jarring images or dynamic transitions will catch the eyes of users scrolling by. The key is to make the first images of your video eye-catching and, most importantly, different from the rest of the content users see in their feed.

5. Use bold graphics

Titles and captions should catch the viewer’s attention every bit as much as the rest of the video. This is where you’re relaying the most important information. Make them stand out to prevent the viewer from moving on.

6. Offer discounts, promotions

People love deals, discounts, and promotions. If you offer a special discount or promotion, make sure you dangle them at the start of the video to help your retention numbers instead of tacking it on at the end, which many viewers will never see.

7. Explain product, service at the top

It’s also important to explain your products or services at the start of the video to draw viewers in and pique their interest. Once you hook them in with the wonder and excitement of your product or service, then you can get into the details and specifics about what you’re offering.

8. Animation

One of the most effective ways to lure users in is to use animations, especially within the first few seconds of the video. Strategic use of 2D, 3D, or whiteboard animation will make your video stand out above the rest and get users interested in your message and the way it’s being presented.

9. Realistic approach

Highly produced video content can actually turn viewers off. The trick is to make the videos look like organic Facebook content that was created by an everyday user. A vlog or selfie-style video reviewing your product or services will bring users in and get them invested before they even realize they’re watching an advertisement.

10. Make it look like news

Facebook video viewers are more likely to stop and watch a news style, third person format. Mimicking a news source’s style and even their graphics font and look will increase the chances of viewers staying on your video and watching the whole thing.

11. Make it sexy

Sex sells. Advertising executives have been touting this marketing adage for decades, and it’s just as true today as it was in the early days of marketing. Sure, it’s low-hanging fruit that panders to consumers’ least attractive denominators, but the fact is it works. Spicing up your video with gorgeous models is an effective way to grab Facebook users’ attention and keep them watching your content.

12. Pay attention to thumbnail images

Perhaps the most often overlooked element of Facebook video ads is the creation and selection of the thumbnail image that users will see while scrolling. Make sure the thumbnail image stays on brand, properly teases your content, and stands out with bold imagery to entice users to click and view your video.

Take advantage of the power of Facebook

Facebook is a powerful tool that can reach more potential customers than any other medium in today’s digital marketing landscape. Grabbing a user’s attention with a dynamic, impactful video is an effective way to boost your page views leading to increased sales and revenue.