You know your customers, and they spend lots of time on social media. Learning how to create social media video ads must be on your to-do list because a simple graphic with “buy me” is not going to work.

Old. Boring. Salesy. Social media has been existing for over a decade, and most likely, your customers have evolved with it. If your ad is so 2008, it will fade into memory — just like 2008. Buy? Bye!

In this article, we will discuss the following:

• Why you need to use social media video ads
• What are the different types of social media video ads?
• How to create social media video ads that drive sales

Let’s get started.

Why You Need to Use Social Media Video Ads

I know that despite the billions of people using social media on a daily basis, it is still difficult to turn it into one of your lead-generating machines.

Ads are everywhere. Out of all the ideas you have, over half are probably not new in their eyes. Experts tell you, “You need to stand out!” If only it were as easy as it sounds, right? Ugh.

No doubt, it is difficult to stand out. But it doesn’t mean that it is impossible. It is possible, especially if you utilize social media video ads. Videos are scroll-stopping even if they have seen something like it before.

Data says that the majority of social media users spend so much time watching videos. In fact, many of them open up their social media apps to entertain themselves with (you guessed it) videos!

Maybe you can relate. Do you remember what you did for hours before you slept these past few days? You were on social media, weren’t you? Social media has negative mental health impacts, but it is good for de-stressing!

Compared to static graphics, videos are definitely better at entertainment, so if you want to attract these people’s attention and make them feel compelled to click your CTA button, create social media video ads!

What Are the Different Types of Social Media Video Ads?

OK. You have decided that social media video ads are the way to go. But you are inexperienced. Maybe this is the first time you will stray from the *super meh* graphics. No worries!

There are different types of social media video ads. But before you stress over picking the right one, know that you can do that only if you know your audience.

The goal is to create something they will stop whatever they are doing for — something that will hold their attention for over 5 seconds.

These different types of social media video ads below evoke different emotions, impressions, and actions. If you will work with a video agency or expert, they can help you choose the best.

1. Static Image With Animated Text

Believe it or not, even if you animate just 2 words on the ad, its impact on whoever sees it will X10. Look at this ad I grabbed from Canva. You will see what it looks like when it is not moving, so you can easily see the difference.

2. Animated Image With Static Text

I may have chosen a poor animation style for the hamburger below, but it makes sense. This is for the National Hamburger Day, and it must be exciting. The shaky animation shows excitement!

3. Static Image and Text With Visual Effects

See the video below? If the vegetables were not moving, the ad will look bland — even though the pasta dish is actually delicious.

4. Talking Head

You will see lots of talking heads on YouTube. A talking head video is good for videos that aim to educate or share information with the audience. Having your face in the center, as the focus, makes the interaction personal.

You can use a professional camera for this, or use your phone and turn your arm into a monopod. Many creators do the latter. Go to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Facebook and Instagram Reels to know what I am talking about.

5. Product Demos and Showcases

Product demos and showcases are product-centered videos that you can use to, well, promote your product. You tell the audience how to operate it or how it works. That information will help them with decision-making.

“Will the product solve my problem? Is it easy to use, or will it stress me out and give me more problems?” Educate your audience on your product before they purchase for damage control and reputation management.

If they get disappointed after the purchase, they might leave a bad review!

6. Explainer Videos

Many of the explainer videos that I see are 2D-animated, but it can also be a real person explaining what your product is. Basically, the purpose of an explainer video is to show the audience how things work.

How to Create Social Media Video Ads That Drive Sales

Online tools for creating videos are everywhere. CapCut is one of them, although it is not a good tool for overly complex videos. Still, creating videos today by yourself is doable. In fact, many have been doing that.

Nonetheless, while hiring video experts is now just another option, their skills and knowledge as well as their professional tools are helpful.

DIY video editing tools are limited. You can use the video elements available in their library, and others can use those, too. The video may look similar to other videos created using the tool you used.

Regardless, the priority must be to create a social media video ad that resonates with your audience. You can ask the questions below to find it out.

1. What Is Your Goal?

Someone has told you this before: You need to identify your goals before you create the ad. That is the first step in everything. Why? If you don’t know what you want to happen, you will not know what to do to make it happen.

A lot of things depend on your goal: the messaging and ad copy, the music and sound effects, the visual elements in the ad, and the target demographics, which matter if you will use paid ads.

2. Who Is Your Target Audience?

You have a video ad idea in mind, but before you start working on it, ask yourself whether it is the kind of ad that will catch your target audience’s eyeballs. Oh, you don’t know who your target audience is?

Your target audience is basically the people you believe will benefit so much from whatever you are offering. You should know their age, their location, their interests, and their gender, among others.

3. What Type of Video Ad Do You Like?

I shared different types of video ads you can use on social media above, but those are not all. You can find more types here. Note that the social media platform must be put into consideration before you start.

For instance, 16:9 videos are perfect for YouTube. But while you can repurpose them without changing the ratio, there will be empty spaces above and below the video. Look below; it looks okay but not great.

4. How Much Is Your Budget?

Your budget will tell you whether it is okay to seek professional help or to DIY. If you have a limited budget, like $100, it is better to DIY using the free video editing tools and watch free YouTube tutorials on video editing.

Conclusion

Images and static graphics still exist on social media, but there have been more videos than before. Brands have discovered that videos gain more engagement that’s why, so they invest in video ads.

So you did the right thing when you decided to invest in them. If you create something with effective hook and messaging, you may be surprised when you see the return on investment. Good luck!

Liked the article? How about a video script from me?

I can’t help you create video ads because I am not a video expert. But I was previously a scriptwriter at a video marketing agency, and I can help you write a video script! Click here to learn more!