When your ads aren’t getting results, there are a lot of things that could be going on. Maybe you’ve targeted the wrong audience. Maybe your message is off—or too hard to understand. Maybe it’s just not visually appealing, or your images are competing with your message.
A lot of issues like these can be resolved (or at least improved) through A/B testing.
But what do you do when none of your ads deliver the results you need?
It might be time to try a new ad format: video.
Here’s why.
Video ads can increase engagement
A video is harder to ignore than a static image. Sound and motion add new elements to your message that can make it more immediately captivating. Many of our clients have found that they get far better engagement with video ads than they do with classic banner ads.
If your advertising campaign is built around engagement, video ads might be a way to get more bang for your buck.
And consider this: if you have a direct publisher relationship, your ads show up in front of an audience that keeps coming back. So if you use video ads to supplement the campaigns you’re already running, and those ads get strong engagement, more of that audience will be familiar with your brand when they see your other ads.
You may already have videos that work as ads
One of the biggest barriers to creating video ads is typically production cost. It takes a lot of work to create high quality videos, and many organizations don’t have full-time videographers, or they’re constantly competing for a chunk of a producer’s time.
But if your organization has already produced videos for other purposes, some of those may be able to double as ads. Think about your product demonstrations, testimonials, or tutorials. Some of these might already be primed to use as an ad, or require minimal editing to adjust the length or messaging.
Recycling your videos as ads can be a good way to help you get more life out of the work you’ve already done, while potentially increasing the engagement you see in your ad campaign.
Videos let you tell more of your brand’s story
Copywriters and designers are often locked in a constant battle over banner ads.
“There’s too much copy.”
“There’s not enough copy.”
“Can we fit more words if we change this?”
A static ad limits you to a single image with specific dimensions, forcing your whole message to feel like a call to action. Video ads give you more room—and more ways—to communicate your message.
Maybe your ads are struggling because your pitch is too complicated, and there are too many pieces to boil it down without context. Videos can deliver more complex, multifaceted messages because they have to space to lay out your message one piece at a time.
Maybe it’s time to consider video ads
Successful digital advertising requires constant adaptation. When your ads aren’t working, that doesn’t mean it’s time to pull the plug on digital ads. It means you need to test what you’re currently doing against something new.
And if your audience is right, and your message is right, maybe part of the problem is the way you’re presenting that message to your audience. Video ads could be part of the solution.
