November 14, 2016

Making an Effective Video Ad

1. Length is flexible, but keep it brief.

Compared to commercials in other media, online video advertisements afford some freedom to tell the story of your business or product in greater depth. “Humans receive and retain information at a certain pace and in a certain linear order, I recommend keeping videos in the 90- to 120-second range; if the product is relatively straightforward, a minute or less can suffice. Be careful not to abuse the relative lack of time constraints.

2. If you’re not funny, don’t make a jokey video.

Many videos go viral due to a smart, well-timed joke, so it’s tempting to come up with a funny concept for your ad or at least try to inject some humor into it. That can be a smart strategy–or a disastrous one. If funny comes natural to you as a storyteller, then tell a funny story, If it doesn’t, then forcing it is a huge mistake.”

3. Use clear language.

As natural as your business’s lingo is to you, viewers may be confused and turned off by it. Marketing people often make the mistake of using industry jargon and buzzwords as shorthand for describing value. Unpack acronyms in the video as well, he says, or they will all jumble together into gobbledygook.

4. Make viewers envision using your product.

If you can allow the viewer to project him or herself into a mental state of experiencing the product and having a positive reaction, it can go a long way toward convincing them that they should take the next step toward having it. Not only does that take a careful match of images and language, it also requires you to admit the scope of your product’s benefits. People don’t like to be lied to.

5. Understand the limitations of what a video can do.

Just as a good movie requires a strong cast and a solid script, the effectiveness of a video ad ultimately rests on the quality of the product. The biggest mistake to make when embarking on a video is to assume that a video can answer questions that the product can’t on its own. Try to produce as smart a video as you can.

Create a commercial treatment for your brand. Be thorough.

You can download a form that includes an example of what a short treatment looks like. Click Here. Use the first two pages to aid you in your work. (For a longer Video)

Afterword, after I approve your treatment you may start to create a storyboard for your video.

If you need a storyboard template, click here.