Many brands are redirecting their marketing efforts to social media because platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have proven themselves to be capable marketing platforms. One of the best ways for brands to reach their audience is to create quality video content for their social media ads, and many brands are working with top video production services to deliver their ads in highly competitive industry.

Did you know that almost 80 percent of all web traffic comes from videos alone? This clearly reflects on how much people love to engage with video content on the internet, making it the perfect medium for brands to engage with their audience.

So, if you haven’t already, it’s high time you do a little research on the best video agency in your area and work with them to bring your audience the video ads they want to see. To help you out, here are a few elements that every successful social media video ad should have.

1.      It should tell a story

If you want your video ad to have an effect on people, it should evoke an emotion. And what’s the best way to evoke an emotion? By telling a story. People love to hear stories, whether it’s a funny story, a touching tear-jerking story, a story about love or friendship, etc., because we can relate to the emotions they convey.

It’s no surprise that a majority of video ads tell a story, as opposed to explainer videos, product demonstrations, and how-to’s. Your video ad should be focused on the story rather than being too sales-y. This allows you to concentrate on the value that your brand can provide for customers.

2.      It should appeal to your target audience

Any video production agency will tell you that you need to develop your video keeping your target audience in mind. This is one of the most important elements you need to keep in mind. Every aspect of the video ad – from the format, the story and plot, the background music, the aesthetic and direction, and more – is influenced by your target audience.

For example, a video ad targeted at millennials and a one that is for boomers will clearly not be the same. Gaining audience insights will help you have a clear understanding of who your target audience is and what they want.

3.      It should have a clear objective

Before you spend your money on your video production, you need to be clear about what your objectives for the video are. Are you trying to drive traffic to your website? Are you trying to gain more followers and build brand awareness? Are you promoting a certain product or service? Do you want to increase leads?

In other words, you have to be clear on what exactly you wish to achieve from the video. This will help you create a better video, while also making measurement of results much easier.

4.      It should be mindful of time

Creating a video ad for social media means that you should be very mindful of your time. Generally, a video production company would recommend a short video which is no longer than 60 seconds. This is because today, people have a short attention span and they likely won’t watch your video if it is too long.

However, this doesn’t mean that keeping things short and sweet is always the answer. Depending on the platform you are uploading the video on, you may be able to work with longer videos as well. While Instagram and Twitter may do well with 60 second videos, longer videos may perform better on Facebook and YouTube.

5.      It should be optimized for mobile

Last but definitely not the least, your video must be optimized for mobile. This is because more than half of videos on the internet are viewed from phones. Think about it, you use social media and streaming apps through your mobile phone, and you are on your phone for a good portion of your waking hours. This makes it easy for brands to engage with their audience through phones.

With these social media video ad tips, you can be confident that your video will be a huge hit. The only thing left is to find a good video production agency that can understand your vision.