Video ads combine two of Facebook’s strongest elements: attention-grabbing content backed by the punch of advertising dollars. And ever since Facebook has placed a premium ranking on videos, they’re surfacing as the leading medium for social media. Now more than ever is the time to leverage these top tactics to boost your video ads, generate leads and increase sales.

1. Create sales funnel-specific content.

The marketing sales funnel targets buyers based on their stages of awareness, interest and readiness to purchase. The concept is designed to capture an audience’s attention and nurture them until they’re ready to purchase (or sign up or whatever).

While the sales funnel can be sliced and diced into several helpful subsections, for this blog, we’ll keep it simple. Fortunately, Facebook helps by organizing campaign objectives according to stages in the funnel. (They also provide a more in-depth guide to help you narrow your objective.)

Start your ad by segmenting your target audience into one of three purchasing stages:

1. Awareness: Individuals may have an interest in your general industry but need to be made aware of your specific business and services.
2. Consideration: Buyers know they need your type of product, but they’re considering many vendors and options.
3. Conversion: Individuals are ready to purchase a product — hopefully, your product — and they need a nudge to make the leap!

Tailor your message to appeal to the needs of each specific stage. Ask yourself, “What is their biggest pain point, and how will this ad answer it?” For example, those in the consideration phase may best respond to a short, engaging video that provides an overview of your product or service rather than a deep dive into a single feature. For those at the conversion stage, specific incentives (free shipping!) or targeted bonus features may help finalize the deal.

Bonus Tip: To reach an expanded segment similar to current buyers, create lookalike audiences, one of our favorite tools.

2. Run the one-sentence test.

Once you’ve determined your sub-audience, hone your message. You should be able to summarize the point of the video in one simple sentence. If it takes more than one concise statement for you (the creator) to explain, it will certainly take more time for the viewer to process (AKA: understand and act). As a bonus, simple messages with a strong personal pull boost shareability and, ultimately, your message’s visibility.

3. Embrace the silence.

Recent research shows that 85 percent of viewers play videos without sound. (Makes sense, right? Especially if you’re Facebook ghosting in a meeting, which we know you never do.) While some users my opt to include audio, run on the assumption that many will not. Add dialogue captions to your video either via your editing software or directly through Facebook’s automatic captions function.

4. Leverage the first three seconds.

Those are your money-makers. According to AdWeek, forty-three percent of people who watch the first three seconds will watch the first 10 seconds, and most who watch 10 seconds will then view the entire video. In addition, these golden seconds are all the more important because Facebook counts it as a “view” after three seconds.

So how might you grab attention? You have a cornucopia of tools at your fingertips. An eye-catching thumbnail (which you can customize) or dynamic visual movement in the first seconds have been proven to stir interest. Create curiosity by posing a short question in the caption, or, as one study suggests, the use of the word “you” or “your” in the first three seconds increased viewership by 100 percent.

5. Tweak and Test.

Just like any solid marketing endeavor, test variations of your ad by adjusting copy, video content, video length and call to action. Small tweaks, even a few verbs or the tag music, can affect your audience’s response and increase CTRs. While designing ads, keep an eye on the relevancy score, Facebook’s algorithm that determines how strongly your ad will appeal to your target. All of the elements affect relevancy. Not only does a higher relevancy score increase efficacy, it also decreases the cost of your ad spend!

6. Make the Call! (the call to action, that is)

You have multiple options to display your call to action. (Note: one thing that is NOT an option is to omit the call to a action — at least not if you want strong results.) Naturally, you can include an action button (“Sign Up,” “Learn More,” “Shop Now”) within the ad structure. But underscore these CTAs in the post text or feature it within the video itself. Remember, if an actor or voiceover states the call to action, be sure to include it in the captions. (See #2!)

Bonus Tip: Check out these CTAs you can’t refuse.

Looking for more ideas to add vavoom to your video ads? Drop us a line!