Three Reasons You Should Advertise with Facebook Video in 2018

Facebook recently announced changes in the way they will send you updates. They want you to see more posts from your friends, family, groups, and other people you have meaningful conversations with. Content that is shared and inspires conversation will grow. Comments will be more valuable than likes. You will also see less Facebook video.

Facebook is going to push out less from publishers, businesses and the celebrities you follow. It’s a ranking change, according to Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s vice-president in charge of newsfeed. The newsfeed was founded to connect people and they want to do better.

This latest move will also de-emphasize organic videos and many think will subsequently reduce the time people spend on Facebook. Our passive interaction with videos is the root cause for de-emphasizing videos, but it doesn’t change the fact that people love to watch videos. According to Mosseri, the newsfeed shift will not apply to advertisers because that is a separate system.

Video ads then, designed to build your brand and create new demand for your products and services, will be especially appealing because people like to watch them, and the audience targeting and per view pricing are really attractive.

If you want to build name recognition, traffic, leads, sales, and a customer following for your business, you’d still be foolish not to try Facebook. Here are three of the best reasons Facebook paid video ads will help make your business super successful in 2018.

  1. Paid Video Ads Will be Seen More than Organic Posts
    Business owners will be more frustrated in the coming days by the reduction of their organic posts being seen in people’s newsfeeds. You may not realize that only about 16 percent of your Facebook business page fans actually see your posts. Under the new plan, this number will probably sink even lower. The reality though, is that Facebook still needs to generate revenue and paid ads, both static and video, deliver income. The good news is that you don’t need a huge budget to have your brand shown more than your organic posts.”The new Facebook algorithm is more reason to create and pay for video ads,” sums up Leslie Lopez, our digital specialist, “but I wonder if and when we will see an increase in cost. Facebook may see users spend less time on their platform, but I believe they will continue to be the biggest share of all social media platforms.”
  2. Both Static Ads and Video Ads Allow for Targeting Leads
    One of the best aspects of Facebook ads is the custom audience feature. We select specific groups and custom design ads that speak just to these select people. Sadly, even when we target specific demographics or interests, not everyone is going to pay full attention to your ad. Sure, they’re scrolling through their newsfeed and maybe see the first couple seconds as it autoplays on their phone or computer. Some people however, will actually watch the whole thing—and even click your call-to-action. They may be so hooked by your message that they even went to your website. These are warm leads.Custom audience segments have a retargeting feature. That means you can send a paid ad to people who have responded to your call-to-action. You’ll get more bang for your buck advertising to these warm leads than from people who just breezed past your ad.What’s more, reports about video views are now dynamically updated every day. You can easily tell who’s responding to your ad—in real time.
  3. People Like Watching Video
    Under the new algorithm, Facebook is reducing the visibility of posts from businesses. It will be better to pay to push your content, and it will ensure an even broader viewership.Very few marketers hope to create a Facebook video ad that performs really well on the first try. In fact, they like to test different ad strategies to find the ones that will work best for you.One of the most telling statistics about the success of Facebook video, is that 44 percent of ​small and medium-sized businesses​ plan to pay for Facebook videos in 2018. If your brand isn’t invested in video on Facebook, there’s a good chance your competitors are, which will put you at a significant disadvantage.2017 Social Media Marketing Report

     

    Facebook is by far the most popular social media advertising channel. According to Social Media Examiner’s 2017 Social Media Industry Report, 93 percent of social media advertisers use Facebook ads. The next network that’s even close is Instagram with 24 percent. This is just more proof of how popular and in-demand Facebook ads are for B2B and B2C brands.

If you would like to add Facebook Video to your marketing strategy, but don’t know where to begin, then let VIA fast forward you in the right direction. Contact Julie at VIA Marketing to get started.

People Love Watching Facebook Video

Capturing and keeping your audience’s attention is key when planning any type of marketing campaign. That is even more important when you compete for interest on Facebook.

Recently we’ve seen a huge engagement shift on Facebook from photo to video. Why? The answer is simple: organic reach. Recent data shows that video posts receive 135 percent greater organic reach than photo posts, using the same URL and post description. Facebook defines organic reach as the total number of unique people who were shown your post through unpaid distribution.

Adding Facebook video, with the ability to share to millions of others in an instant, could make a significant contribution to your marketing strategy. Last year Facebook averaged 8 billion videos viewed per day and the trend is still growing. Yet many marketers think only about YouTube for video posts.

Video’s main factors that keep your audience engaged are autoplay, subtitles, mute, and video playback while scrolling.

Here are some simple tips to remember when you are ready to post video ads on Facebook.

  1. Upload Directly to Facebook
    Many people think if they upload their video to YouTube and then post the link on their Facebook account, they achieve two forms of marketing at the same time. While at first glance that might seem like a good thing, the statistics tell another story. Quintly, a social media analytics agency, found that Facebook native videos get four times higher interactions than linked YouTube videos.Facebook Video Preview
  2. Follow Russell Crowe’s Query “Are You Not Entertained?”
    Most people will give a video four seconds before deciding to keep watching or leave. After 30 seconds, 90 percent of your target audience will leave, according to Vidyard, a video analytical reporting agency. Those initial four seconds are the most crucial. It’s important to create a shock and awe factor to maximize the potential of your video in those first seconds. Leave an impact right away, get your message across quickly and try to be memorable. Many videos are under 30 seconds due to those attention factors.
  3. Create a Call-to-Action
    When you post your video and just before you hit “publish,” take a look at the list of actions you may want to add. Facebook allows you to add a URL, tag a person, add an emoji, check-in to set the location, allow a reply in Messenger, support a non-profit with a donate button, and tag a product. Create an easy opportunity for someone to take the next step to connect with you.Facebook Video Calls to Action
  4. Stream with Facebook Live
    Facebook Live video streaming has become the new “IT” thing in regard to engaging your audience and connecting. Facebook Live is a 3-phase marketing event that works to increase awareness.

    • Pre-Event. Promotes your Facebook Live event to build up an audience, to set reminders, and even create a countdown.
    • Real Time Broadcast. Introduces you and engages your audience. What makes Facebook Live unique is that it streams in real time. Your audience can talk to you through the chat, and you have the opportunity to address them in real time. Be sure to end your broadcast with a call to action (CTA).
    • Post-Event. Captures people who didn’t have a chance to watch your event live. You can edit your video, include a thumbnail, give it a description, and post it as a normal video on your timeline.
  5. Use Video on Your Facebook Page/Profile
    Facebook now allows you to use video as not only the header, but your profile picture! While that is pretty exciting, it’s more for visuals. If you want to promote a new service, product or event, using “Featured Video” helps drive traffic to your video and by proxy the CTA. Set it up in the section on the left side of your page, and “pin” a video of your choice.

With any marketing campaign, the quality of the message is just as important as the means of delivery. Quality scriptwriting, video editing, and post production play a large role in ensuring that your message isn’t being lost in a choppy video or bad visual quality.

VIA recently won a nice award for the video we did for Bosak Motors. We know videos are an investment that needs to pay off with audience engagement. Call on VIA professionals to help you get noticed in a way that says you are a superior organization worth watching.