Optimize Your News Feed Video Ads
Facebook provides a wealth of information on how to optimize your news feeds for advertising and posting. Unfortunately, few heed the advice. The reason is simple. And, we are all guilty: We think about what we want to say to people, not what they want to hear. It’s simple audience realization.
Here are five things Facebook suggests need to be in your video ads. I’ve added a few notes to increase conversions.
- Showcase—The majority of the video features your product or service. Add animations to attract attention and visual appeal. Remember, the first 5 seconds are the most crucial part of your video.
- Conversation—Narration should be done in a conversational tone that explains your message. Add subtitles to make sure the message is getting to the audience.
- Brand Link—Can you easily identify the brand throughout?
- Sound—The message works with and, more importantly, without sound. You may want to add a “tap for sound” reminder, so people know that music, natural sound and narration are essential to the story.
- Message—Is your statement “succinct?” Use bold graphics and easily read fonts. The screen is small, and people may be watching on the go.
Mark Mathis
Mark wrote his first direct-mail fundraising letter in 1981 for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The effort raised a few million dollars in undiscovered wills and legacy gifts. From that day forward Mark discovered a love of the big idea that moves the needle.
After 12 years at KWWL, Mark became a business owner as a co-founder of ME&V — rebranded as AMPERAGE in 2015. After 25 years of leading creative teams in video production, graphic design, PR, writing and web development, Mark transitioned out of ownership in 2021. Today he serves in an employee role as special projects consultant.
He is creatively ambidextrous — son of an artist and engineer — and famous for distilling complex ideas down to a few words and a few visuals. Mark is a writer. When he found that many nonprofits struggled with complex branding puzzles, he wrote the book, “NonProfit-NonMarketing .” He also wrote a novel called “Reenactment.”
Mark is an active blogger OneMinuteMarketer® with nearly 1,000 readers each week on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. One of his most popular YouTube videos is on “How to Look Good on Zoom.”
One of Mark’s fondest business memories was being named to INC 500 two times and attending the INC 500 conference with other winners. Mark is considered by some a Civil War expert (and that explains his novel). Mark also served as an adjunct professor in the business and in the communications departments at Wartburg College.
Mark is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is currently vice president of the University of Iowa Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board.
Mark is married to state Sen. Liz Mathis, and the two love to travel, even when it means being trapped by a volcano in the Czech Republic for three weeks.