Social media is world’s the modern-day shrink ray. In fact, the theory of six degrees of separation has been debunked by Facebook to be more like three and a half degrees. As mother nature flourishes with the scarcity of physical human interaction in 2020’s pandemic, social interaction and leisurely shopping has taken to mobile flat screens. Believe it or not, 2021’s number of social media users worldwide has increased by 5% compared to a year ago. And still, this growth is expected to continue in the next five years. The relevant question to ask herewith is which medium you should pick when it boils down to Facebook video ads vs image ads.
If you haven’t migrated most of your marketing efforts to a digital platform, it’s about high time you hopped on that bandwagon! Digital advertising alone is getting competitive. Going with the same old rigmarole of hard selling is proving to be a waste of time and resources. Today, marketers strive to influence and inspire while engaging and entertaining their way to better ROIs. Finding an effective strategy for advertising your brand can be like attending the school of hard knocks at the beginning. Be that as it may, this comprehensive article will divulge tips and tricks that will help you meander through producing ads for social media. Which content should you develop when it comes to Facebook video ads vs image ads? You’ll be able to purposefully decide for yourself by the end of this updated 2021 guide.
Why Facebook?
If you ask us, it’s really not much of a “social” dilemma. Here are some compelling motivations for why Facebook is the cream of the crop when mapping out your social media digital strategy.
A Prime Demographic
While Instagram has seemingly superseded Facebook in popularity on the surface, 75% of net surfers with a disposable income of more than $75,000 are on Facebook. That’s a whole pot of untapped gold awaiting marketers at the end of the advertising rainbow. Plus, when it comes to demographics, Facebook has pretty much got you covered. 24% of the platform’s ad audience are pretty much trendsetters in the age group of 18 to 24. Then, there’s the family-minded demographic with considerable disposable income. Yes, 10.4% of Facebook’s ad audience are in the 45 to 54 age range. These are potential consumers that keep an eye out for products suitable for their loved ones.
A Thriving & Trending Platform
With all these perks and an audience-targeted interface with minimal irks, it’s no wonder Facebook revenue hit an all-time high in 2020. Yes, even in these times of perils where sales in various industries have taken a hard hit, Facebook’s 2020’s last quarter reeled in a growth of 22% in revenue year-on-year. Facebook has thrived as 73% of users check on their accounts daily in the US alone. That means marketers get to reach 32% of the population through a single platform. That’s a hefty amount and a worthy investment to make when it comes to visibility, don’t you think?
A Conveniently Accessible Ad Interface
2020 Research shows that 51% of US adults check Facebook several times a day. This is a higher number in comparison to the 42% who do the same for Instagram. But if you’re brand vies to steal the eye of Gen Zers, you might insist that Instagram is a more compatible platform. And you’re not wrong. While 51% of Facebook’s demographic lies within the age range of 13 to 17 years old, Instagram carries 72% of users of the same. The fantastic news is that both Facebook and Instagram go together like peanut butter and jelly. So why not straddle both worlds and be covered by all the noise social media can make? Today, video or image ad campaigns across both platforms can be set up with a Power Editor. This means a quicker, easier, and more targeted ad placement and management process for busy marketers.
Facebook Video Ads Vs Image Ads:
Advertisers’ Boon & Bane
Now that we’ve covered why Facebook is the place to be for advertisers, let’s talk about content formats. Without a doubt, the two-step snap-and-post is so much simpler than the cumbersome process of recording, editing, and then uploading. But hey, why start anything at all if you’ve already decided to go into the advertising battle half-cocked. The question here is not so much about effort but rather of engagement effectiveness. After all, engagement is what drives shares to increase brand awareness and conversion. But before you go all out and choose your weapon, we’ll statistically square the pros and cons of both mediums so you can weigh things out for yourself.
Facebook IMAGE Ads
The Pro List
- Image ads are simpler to produce and upload than video content.
- When it comes to demographics, image ads reel in the highest click-through rate of 33% for millennials and 21% for Gen Xers.
- Younger audiences prefer easy-to-understand and engaging promotional images due to a shorter attention span.
- The average marketer spends less than an hour to produce an image-based Facebook ad, with the help of Facebook ad templates, while taking 4 to 6 hours to produce a video ad.
The Con List
- Images tend to be overlooked in a split second on Facebook feed if they are not eye-catching enough.
- More complex product functions and messages are less easy to convey through images.
- Innovation, hype, and creativity are imperative for image ads to effectively yield good ROIs.
Facebook VIDEO Ads
The Pro List
- Videos can explain complex brand messages and product functions more simply.
- On the subject of engagement, video ads reel in 270% more leads and 480% more clicks than images.
- Videos tend to get a 20 to 30% increase in conversions compared to Facebook image ads.
- More than 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week, which is a comprehensive market share.
- 92% of those who watch videos on mobile tend to share the content with others.
- 51% of marketers globally agree that video content reels in the best ROI in comparison to other mediums.
- Video allows the audience to retain 95% of its content message. This is a huge difference compared to a 10% retention for images.
- Video ads can be remarketed and repurposed for future marketing strategies.
The Con List
- Videos require more resources and time to produce. That includes hiring voice actors, video editors, animators, and sound producers.
- Viewers have a habit of skipping ads. Therefore, the first 10 seconds of a video is the most important in generating conversions.
- Timing is especially crucial in Facebook video advertising. Setting the right schedule for the right target audience will determine the success of your investment.
The Verdict:
2021’s Winning Contender
When it comes to digital strategy for Facebook ads, there’s really no correct answer. It really boils down to the message you want to disseminate and the quality of your content. Facebook image ads are essentially a quick hit or miss. And if you ask us, we’d say that Facebook video ads are a worthy investment. Because if your viewer has willingly invested time in watching your video, he or she is more like to take action. That, plus videos, will make a memorable impression while building your brand in the long run.
Even though videos are our deemed champion, a mix of both mediums may work with more practability when it comes to Facebook video ads vs image ads. Not every organization has the budget or time to create videos for a hundred percent of their content. A quick snap and post can be as effective if you’re conveying a short, sweet, and simple message. But if you’re all prepped and ready to create some awesome video content, we have a laundry list of things that might help you with your production.
The Art of Creating Awesome Facebook Video Ads
“Actualizing engagement” sums up your entire goal of Facebook video ad production. Of course, this is easier said than done, and every brand sings to earn one’s supper. Don’t put your relationship with video production on an “It’s Complicated” status. Here are some tried and true ways to spark interest, initiate action, and arise victorious with a ripple effect of shares.
Testimonials Speak Volumes
Sometimes Facebook video ads don’t have to be filmed with glamourous backdrops and fancy setups. More and more start-up brands today are reaping successes from home-made testimonial videos. Interest even increases by leaps and bounds with the collaboration with local and global influencers. Testimonial video ads that produce visual results are especially effective. After all, seeing is believing, and makeovers tend to create the most impact. This trending ad strategy works extremely well for lifestyle products and for the younger demographic. If your product is not physical (for example, a financial product) and requires tons of explaining, other video formats might work better for you. This is because lengthy explainer videos that are not very visually impactful tend to be skipped over whenever possible due to a quick loss of interest and attention.
Animation Simplifies your Message
Have a complicated product to explain? Animation videos might work wonders for you. Content is all about story-telling, but you don’t quite want your video to be a bedtime story. So bring your brand’s concept and personality to life with animation. Here’s another huge perk: Animated videos don’t require expensive video recording equipment or acting talents. In addition to that, they are great for visually demonstrating or representing abstract ideas. With animation, you’ll be able to control the vibe of your content and lighten the mood before your audience scrolls right past you. Plus, they are a refreshing video format that can make your brand uniquely stand out by cutting through all the digital noise. With animation, you can make humdrum statistics a visual feast with movement and emphasis on key messages.
Video and Sound Quality is Paramount
For decades we’ve enjoyed the relatable and retro “American’s Funniest Home Videos.” But in today’s branding landscape, reputation represents reliability. Bloopers may be entertaining, but videos with poor visual and sound quality will make you lose your audience faster than you can say “poof!” Hence it’s important to make your video “a sight for sore eyes” the right way. This means visual clarity and intelligible narration. Before uploading your video ad, make sure the audio is balanced and that the background noise is cleaned. But if you’re not too savvy on those fronts, it’s best to hire a professional to do these tedious tasks for you.
Subtitles Make Messages Hard to Miss
No matter how much of a silver tongue orator you are, video ads will be subpar if it lacks captions. 80% of US consumers claim they are more likely to finish watching a video if subtitles are available. This is not surprising considering that both Facebook and Instagram play videos on silent. Plus, 85% of Facebook videos are viewed muted. After all, it is inconvenient to plug in headphones, especially if your audience is supposedly studying in a library or skiving off at work!
Professionalism Doesn’t Equal Cost
For those who think that the price tag equates to content production quality, think again! You may hire the best videographer in the market. But if your content is not relevant to your target audience, it’s probably still not worth the investment. There’s no shame in outsourcing your Facebook video ad to producer gurus who know what they’re doing. Just make sure you’re getting the worth of your money. Affordable options such as this one can help you create relevant and quality-checked video content with a quick turnover time. Whether you’re looking to develop some creative written content for your script, an animation video, a dubbed translation, or an interesting Facebook image ad, this platform’s got you covered.
And: “Cut!”
Dabbling in digital strategy can be as unpredictable as abrupt trends on the stock market. When it comes to comparing the perks of Facebook video ads vs image ads, every good marketer knows that A/B testing your brand message and marketing approach is important in amounting to any ROI. If you do decide to try your hand at Facebook video ads, don’t just think. Think big! True to the phrase, sharing is about caring. Innovative content close to the heart can grow your fan base like a ripple in a pond.
