Mushon Heinisch — June 12, 2020 YouTube has become a powerful marketing tool for online sellers. But how do you create eCommerce video ads that actually boost sales, while keeping budgets in check? The secret is, it is surprisingly quite easy – and quick!
To help you make the most of your eCommerce YouTube videos ads, our Media Manager and Google PPC wizard put together these five easy but highly effective tips to get your videos performing. Plus, we have added some examples of brands crushing it with their YouTube video marketing to help inspire you.
So grab that coffee and let’s get straight into it.
1. Make the First Five Seconds Count
Unlike with Facebook video ad optimization, you have a little more time to play with when creating your YouTube video ads – but only slightly. To make sure your video will grab potential shoppers’ attention, the first five seconds are crucial.
Why? Because the first 5 seconds of the video are critical in ensuring your goal of getting potential customers to see your video can be met. Your YouTube video ad needs to be eye-catching and fast-paced. We also highly recommend putting the USP (unique selling point/position) of your brand or product within those 5 seconds.
This is something the brand Tuft & Needle knows very well. In fact, their video ads have been so effective, they dedicate 50% of their full Google Advertising budget to YouTube videos alone.
Another great example of a brand that knows how to make the most of the first five seconds of their YouTube video ads is Squarespace. One of the best examples of how they do this is also one of the best YouTube ads created to target B2B business that we’ve seen, ever! Remember their 2017 Super Bowl YouTube ad?
This ad not only grabs your attention fully in the first five seconds but keeps you engaged to the very end with a clear story and dramatic close-ups – which brings us to the next uber important eCommerce YouTube video hack!
2. Zoom In
Don’t be afraid to zoom in! People and product close-ups not only fit the platform’s vibe, but they are also what users are actively looking for. As the example above shows, by zooming in tighter, you have a better chance of potential shoppers staying engaged. Here’s another example from Squarespace showing just that!
By engaging from the first second and using a good close-up shot of the person talking, the video is very effective.
Another brand that uses close up of people and bold text to quickly draw potential shoppers in, is Moroccan Oil online store and brand.
3. Always Use Subtitles
When it comes to YouTube videos, subtitles are key! Yes, audio is paramount; however, there is a huge percentage of YouTube users who set certain videos, like ads, on mute. Therefore, in order to guarantee your message will get to those users who have your content muted, we highly suggest adding customized subtitles.
A fantastic example of a brand that is winning at this across their entire YouTube channel is Grammarly. Putting a lot of effort, and budget, into their YouTube ads and video content, they have the perfect balance of close-ups and tempo while ensuring they have included customized subtitles.
4. Vary Your Video Length to Increase Exposure and Reach
Next on our list of quick and practical tips for creating eCommerce YouTube video ads is the importance of using your video content to its maximum potential. The thing is, the length of your YouTube video is not that important, excluding the fact that there are certain marketing tools that require a certain length.
However, it’s highly recommended that you create an extended version of your video ad, and then two shorter versions: 20 seconds and 5.59 seconds. Why? This will allow you to use your video content in the variety of video marketing options YouTube offers.
Additionally, by creating sequencing, you can increase your chances of high-quality conversions. How? First, a potential shopper should see the longer version of your video. After this, you will want to reach them with short versions to serve as quick reminders of your video story, your products, and your USP.
Another example of a well-managed YouTube channel is Shopify. Masters at engaging users within the first five seconds and using close-ups to keep viewers curious, they use varied video length and YouTube remarketing strategies to remain in the minds of potential customers.
5. Put Maximum Effort into YouTube Video Thumbnails
The last super important YouTube video ad tip to ensure you are getting a good return on investment for your video content has to do with thumbnails. So often, the thumbnail is glossed over; however, it is vital to the success of your YouTube video marketing. This is because most YouTube users are engaging with the platform on the go, meaning cell reception or wifi will be spotty. And low internet reception means it could take a second or two for the video to start running – putting the video thumbnail front and center.
A good example of maximizing thumbnails like a pro comes from the brand Monday. Not only is their video highly engaging from the first second and has the right tempo for YouTube, but their thumbnail is on-point, encouraging users to not skip the ad.
And here’s another example from the quirky eCommerce brand Sun Bum. Their thumbnail is on point with their product, brand, and most importantly, their target audience.
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And that’s it, five quick tips for creating eCommerce YouTube video ads that convert! Easy, right? If you’re looking for the best video editing and creation tools for eCommerce, head over to our list, here.
Have YouTube ad questions? Our eCommerce YouTube video marketing and PPC experts are standing by.
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