Captivate your audience: the secrets to effective video ads

December 5, 2024

The most effective video ads are more than visual messages; they’re emotional experiences. They understand that beneath every purchase is a story, beneath every view is a hidden trigger and beneath every decision lies psychology. By looking at human nature and storytelling, you’ll transform your video ads from promotional content into compelling narratives that don’t just reach your audience—they captivate, and ultimately, move them to action.

A tablet and smart phone on a table. Each have a play button ready to click.

The psychology behind effective video ads

Here are some of the key psychological principles of engaging video ads:

 

  1. Emotion and memory: Emotional content builds a stronger connection with your audience and is more memorable. Ads that elicit joy, surprise or even sadness leave a lasting impression.

  2. Attention and novelty: The brain is designed to notice new and unexpected things. Incorporate elements to grab and hold attention like a screen at the video’s end where viewers can download your app or make a purchase.

  3. Social proof: People tend to follow the crowd. Make your ad more persuasive by featuring testimonials or showcasing popular opinions about your products or services.

  4. Simplification: The simpler the message, the easier it is for your customer to understand and remember. Overcomplicating an ad may lose the attention of your audience.

Two women laughing and pointing at a computer screen.

The power of storytelling in video ads

A well-crafted story captivates your audience, stirs emotions and develops a connection with your brand using:

  • Engagement: Stories are naturally engaging. They garner attention and make the content relatable.

  • Emotional connection: A good story evokes emotions, leading to a stronger bond with your customer.

  • Memorable: Stories are easier to remember than facts or statistics. They make your message stick.

  • Brand identity: Through storytelling, you represent your brand’s values, mission and personality.

 

Do’s and don’ts for attention-grabbing content

Did you know that the average attention span has dropped to just 8 seconds, underscoring the importance of creating captivating video ads? (Fun fact: a goldfish has a longer attention span!) Here are some do’s and don’ts to guide you:

 

Do’s:

  • Start strong: Grab attention in the first 8 seconds to make a lasting impression and keep your audience watching.

  • Use storytelling: Tell a story that connects the audience with your business and builds a relationship with your customer. 

  • Include a clear message: Ensure your main point is easy to understand. Viewers are more likely to take your desired action when the main idea is quickly understood. 

  • Have a call-to-action: This is the specific activity you want a person to take after viewing your video like adding an item to a cart, visiting your website or learning more about a product.

  • Leverage visuals and sound: To have a memorable viewing experience and boost brand recall with your customers, use high-quality visuals and sound.

Don’ts:

  • Overcomplicate: Don’t overwhelm your audience with too much information and unnecessary details.

  • Ignore your audience: Understand your customer’s needs and preferences to create impactful ad content that resonates and connects with them on a personal level.

  • Rely on product features: Focus on benefits (what something does) and emotional appeal rather than just features (what something is) for a stronger connection to drive conversions.

  • Neglect branding: Make sure your brand is represented without overpowering the content.

  • Be inclusive: When possible, incorporate closed captions with the option to mute sound to accommodate all viewers.

     

 

A person typing on a laptop. Image of metric graphs on screen.

Video engagement metrics 

Video engagement metrics are important to determine your ad performance. Here are four key metrics you need to keep an eye on:

 

1. Play rate  

What it is: The likelihood someone will hit play on your video.

Why it matters: A high play number means your video is catching people’s attention. If it’s low, try changing the title or make sure your video matches the page content and demographics.

2. Average engagement rate  

What it is: The percentage of the video that viewers watch.

Why it matters: This metric helps you see how much of your content people are watching and where they stop. Review stopping points for updates you can make to keep viewers watching.

3. Heat mapping 

What it is: A visual representation of viewer engagement.

Why it matters: Heat maps show which parts of the video were watched, rewatched or skipped. This insight helps you understand what content keeps viewers’ attention and what doesn’t.

4. Individual session data  

What it is: Data on who watched your video, what device they used and where they were.

Why it matters: Each viewing session provides information to refine your strategies and optimize for increased engagement. 

 

 

Making great video ads is about understanding how the audience thinks and feels, and then using that knowledge to tell stories that matter. To capture attention, your message needs to be something that makes people stop, listen and react. When you learn to create videos that truly connect with people, you’re creating moments that stick in people’s minds and make them want to be part of your brand’s story.

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