Instagram video ads are an extremely effective means of showcasing products and advertising services, telling stories about your brand, and engaging audiences on a more personal level. Nonetheless, a successful Instagram video ad campaign is not just about putting out a video but making the content resonate, engage, and convert potential clients.
To create captivating Instagram video ads, you must first know the audience you’re dealing with. In order for viewers to be captivated in the first few seconds of viewing time, tell them stories touching on their lives, creating an atmosphere that will take them away both visually and through sound effects.
Keep reading, as this guide explains in detail the fundamental stages for making interesting Instagram video ads that seek to increase brand coverage and enhance marketing outcomes.
Why Use Instagram Video Ads?
Studies reveal that 87% of video marketers say that video content has helped them generate more leads, with Instagram ranking as one of the top platforms for video marketing.
Businesses that hope to dent the fiercely competitive environment in social media advertising should design Instagram video ads that appeal to their audience and drive sales.
Instagram, as a platform, offers numerous compelling reasons why it is highly effective for video advertisement.
1. Higher Engagement
Video content can naturally attract attention more than static images, receiving more likes, comments, and shares. According to a report, Instagram video posts get 2x more engagement than other types of posts. The increased interaction tends to skyrocket the visibility and reach of your posts.
2. Better Storytelling
Using videos is a better way to narrate your brand story as they help show emotions, display products, and communicate more personally with the audience. According to recent data, 85% of marketers plan to maintain or increase their spending on video content in 2024, emphasizing the ongoing relevance of video in marketing strategies.
3. Increased Reach
With Instagram being dominated by video content, the likeliness of people watching your ad increases significantly. This also ensures that your ad reaches a wider audience demographic.
4. Enhanced Conversion Rates
Video ads often boost click-through rates and conversions because they can show off the advantages of your products or services effectively.
5. Improved Brand Recall
Viewers are more likely to remember video content over static images. According to Wyzowl, 82% of people say that they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video. This improved recall can lead to stronger brand recognition and loyalty over time.
6. Versatile Content
Videos are highly versatile and can be used in multiple formats on Instagram. You can use videos in different formats, such as Stories, Reels, and feed posts, enabling you to tailor your message based on your audience.
Instagram video promotion is a popular option for companies of any size or industry. Below are the available video ad formats, their particular benefits, and typical instances to guide you further.
Best Practices and Design Tips to Design Instagram Video Ads
When designing successful Instagram ads, you must know your viewers, include appealing images, and ensure that they are very mobile-friendly. Here are some tips discussed in detail:
1. Know Your Audience
Get to know your target audience. Through Instagram Insights, you can learn about your followers’ interests, behaviors, and demographics. Tailoring engaging ads for them will help you increase the relevance of your content.
2. Focus on Visual Appeal
Instagram is all about visuals. Use high-quality images and videos that are clear and professional. Make sure that the color palette, fonts, and overall visuals resonate with your brand. This makes your ads instantly recognizable and attractive to your audience.
3. Optimize for Mobile
Most users who access Instagram do so through their phones; therefore, all advertisements should be designed with this in mind. Maintain a vertical format (9:16) in order to make the most of the screen. Make sure that both the design and message in this advertisement are clear and easily understandable on smaller screens.
4. Create Engaging Content
Attracting viewers quickly is possible by either using attractive images or an engaging story. Make sure your message is brief and to the point. Use subtitles to ensure your content reaches those who watch clips on mute. In turn, your promotions could potentially make them more shareable and help retain clients.
5. Test and Improve
Continuously test different versions of your ads to see what works best. Use A/B testing for various formats, visuals, and messages. Regularly check your ad performance and make adjustments based on what you learn.
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Different Types of Instagram Video Ad Formats: Features and Examples
By offering various formats to design Instagram video ads, Instagram enables advertisers to market their products or services more diversely and engagingly as follows:
1. Instagram In-Feed Video Ads
An Instagram in-feed video ad appears as a native video post scrolling the News Feed but is a paid promotion from a brand. You might find a small ‘sponsored’ tag beneath the Instagram handle of such an advertisement post.
Specs:
- Aspect ratio: 4:5, 9:16, 16:9, or 1:1.
- Video format: MP4, MOV, or GIF.
- Video resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels to ensure high-quality visuals.
- Video length: 1 to 60 seconds to make the content concise and engaging.
- Video thumbnail: Minimum width of 500 pixels.
- Video size: Maximum 250MB to ensure smooth uploading and sharing.
- Video caption: Optional, with a limit of 125 characters and 30 hashtags
Ad Examples:
1. Behind-the-scenes Instagram ads
Consumers tend to establish a stronger connection with brands and services that evoke positive emotions or align with their values. To make an emotional appeal through videos, you may have to go behind the scenes and show how your product is prepared, how orders are wrapped up, and more to connect with your audience.
2. Product review Instagram ads
Creating a review video is a simple but effective way of making scroll-stopping ads. This can give people solutions for their actual problems and showcase the benefits of your product in the process.
3. Entertaining Instagram feed ads
Instagram in-feed ads can showcase either a meme or a GIF, continuously looping over the same scene. These amusing and popular visuals not only offer amusement and laughter but also effectively communicate pertinent details regarding your brand or product.
Let us take the example of IKEA, wherein they created a funny and entertaining Instagram video ad. You must also check out how cleverly the video ends with a great call to action.
2. Instagram Story Video Ads
Ads on Instagram stories are designed to blend seamlessly with other stories so people do not realize that they are marketing material. However, these ads have a sponsor tag right below the company’s handle.
Specs:
- Aspect ratio: 9:16.
- Video format: MP4 or MOV.
- Video length: 1 to 60 seconds for concise and engaging content creation.
- Video size: Maximum 250MB to ensure smooth uploading and sharing.
- Video sound: Optional but highly recommended.
- Video text: A maximum limit of 125 characters.
Ad Examples:
1. See more Instagram story ads
Instagram stories provide an opportunity to transform curiosity into engagement. Regardless of the industry, you can show a virtual tour on Instagram stories by sharing an engaging video or image that lasts 60 seconds or less to attract viewers.
2. Color-pop Instagram Story ads
While numerous advertisements rely on high-quality images and videos, you can also capture attention with your ads by using simple graphics and text, even those with minimal detail.
In their campaign to promote smartwatches, Michael Kors used a series of Instagram Story ads with bright and contrasting colors. The dynamic visuals and clear call-to-action helped increase ad recall and engagement. The use of striking colors helped differentiate their ads from others, making them stand out in users’ feeds.
3. Share your USP with Minimal ads
To stand out from competitors, Instagram story ads should use clean and simple graphics or animations to attract attention.
3. Instagram-Sponsored Reels
Similar to organic Reels, Instagram-sponsored Reels can be housed in the Reels tab alongside fellow creators. The “Sponsored” tag underneath the handle identifies them, as is a CTA at the bottom of the screen.
Specs:
- Aspect ratio: 9:16.
- Video format: MP4 or MOV.
- Video resolution: At least 500 x 888 pixels to ensure readable quality.
- Video length: 1 to 50 seconds for concise and engaging content creation.
- Video size: Maximum limit of 4GB.
- Video sound: Optional but highly recommended.
- Video caption: Optional with a 72-character limit.
Ad Examples:
1. User-Generated Content Reels
Incorporating user-generated content into sponsored Reels can greatly increase interaction rates and trustworthiness among followers. When a company showcases real clients, it can unite existing clients and potential clients under its umbrella while giving genuine recommendations to probable buyers.
2. How-To and Tutorial Reels
Short, informative tutorials or how-to videos can be highly effective. For instance, a beauty brand could create a quick makeup tutorial using its products, or a tech company could demo one of its newest gadgets.
4. Instagram Carousel Video Ads
Instagram carousel video advertisements stand out as distinct sponsored content due to their unique layout, which sets them apart from in-feed, Reel, and Story videos. These ads can feature a combination of images and videos, allowing users to shop from the advertisement itself.
Specs:
- Video aspect ratio: 1:1.
- Video format: MP4, MOV or GIF.
- Number of carousel cards: Ranging from 2 to 10.
- Video length: Anywhere from 1 second to 2 minutes.
- Video size: maximum limit of 4GB.
- Video sound: optional but highly recommended.
- Video text: A limit of 125 characters and 30 hashtags to provide context and enhance engagement.
- URL: landing page URL required.
Ad Examples:
1. Special promotion Instagram ads
During special occasions and events, brands can utilize Instagram advertising to offer discounts, driving up the number of page followers, service users, and so on. One effective way is to create a special deal or promotional video that you can post on your Instagram feed.
2. Panorama carousel ads
Carousel panorama ads use a single image to create a seamless scrolling effect across different slides of a carousel. This method piques interest and encourages people to keep scrolling.
The Bucket List Family is known for their panoramic carousels that provide a continuous image as users swipe through. This method creates a visually appealing experience that encourages viewers to interact with the profile:
3. Story-driven Instagram carousel ads
Use Instagram carousel ads to narrate your brand’s story and forge a deeper relationship with your audience. Striking visuals will help you create a more captivating experience for the audience and showcase your brand’s values and principles.
Final Words
Instagram video ads give businesses a powerful tool for interacting with their audience, promoting their business image, and increasing conversions. There are many opportunities to design Instagram video ads that reach and convert viewers via behind-the-scenes looks inside companies, product reviews, engaging content, or well-written stories.
To maximize your Instagram video ad campaigns and unlock their full potential, consider leveraging the power of AI-driven solutions like Predis.AI. With its innovative features and insights, Predis.AI can help optimize your ad targeting, generate visual content, and overall strategy, ensuring maximum impact and ROI. Start your journey by connecting with us today.
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