Everyone loves a good video. They are noisy, fast-paced and colourful. They are easy to look at and we can absorb a ton of information without even realising it. This is why you have so many households around the world watching television every night instead of reading a book. Here is how to use video for effective promotion.

History of video advertising

Videos in advertising have been around since 1941. Check out the video here. You can see that we have come a long way since this. But there are still key features in this advert that we still use today. A logo, a slogan and a style.

Elements today of video advertising

Some advertising videos use a story format. Where something happens and some characters play out a story. This is not what we will concentrate on today as the second style we mention is the most popular.

The style we will concentrate on is a call-to-action (CTA) video. This is when you use a statement or a word to drive someone to do something you want them to. Think:

• Shop

• Sign Up

• Get Started

• Try

• Watch

• Start

These CTA's drive customers to do as you are telling them and perform an action.

Within CTA advertising videos, you would also have a headline and some subheadings that contain keywords and relate to your CTA.

Using images and short video clips that flash from one to another will get the viewer's attention.

Always add your logo and any links to your website or contact details on the video.

Logo

It is important to add your logo to your videos and any product images you are using within your video. 

This creates trust between yourself and the audience and also makes your business seem far more professional. If you do not have a logo, try a free logo maker to craft your own concept. 

Timing

Videos should grab the attention of the viewer within two seconds. The internet is fast-paced and you don't want them scrolling up and away from your video. The cover image should be catchy for the same reason.

The video should be finished within thirty seconds, analysed data has found that people don't watch an advertisement video for longer than that usually, so make sure yours are under that time so more people are likely to watch the full thing.

Tools

There are many free video creator tools out there that are simple to use and look amazing. Many businesses are now spending a huge amount of their advertising budget on videos. It is really not necessary for small businesses.

The best we have found is Biteable. You sign up for free, and the only downside of the free version is that it has the Biteable watermark, but this really is not an issue when customers see it. Select a pre-made video template. It comes fully made, with images, backgrounds, text, video and music. Then change it to suit your needs. Choose from millions of images and hundreds of thousands of short video clips. You can also upload your own. Change the text and the style and edit the backgrounds. You can also add more slides and change the length of time each slide runs for, as well as selecting from a bunch of different music. It is excellent!

Designing video advertising for your business has never been easier. Take the plunge and make one for fun today. Add it onto your social media accounts and see how it does with your customers. You can even ask your customers what they like and dislike about videos you produce to create better business marketing.