Video Ad Makers: How to Create Great-Looking Videos for Your Digital Ad Campaigns

Video content is king.

92% of video marketers report that video delivers positive ROI.

And almost 9 out of 10 marketers say that video has a direct impact on boosting sales.

But, until recently, high-quality video ads were out of the reach of most marketers. You needed a big budget to make impactful ads.

That’s not the case anymore. 

These days, you can use some handy tools to simplify and speed up the process, known as advertisement video makers.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key steps of video ad creation and how to get the most out of video ad tools for your campaigns.

The Rise of Video in Digital Marketing 

Video is everywhere these days – websites, social platforms, email campaigns, even billboards. 

We’re living in a video-first world. 

Why?

Videos have a unique way of grabbing attention and keeping people watching. 

They tell a story in a way that is difficult to match with text or images, and it’s no secret that stories make for memorable ads. 

Research shows that when watching a video, viewers are likely to retain 95% of the information, compared to 10% of what they read in text.

A well-made video explains even the most complex ideas in an easy-to-understand way. This is why they get such high engagement rates.

Video viewers stick around longer, making them feel more connected to your brand.

Plus, 51% of people report sharing more video content than any other type of content, which makes it a big win for organic growth.

So, the benefits are pretty clear. 

The next question is – how do you create impactful video ads on a budget?

Introduction to Video Ad Makers 

You don’t need to be Spielberg anymore to make high-quality videos.

More or less anyone can create engaging videos with user-friendly tools that are simple enough for amateurs to master. 

There’s no need for a film school degree as video ad platforms come loaded with templates, drag-and-drop features, and easy-to-use editing tools. They are much, much easier to use than traditional video editing software.

Here are some of the most popular tools at the moment:

• Canva: Great for beginners with a 100’s of templates and simple editing tools.
• Adobe Spark: Known for professional-quality output and intuitive interface.
• Animoto: Perfect for quick, engaging video ads in various styles.
• Biteable: Versatile tool, offering a mix of animation and live-action templates.
• InVideo: Ideal for videos with lots of text elements, like explainer videos.

Planning Your Video Content 

You can’t build an ad or marketing campaign without planning it first. Before diving into using video creation tools, you need to plan out your video content, from the goal and message of the video, to the script and visual storyboarding.

Here are the main things to consider when planning your video content:

• Target audience: Understand their interests and pain points.
• Purpose: Inform, entertain, or persuade?
• Setting & background: Resonate with your audience and match the theme.
• Tone & style: Tone – professional, casual, humorous? Style – animated, live-action, mixed media, or something else?
• Visual elements: Plan for graphics, colors, and branding elements.
• Music & sound effects: Enhance the video without overpowering it.
• Duration: Decide length based on platform norms and audience attention span.
• Talent/characters: Decide on presenters needed, if any, and their roles.
• Storyboarding: Outline the sequence of scenes or shots to visualize the video flow.
• Script: Aim for a concise, engaging video script that aligns with your ad theme and audience.
• Call To Action: What do you want people to do next? Visit your website, subscribe, or buy a product?

To sum up, when you’re planning your video, make sure that it meets your campaign goals, catches attention, and clearly communicates your message.

Creating Eye-Catching Visuals

If you want your ad to stand out, you need to make it pop visually.

The good news is – video ad makers come packed with features to do just that. 

You get text overlays for context and punchy messaging, smooth transitions, and animations to add a bit of sparkle.

And don’t forget – first impressions count. The first thing people see is the video thumbnails, which act like book covers and should entice people to click. Use vibrant colors and intriguing titles, and include branding elements to bring them to life. 

There is a whole field of marketing that studies things like color psychology and font selection. For instance, blue conveys trust and security, making it great for professional themes, while red can evoke excitement or urgency, perfect for calls-to-action.

A professional or educational video might benefit from clean, straightforward fonts like Arial or Helvetica, while a more creative or informal video could use more stylized fonts. 

Take the time to find out what visual style is most likely to work for your audience, then use the video creation tools to build it in.

Crafting Engaging Narratives

When you make a video, you’re telling a story.

Stories connect on a deeper level than plain information. A good video story includes the following:

• Hook: A creative intro that grabs attention.
• Plot with a twist or a catch: Something that compels them to keep watching.
• Relatable insights: Focused on the viewers’ needs and perspectives.
• Structure: Clear beginning, middle, and end. 
• Authenticity: Sprinkle in real customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes peeks, and success stories if possible.

When planning your video, keep this statistic in mind – 69% of consumers value the authenticity and relatability of marketing videos more than the quality.

In other words, it’s better to use a wobbly, home-made phone camera video that has a genuine and sincere vibe, than an overly “sales-y” one with high-quality production. 

Ideally, you should aim for both – authenticity and quality – which video ad maker tools enable you to do.

Optimizing for Different Platforms 

Not all ad platforms are equal. Each has its own style and unique audience expectations:

• Instagram viewers love short, snappy, colorful videos. 
• Facebook is great for storytelling.
• YouTube prefers longer, engaging, and value-driven content.
• LinkedIn is best for professional, informative, and thought-leadership content.
• Outbrain is ideal for exposing online users to video content on the open web, when they are browsing their favorite sites.

You also need to consider some of the technicalities such as aspect ratios, video lengths, and how people interact on each platform. 

When it comes to optimized video ads, Outbrain native ads are a game-changer. 

You can use a video maker to create content then share it on Outbrain’s network. Outbrain allows for different ad formats, including:

• Click to Watch: Ideal for engaging users with a large-format video after a click. It requires a 16:9 aspect ratio and a maximum length of 180 seconds.
• Pre-Roll Video: Starts playing before other content and introduces your brand in relevant contexts. Supports various file types with a max length of 60 seconds and landscape aspect ratio.
• Outstream Video: Appears in a content feed, boosting brand awareness at just the right moment. Choose from flexible aspect ratios and videos up to 60 seconds long.

The next step is to find out what works and what doesn’t.

A/B testing is the answer. Try changing the opening scene or tweaking the CTA. What effect does this have on key metrics? 

Use the built-in platform analytics to track engagement, click-through rates, conversions, and other metrics. Compare the data between different versions to see what works. Once you’ve got the insights you need, you’ll be better informed for future campaigns.

Make Videos Great Again 

Video ad maker tools are ideal for creating digital ad campaigns on a budget. They’re intuitive, packed with features, and are designed to suit all skill levels – from beginners to advanced.

Most tools are flexible enough to cater to every platform, and you can apply a variety of features and effects to make your video look great. These also provide the opportunity to experiment and be creative. 

And remember – always be optimizing. Test, test, test, analyze, and optimize. That’s the secret to successful video ad campaigns.

Tools like Outbrain can get your video ads in front of people at the perfect time. Click to find out more about Outbrain’s video-supporting ad network.