Getting Started with Facebook In-stream Video Ads

Facebook has released a new ad format that I think could be very useful to you. It is an in-stream video format, which means that it will allow you to place a short video - basically a commercial for your business - into a longer format video. This is similar to the in-stream video format that YouTube offers, but it has some differences. I am just beginning to experiment with these ads, but I definitely like the concept.

Here are some of the details about this new ad format:

• The maximum length of the video is 15 seconds. Facebook recommends that you make the video as short as possible. YouTube offers a similar short video format called a “bumper ad.” The YouTube ads are limited to 6 seconds, so the Facebook format gives you 9 extra seconds to play with.
  
• The video ad will appear after a minute or more of the host video has played.
  
• The ads will appear in videos from high quality content creators who meet Facebook’s requirements. This is very good because it insures that your video will only appear in high quality content that likely has a high level of viewer engagement.
  
• You can also run ads outside of Facebook on the websites and apps of companies participating in Facebook’s Audience Network. There are some very well-known companies in the network, such as Rolling Stone and National Geographic. These ads can appear during the host video or at  the start.
  
• Facebook has provided a number of controls to give you more control over where your ad appears and how it looks. These include placement controls, category blocking and publisher lists.

So how do you get started with Facebook in-stream video ads? The first thing you’re going to need is a video. There are lots of ways to create videos. You can point your camera or webcam at yourself and start talking. Or you can use licensed video footage combined with your own messaging. There are also a number of online video creation services that have popped up the last few years that have all kinds of footage you can use in an integrated online editor. Yet another option is an online cartoon video creator like Powtoon.com. You can always just pay someone to make you a video, but if you like to be hands-on or just want to save some money, there are lots of options for doing it yourself.
Once you have a video, log into Facebook and then visit the following URL:

https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/facebook-create-ad-in-stream-video-ads

You can also go straight to your Ads Manager account to get started.

Then click a marketing objective. I suggest “Traffic” if your intention is to drive potential customers to your website. Work your way through the options such as how much you want to spend, who you want to target and all that kind of stuff. When you get to ad format, select Video. Then upload your video or use the Paste Link option to provide Facebook with a URL to a video hosted elsewhere, such as on YouTube.

Video ads can be a very cost-effective way to spread your brand and drive traffic to your website, so I definitely recommend you give Facebook in-stream video ads a try. Contact Nashville SEO Company / Work Media today if you need some help!

Contact: Jerry Work
Work Media LLC / Nashville SEO Company
615-375-8793, x. 702
jwork@workmedia.net