Video Advertising: The Future of Digital Marketing for Small Businesses

Video has become a dominate medium in communications. Online consumers are watching more video than ever before, with 4 billion videos watched each day on YouTube alone. On most social media platforms, video posts have higher levels of engagement than other types of posts. 

“Consumers are finding a deeper connection with brands through video content—and technology allows them to grow ever closer,” Sarah Steimer said in an article for the American Marketing Association.

There is no doubt that video is taking the digital world by storm and becoming the No. 1 way that online users consume content. Videos can present a lot of information in just a few seconds. They capture consumers’ attention and encourage them to interact. Videos are accessible, entertaining and easy-to-consume. 

Videos are the future of digital marketing for small businesses. 

Because of video’s increasing presence online, the fourth pillar of BizHack Academy’s proven Lead Building System™ is a thumb-stopping video: a video that captures the attention of your audience in a split second and encourages them to stop scrolling through their feed and listen to what you have to say. 

Video is the vernacular of the web. The tools small businesses need to make high-quality, impactful video ads are accessible and easy to use, making it simpler than ever for small businesses marketers to level up their digital marketing campaigns.

TL;DR: Video is the vernacular of the web and the future of digital marketing for small businesses. 

Advertising your small business with video ads is a fool-proof way to reach your target audience online and convince them to engage with your company.

• 92% of B2B consumers consume video, with one-third of online shoppers purchasing a product after viewing a video ad. Regardless of what type of company you are, your customers are consuming content online through video. 
• Your thumb-stopping video should be short, only 6-15 seconds long. It should  concisely convey what your small business has to offer your audience. 
• Cost-effective online tools like Lumen5, Canva, and Facebook’s Video Creation Kit are simple ways to edit your video and create an ad in under an hour. Small businesses on Facebook can use the Facebook Ad Library to see the ads their competitors are currently using. 

With these tools, small businesses can give their digital marketing a boost and effectively leverage the power of BizHack Academy’s Lead Building System™.

Why is Video Advertising Important for My Digital Campaign? 

Millennials, one of the largest generations in the world and the largest age demographic consuming content online, respond best to video advertising, according to an article by Tommy O’Shaughnessy for the American Marketing Association.

“In an age where social media feeds are oversaturated with well-designed, high-quality, eye-catching static content, video advertising is the last remaining medium that can truly grab a millennial’s attention and hold it long enough to procure an engagement,” O’Shaughnessy said. 

Regardless of the age group you are targeting, videos are easy to watch and share across numerous social media platforms. They are often favored by search engine algorithms. Additionally, videos are optimized for mobile devices—88% of videos under 30 seconds are watched all the way through by mobile users.

Internet users are more likely to interact with your video ad and engage with your call to action, leading to lead generation, sales and profit. Video ads can reach larger audiences for less money, making these types of ads more profitable and successful. 

You can create a high-impact, high-quality video ad yourself in under an hour. 

As a digital marketer, it is in your small business’ best interest to begin using video advertisements in your campaigns. However, professional videographers and software can be expensive. With our methods, you can create a high-impact, high-quality video ad yourself in under an hour.

What Should My Thumb-Stopping Video Ad Look Like?

Your thumb-stopping video does not need to be long or complex. BizHack Academy recommends that small business marketers make videos that are around 6–15 seconds long and that quickly share your small business story, or share the product or service you have to offer. 

your video ad can be as simple as a photo slideshow that showcases your products, or a selfie video where a small business owner shares the story of their company and their goals for the future. These raw, personalized videos are genuine and honest, characteristics that often appeal to audiences online. 

“Audiences are excited to see what your brand has to say and learn who you are,” Bobby Reed said in an article for AMA Sacramento Valley.

“The most successful marketing videos today—like those created by brands, agencies and studios such as Greenhouse—are representative of the people making and watching them: accessible, and maybe even familiar. The nearly instantaneous videos are intended to 

engage with the audience, not talk at it,” Steimer wrote for the AMA. 

As you create your thumb-stopping video, remember to stay real, authentic and personable. Share what makes your business unique and what you have to offer. Compelling messaging is key. 

Consider these additional tips as you craft a thumb-stopping video ad:

• Test different videos. Experiment to learn which type of video shares your message well and will perform well online.
• Fail fast, fail cheap. Don’t spend a lot of money making a video when there is no guarantee that it will be successful. 
• Don’t let perfect be the enemy of getting your video done. As a small business, your advertisement does not need to be professional quality! Focus on ensuring this video shares the necessary information and represents your company well. 

What Are the Best Tools to Create Video Ads?

There are several cost-effective video creation tools that small business marketers can use. Some of our favorites are:

• Lumen5, an easy to use video maker that you can access online. The free tools it offers are enough for any small business marketer to create an amazing advertising video.

• Canva, online graphic design software that recently added a video editing feature. You can use one of Canva’s hundreds of professional video templates and simply input your choice of photos and text. 

• Video Creation Kit by Facebook, video editing software that is built-in to the platform. While this software is similar to Lumen5, it offers fewer features. However, it is still an amazing, easy-to-use option for small business marketers looking to start incorporating video ads into their campaigns.

What is Facebook Ad Library and How Can it Help Me?

Facebook Ad Library allows business suite users to view current ads being run by any business page on Facebook. However, you can only see current ads, not past ads.  

Small business owners can use the Facebook Ad Library to conduct competitive analysis of other companies’ video advertising. 

Create Your Video Ad Today

Embrace the future of digital marketing and jump into creating your own thumb-stopping video ad today! 

By combining these simple tools and methods with your unique business story, you can leverage the fourth pillar of BizHack’s Lead Building System™ to take your digital marketing campaign to the next level.