Although Instagram started as a photo platform, it’s become more focused on videos in recent years. Whether your brand is already on Instagram or you’re thinking about doing more with social media, it’s essential that you understand what Instagram video ads are and how to use them effectively.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
Instagram video ads are a powerful way to promote your brand, engage with your target audience or showcase your products or services. For example, you could run an explainer video or product demo as a video ad. There are four main types of Instagram video ads, reels, stories, feed or explore posts (more on these types later on) for you to choose from.
91% of recently surveyed active Instagram users say they watch videos on the platform weekly. So, video advertising on Instagram is an effective way to reach users and influence your target audience.
Other advantages of Instagram video ads include the following:
There are four primary Instagram marketing ad placements your brand can use to engage with your customers, reach new audiences and drive sales.
Below, we’ll review everything you need to know about each video ad placement.
This is one of the most important video ad placements. The best length for these Instagram video ads is around 60 seconds, but they can be a maximum of 90 seconds long.
Reels are a fantastic way for businesses to create entertaining video content to engage with younger audiences.
Instagram feed video ads are integrated into users’ feeds. Feed videos appear between content as users scroll through their feeds. Users can then engage with the ad by commenting, sharing, liking or clicking on a CTA.
When designing feed video ads, try to include a captivating hook in the first few seconds of your video. Users tend to scroll quickly through their feeds, so you’ll need to catch their attention. You can include supporting copy (up to 125 characters is recommended), which will appear below your ad. Try to use text overlay to ensure all users get the same message regardless of whether or not their volume is on.
Instagram story ads are fullscreen vertical ads that appear between stories. They’re typically 15 seconds or less, though they can be up to 60 seconds long. Video over 10 seconds will be separated into cards with a ‘keep watching’ option.
You can use Instagram story ads to build anticipation for new products or drive users directly to an Instagram shop to make a purchase. All of these ads are skippable, so like with feed ads, it’s best to try to capture the user's attention as soon as possible. Sound is recommended for these ads, as most users watch stories with the sound on. Instagram also suggests leaving 250 pixels at the top of your ad and 340 pixels at the bottom of your ad to avoid them being covered by logos and other elements.
Users can respond to CTAs by swiping up on your ad, and you can include supporting copy up to 125 characters.
The Explore page includes content that Instagram has curated specifically for the user based on their interests, followed channels and likes. It’s reached by clicking on the magnifying glass in the app menu and is a way for users to discover content by users they don’t follow. Explore video ads appear among the organic content shown.
For longer videos, video sound and captions are recommended, and once again, your supporting ad copy should be capped at 125 characters.
It’s essential to define the goals you want to achieve before launching your ad campaign. This will help you know exactly what audience to target and help you perfect your ad copy and creative.
Most businesses will be using Instagram to achieve one of the following goals:
After you’ve decided on your campaign goal, you’ll need to identify and understand your target audience - what type of video content do they engage with best? Looking at your competitors’ video ads or asking focus groups might be helpful.
You might need to segment your audience by demographic and psychographic aspects to ensure your ads are relevant and super-targeted.
Generally, your Call to Action (CTA) is most effective when placed in the middle of your video ad - when users are most engaged. This should state what action you want users to take after watching your ad. Mid-roll CTAs in social media videos have been found to have the highest conversion rates (16.95% compared to 10.98% if it’s at the end).
You should aim for your video ads to mimic the organic content that your target audience engages with. Your video ads shouldn’t be overly promotional or salesy but should try to offer something valuable to users - entertainment or practical knowledge. To engage users, you could try product demos, animation videos, tutorials, comparisons, and reviews.
Video is becoming increasingly important in marketing - it’s one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience at all stages of the funnel. Instagram video ads are a great way to reach relevant audiences on Instagram and engage with your existing customers.
At Logica Digital, we offer comprehensive video marketing services - our team can create everything from explainer videos to testimonials to drive results. We’re also experts in all things social media and can set up and manage effective social media campaigns that help your brand get in front of the right people and ultimately drive conversions.
If you’d like to know more about using video for your paid social ads, please email us at hello@logica-digital.co.uk or request a free digital marketing audit.
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At Logica Digital, we take the time to understand your business and customers to create a bespoke marketing plan that will deliver the best return on investment for your business. We always get results.
Call: 0114 551 1534
hello@logica-digital.co.ukWhatsApp: 07822011623
68A John Street,
Sheffield,
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