Results of our various video marketing experiments on Facebook and Instagram. What makes a great video ad? How to create great video ads? Which aspect ratio works best? What is the perfect video length? Does music make any difference? Does the gender of the characters in the video matter? Do people respond better to personalized video ads? Carousel vs. single video, which is better? Do animated stickers boost video ad performance? This presentation was created by Alyona Chernyaeva at wave.video https://Wave.video

1. FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
VIDEO AD EXPERIMENTS
DANIEL GLICKMAN, CMO WAVE.VIDEO
🔍

2. 87%of online marketers use
video content
Video generates 12x more shares
than text and images combines
x12
of online shoppers say
video is the best medium for
discovering new products
30%
Data sources: Renderforest,
Oberlo, Social Media Today,
OptinMonster.
WHEN IT COMES
TO VIDEO, THE
DATA SPEAKS FOR
ITSELF:
of consumers want
to see more video content
from a brand they support
54%
WHY VIDEO?

4. WHAT MAKES
A GREAT VIDEO AD?
🤔

5. Design for sound off, but
delight with sound on
Optimize for different
platforms and
devices
Capture attention in the first
few seconds
Showcase your brand – early
and often
Make it as long as you
need to convey the
message
Include a clear and
engaging CTA
HOW TO CREATE
GREAT VIDEO ADS:
⏱
👁
🏃
🔊
📱
💬

6. BE CREATIVE
TEST, LEARN AND ADAPT
EXPERIMENT
🧪

7. 01. INTRO OR NO INTRO?
👉

8. INTRO
Same testimonial, different
presentation
NO INTRO
Platforms: Facebook
& Instagram Feeds
Objective: Video views
📱
🔍

9. NO INTRO🥇
⬆
⬇
7% Higher reach
⬆ 26% More clicks
⬆ 8% More ThruPlays
8% Lower cost per
ThruPlay

10. MORE VIEWERS START DROPPING OFF AFTER THE INTRO

11. 02. WHICH ASPECT RATIO
WORKS BEST?
🖼

12. Platforms: Facebook
& Instagram Feeds
Objective: Traffic
📱
🔍

13. VERTICAL🥇
⬆
⬇
27% Higher reach
⬆ 30% More engagement
⬆ 51% More clicks
29% Lower cost per click

14. FACEBOOK
DESKTOP FEED
FACEBOOK
MOBILE FEED
INSTAGRAM
FEED
VERTICAL🥇 VERTICAL🥇 SQUARE🥇
⬆ 40% Higher reach
⬆ 78% More clicks
⬇ 40% Lower cost
per click
⬆ 42% Engagement
⬆ 28% Higher reach
⬆ 147% More clicks
⬇ 59% Lower cost
per click
⬆ 27% Engagement
⬇ 18% Lower reach
⬆ 7% More clicks
⬇ 7% Lower cost
per click
13% Engagement⬇

15. 4:5 VERTICAL
VIDEO ON
FACEBOOK
DESKTOP FEED

16. 03. WHAT IS THE PERFECT
VIDEO LENGTH
📏

17. Platforms: Facebook
& Instagram Feeds
Objective: Traffic
📱
🔍
10 SEC
30 SEC
2 MIN

18. 30 SEC🥇
⬇
⬇
2% Lower reach
⬆ 7% More engagement
⬆ 16% Lower cost per click
1% Less ThruPlays
⬆ 18% More clicks

19. 10 SEC😕
⬇
⬇
14% Lower reach
7% Less Engagement
⬆ 23% Higher cost per click
2% Less ThruPlays
⬆ 18% Less clicks
⬇

20. THE LONGER THE VIDEO, THE LONGER THE WATCH
TIME. THE 2 MIN VIDEO GOT 2% MORE THRUPLAYS
THAN THE 10 SEC ONE.

21. 04. DOES MUSIC MAKE
ANY DIFFERENCE?
🎸

22. EPIC
Same video,
different music
JOYFUL
Platforms: Facebook
& Instagram Feeds
Objective: Video views
📱
🔍

23. JOYFUL🥇
☑
⬆
Same reach ⬇ 38% Lower cost per click
4% More ThruPlays
⬆ 38% More clicks

24. JOYFUL MUSIC
ON INSTAGRAM STORIES
🥇
⬇
⬆ 3% More ThruPlays
7% Lower Cost Per
ThruPlay
⬆ 48% More clicks

25. 05. DOES GENDER
MATTER?
🧔👩

26. Platforms: Instagram
Stories, Facebook Feed
Objective: Traffic
📱
🔍

27. NO WINNING AD FOUND❌
FACEBOOK FEED

28. INSTAGRAM STORIES
MEN
FEMALE CHARACTER👩
WOMEN
MALE CHARACTER🧔
⬆ 10% Higher reach
⬆ 10% More clicks
⬇ 6% Lower cost per click
⬇ 11% Lower reach
⬆ 20% More clicks
⬇ 16% Lower cost per click
⬆ 48% More ThruPlays ⬆ 7% More ThruPlays

29. MEN WERE 43% MORE LIKELY TO WATCH THE
AD WITH A FEMALE CHARACTER TO THE END
WOMEN WERE 10% MORE LIKELY TO WATCH
THE AD WITH A MALE CHARACTER TO THE END
👩
🧔

30. PEOPLE WERE 15% MORE LIKELY TO RESPOND TO
ADS WITH A CHARACTER OF THE OPPOSITE
GENDER ON INSTAGRAM STORIES.
💖

31. 06. DO PEOPLE RESPOND
BETTER TO PERSONALIZED
ADS?
🕵

32. NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO
Same ads,
different target audiences
Platforms: Facebook
& Instagram Feeds
Objective: Conversions
📱
🔍

33. NEW YORKERS
NY AD🍏
SAN FRANCISCANS
SF AD🌯
⬆ 40% More clicks
⬆ 18% More signups
⬆ 5% More clicks
⬆ 45% More signups
⬇ 16% Lower cost per signup ⬇ 31% Lower cost per signup

34. 07. DO CAROUSEL VIDEO ADS
PERFORM BETTER THAN
SINGLE VIDEOS?
🎡

35. Platforms: Instagram
Stories, Facebook
& Instagram Feeds
Objective: Reach
📱
🔍
SINGLE VIDEO

36. Platforms: Instagram
Stories, Facebook
& Instagram Feeds
Objective: Reach
📱
🔍
CAROUSEL

37. SINGLE VIDEO🥇
⬆
⬇
44% Higher reach
⬇ 41% Lower cost
per result
⬇ 23% Less clicks
21% Less ThruPlays
⬇ 30% Less engagement

38. SINGLE VIDEO
Less clicks26%
Less ThruPlays35%
FACEBOOK FEED INSTAGRAM STORIES
SINGLE VIDEO
Higher Reach4%
Less clicks13%
More ThruPlays12%
Higher Reach149%
Lower cost per result3% Lower cost per
result
60%

39. 08. WILL PEOPLE CLICK MORE
ON AN AD WITH ANIMATED
STICKERS?
😃

40. Same ad with and without
stickers
Platforms: Instagram
Stories, Facebook &
Instagram Feeds
Objective: Landing page
views
📱
🔍

41. WITH STICKERS🥇
⬆
⬆
30% More landing
page views
⬇ 6% Lower cost per result
⬆ 6% More clicks
18% More ThruPlays
⬆ 11% Higher reach

42. Personalize your visuals to
get the best ROI
Use a single video for
best brand awareness
Hook your audience right away – no
time for intros
Create more vertical videos – they show
the best performance across platforms
and devices
Add animated stickers to your
video to boost traffic!
Use cheerful and positive music,
especially on Instagram Stories
Create carousel video ads to
maximize engagement and
clicks
Keep experimenting to find what
works best for your business
KEY TAKEAWAYS
⏱
👌
🕵
📱
🎡
😃 💬
1⃣

44. MAKE ENGAGING VIDEO ADS
WITH WAVE.VIDEO