In today’s age of attention economy, where the time to consume information is getting shorter, marketers need to adopt best practices if they want to leave an impression on users, no matter which channel they are using. Video promotion has seen a lot of advancement in the past years, and to win attention in this market means adopting creatives and assets best practices.
Among the various players in the video market, YouTube is considered as the biggest video platform. It has more than two billion logged-in users monthly, with each user spending 11m24s on average daily. Furthermore, YouTube videos are also the third most effective influencer marketing format after Instagram posts and Instagram Stories. Video watching is also going mobile: whether we are sitting on a train, in the park or simply cooking a delicious meal. These new spaces and places of interaction are challenging marketers when it comes to creating awareness.
When aiming for attention, gone are the days of using a traditional story arc for YouTube assets. By the time your ad reaches its height, the viewer will be long gone. Instead, awaken interest by coming off with a strong introduction and raise awareness for your brand early. Then, build a connection and ensure the viewer stays by using suspense, audio and tempo, and subsequently prompt the viewer to act, e.g. buy or try out your products and services.
Below are the 4 most important basic rules to improve your YouTube assets which can help in optimizing your brand’s video experience and awareness:
Be short, fast and convincing
Use fast cuts and high tempo, keep everything short. The advertising slogan must come across concisely to the viewer. The attention span of humans nowadays is very short, especially one of YouTube viewers.
Win in the first 5 seconds
After the first 5 seconds, the quintessence of your ad as well as the name of your brand should already be conveyed to the user. Be sure to use both, visuals and sounds to bring your message across. After that, they may click the skip button, but the impact of your advertising is already reached.
Focus on mobile users
More than 70% of today’s YouTube viewing times are represented by mobile users. Therefore, it is most important that all images and information are visible on small screens. Make sure to use close-up shots, use bigger font sizes and graphics as well as light colors.
Use a clear call-to-action
Call-to-actions (CTAs) should directly and unambiguously prompt the user to come into action. Don’t be afraid to repeat your CTA through voice, text, graphics or other overlays to aim for a higher engagement rate. ess value.