Were you aware that you can do advertising on Instagram with video content? With hundreds of millions of users sharing and viewing content on Instagram daily, it can be a powerful marketing tool to reach out to your target audience. If your business operates in an industry like tourism, hospitality, or restaurants, an Instagram video ad is one of the most effective ways to showcase what you have to offer.
Find out about all the different types of Instagram video ads from Instagram Stories to Instagram Reels, and everything else in between. Learn which ones will work best for promoting your brand, and the different ad specs that apply to each one. Finally, we’ll also share some great tips that you can use to realize the maximum potential of your Instagram video ad campaign and offer you some expert help to produce professional quality video content.
The Rise In Popularity Of The Instagram Video Ad
While Instagram started with the ability to share user-generated photos, users were quick to get onto video when it first became available in 2013. Within the first 24 hours of video sharing becoming a feature, over five million videos were shared. According to a research study, nearly 500 million users check Instagram Stories every day and more than 50% of users report that they are more interested in a brand after seeing it featured on Instagram Stories. Not only that, but 1 in 2 people state they use the platform to discover new products, services, and brands while 2 out of 3 users report they can make meaningful connections with these brands.
Naturally, this has led many advertisers to capitalize on Instagram ads to reach this massive audience that is hungry for more content. Since more than 90% of Instagram users will view some form of video on the platform every week, video ad has quickly become one of the most popular methods of Instagram advertising. Studies have shown that short-form video has higher engagement levels than static images, and 68% of marketers were planning to utilize Instagram video ads in some form in 2022.
Types of Instagram Video Ads
With higher engagement levels compared to other forms of content, and users relying on features like Instagram Stories to discover new brands, the impact of video ads on your social media strategy cannot be underestimated. If you’re ready to start reeling in Instagram users toward your product or service offerings, then here are the ways you can utilize Instagram video ads.
The ad specs indicate the resolution, maximum allowed Instagram video length, file size, and video format for these Instagram ads. In general, Instagram ad specs usually require MP4 or MOV video format, unless otherwise stated.
Instagram Stories Ads
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Instagram Stories is one of the most popular types of content on the platform. These video ads take over the entire screen, giving you plenty of real estate for your video to get your marketing message across. Personal Instagram Stories may disappear after 24 hours, but since you’ll be posting from a business account, you can set a custom time for how long you wish the video ad to run. Instagram Stories ads are the best place to share news such as announcements and limited-time promotions.
Stories ads are limited to two-minute videos and need to be in the 9:16 aspect ratio. The video format has to be MP4 or MOV with sound and captions available for use.
Instagram Reels Ads
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Instagram Reels ads are one of the latest additions to the platform. Reels are also full-screen and come in a vertical video format but are limited to just 60 seconds. Unlike Stories ads, however, Reels ads can be looped. Furthermore, users can engage with this content with likes, comments, and shares. These video ads can appear while users are watching regular organic Reels on Instagram.
Instagram Carousel Ads
Carousel ads are a type of video ad that allows users to swipe through multiple video clips in the same ad space. This is great when there are multiple products like a collection or many service features you wish to highlight. You may even be able to tell a story with each clip highlighting an important moment or aspect of that story. Carousel Ads can contain from 2 to 10 clips in a sequence although the aspect ratio can only be 1:1.
Instagram In-Stream Video Ads
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You may remember something called ‘IGTV’ or ‘Instagram TV’ that Instagram introduced a few years ago. This is their long-form type of video content that is now called ‘In-stream’ or ‘In-feed’ videos. The maximum video length for in-feed video ads is two minutes and the aspect ratio has to be 4:5. These in-feed ads are the best when it comes to building brand awareness.
Instagram Explore ads
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Some users like to scroll down the Instagram Explore page to discover new content. Explore ads placed in this section of the platform can be used to target customers that may have shown interest in similar products or services to what you offer. With over 200 million people browsing this tab daily, it’s a great place to plug in your Instagram video ads. Your Instagram ads here can be uploaded in the highest resolution video that is possible and is only limited by a two-minute duration.
Instagram Shopping Ads
Shopping ads or just simply ‘shop ads’ are one of the newest additions to the platform. These video ads are displayed when users are browsing the Shop tab on Instagram. You will be able to present your Instagram video ads to people that have already visited your store page or are currently browsing for similar products to what you offer. These video ads are best suited for retailers who can let customers shop directly on Instagram or redirect them to their own eCommerce site.
Instagram Collection Ads
Instagram Collection ads are sort of a combination of Shop ads and Carousel ads. You can display a video clip with a series of images to provide multiple angles, available styles, and colors of a product line. These types of Instagram ads are also best suited for retailers and the available ad specs allow them to upload in an aspect ratio of 1:1 or 16:9.
Tips For Attracting Instagram Users To Your Video Ads
Now that you’re familiar with the various options available from an Instagram Feed video ad to Instagram Story ads, here are some tips to make your video advertising efforts bear fruit without getting ignored by users.
Decide On Your Instagram Advertising Campaign Objectives
Before you start worrying about Instagram video length or compatible formats, you need to decide what your Instagram ad objectives are. Are you trying to build brand awareness or are you trying to get more people to visit your company’s landing page? These are two different objectives that require slightly different approaches to your Instagram ad. Only you can know what you’re focusing on at the moment.
Make Instagram Video Ads Mobile-friendly
People watch Instagram videos on their smartphones, not on personal computers. Furthermore, the resolution for videos is usually vertical with 1080×1920 or square (1080×1080). Always check the ad specs before you start shooting your video. And remember, Instagram videos are not meant to be horizontal since users do not turn their phones sideways like watching YouTube videos.
Your Intro Needs To Be Impactful
Mobile device users like to know what brand they’re dealing with in the first three seconds of watching a video. 23% of users on Instagram and Facebook were more likely to remember the name of a brand if it was introduced during this important first three seconds of a video. Remember this and cut to the chase when making your video.
Follow Upload Guidelines For Video Ads
Instagram video ads need to adhere to the guidelines set by the Meta Ads Manager (formally Facebook Ads Manager). They usually recommend using a fixed frame rate, progressive scan, with stereo AAC audio compression and H.264 video compression. And as mentioned many times before, it’s best to follow the resolution and aspect ratios for each type of video ad so that your content does not get cropped on the sides or have unused screen real estate.
Also, pay special attention to the Instagram video length so that your video doesn’t get forcefully cut by the platform before crucial information is delivered to your customers. For full technical video upload details, check out the Meta Ads Manager recommendations.
Make Your Instagram Video Ads Work With Sound And Without
Many users like to keep the sound off on videos by default. This means that your video has to be capable of attracting their attention without relying on a catchy tune, sound effects, or voice-over narration by a famous celebrity. This can be quite easy if your content has jaw-dropping visuals, to begin with. If you’re a hotel owner, a stunning bit of aerial drone videography might do the trick to showcase the natural beauty of the surroundings. If you’re in the restaurant business, you just need to show off your finest mouth-watering delicacies.
If you’re providing some sort of software or online services, you may not be able to wow your audience with fancy visuals. You could then rely on video captions to get your message across. Of course, remember not to go overboard with the onscreen text. Furthermore, the placement and font of the text are also important.
Make Your Video Content Feel Organic
While we are on the subject of Instagram video ads, it’s important to understand that users may be more likely to pay attention if the ads look and feel like organic user-generated Instagram posts. This does not mean that you should make your videos look low-budget or unprofessional. It simply means that an Instagram video ad that seamlessly follows organic content without a user noticing will more likely hold their attention and keep them watching to the end instead of feeling like an intrusive advertisement that is forcing its way into their feed.
Don’t Forget Your Call To Action Button
Your advertising objectives will play a role in determining when to place the all-important call to action (CTA) for your Instagram video ads. If you want to tell a story about your brand, you might want users to watch the video in its entirety. Then your CTA should only appear at the end of the video. If you want users to take an action like purchasing a product or making a booking, then the mid-point of the video is the optimal place to have a CTA. Placing it too early might not give users a chance to be immersed in your message or story.
Apart from the call to action, you make within the video ad itself, the Instagram interface will also have a dedicated CTA button that appears at the bottom of the screen. Users may click this anytime to be redirected to another location on Instagram or any other destination you specify. This could be your own e-commerce site or landing page that takes reservations. This is fully customizable depending on what action you want your ad viewers to take.
Experiment With Instagram Video Ad Features
The Instagram app is always getting updated with new features. Some are great at increasing your conversion rates while others may be best suited for improving your brand awareness. Shoppable tags for example can now be used to display the price tag of the product you’re promoting in the video ad. Always be on the lookout for new features that might boost your video marketing efforts.
Need Expert Help To Create Videos That Impress Your Target Audience?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the technical requirements for video uploads like aspect ratios and video formats, don’t be alarmed. With some help from a professional video production agency, you can focus on your business and let the experts handle the making of your Instagram video.
SUJO Twenty-Two has a talented team with years of experience in video production, graphic design, and digital marketing. We’ll work alongside you and handle all the challenging technical as well as creative aspects to deliver high-quality video content that will not only boost your conversions but increase your brand awareness on Instagram. To learn more about what we do, visit the SUJO Twenty-Two website today!
FAQs
Yes. Instagram lets you place video ads in addition to pictures as advertisements.
Instagram video ads can be placed as Instagram Stories, Reels, In-stream (In-feed), Explore, Carousel, Collection, and Shopping.
