Is it enough to create Facebook ads for desktop and then adapt to mobile? According to recent research by Facebook, it isn’t. Priority needs to be placed on creating mobile-first Facebook ads, period. Instead of converting video ads that have already been made for desktop, advertisers need to adopt a mentality that helps them choose creative video forms that are built for mobile first.
Why is building for mobile so important?
Building video content for mobile is critical because mobile first ads are more memorable and are watched for a longer amount of time than those that aren’t built for mobile.
This means your ad spend has a better chance of achieving your campaign goals.
The viewing habits of people who prefer mobile reflect the changing shifts in the way people like to view content. Mobile is dominating and the environment people use their mobile devices vary.
What does building for mobile mean?
1. Creating Short Videos
Telling stories through video sometimes means following the traditional story arc i.e. building stories to a conclusion. However, this arc isn’t as effective. People are no longer consuming content in a linear fashion. Creating content for this platform cannot be thought of in terms of the way people view television shows. However, developers of mobile-first video content for ads, know that if you build to a conclusion your audience may lose interest and click away from your video. Therefore, the first few seconds (3 seconds) are critical.
2. Introducing The Brand Quickly
Ads that are built for mobile first, should include a brand element early in the video for example, a company logo. Without brand elements near the beginning of the video ad, people have a harder time recalling ads. Also, when the brand element isn’t present near the beginning of the video it can have an effect on the entire funnel.
3. Designing for Sound Off
It also means building a video for sound off. There are times when viewers may listen to the video with no sound. By building video for sound off, the visuals are still able to engage viewers without the added element/ sensory experience of sound.
Conclusion
In this post, we share the reasons why building video content for mobile first is crucial for people to remember your content and watch your content longer. Also, we explain what building video for mobile ultimately means and the tactics that can be used to optimize video content for mobile first. These tactics include creating short digestible video content, introducing brand elements early in the video, and designing these videos for a sound off viewing experience.
About Abacus
Founded in 2016 and based in Toronto, Canada, Abacus is a performance marketing company with a focus on Facebook and Instagram advertising. We’re decentralized, which means our clients are all around the world, we help everyone from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Our team includes expert data scientists that build growth engines, not just campaigns. By utilizing the latest technology and unearthing patterns in data, we are able to help companies achieve their advertising goals while driving down costs. We’re the #1 Facebook advertising agency in the world, and as the digital world continues to become more connected and complex, Abacus only gets better.
