How to create a video commercial? What tools will you need?

Video commercials are a great way to get your message across and create a personal connection with prospects. In fact, video advertising is one of the most effective forms of digital marketing, as it can help you convert more leads into customers.

Video ads & commercials are growing in popularity as more businesses realize the benefits they offer, however many business owners don’t know where to begin when creating a video ad from scratch.

Thankfully, this guide will cover everything you need to know about video commercials, including what they are, why they’re important, best practices, and the best video editing tools that will enable you to create one.

How do you create a video commercial?

What are video commercials?

Video commercials are short, engaging clips that play before (pre-roll), during, or after (post-roll) a video online. They typically range from 15 seconds to a few minutes in length. Video commercials can be played on a variety of different platforms, such as TV and social media (like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram).

They’re primarily used to introduce new products, educate potential customers about a brand, and promote special offers. Video commercials can also be combined with other types of advertising, such as text ads and native ads.

Check out this Video ad made on Fiverr by a freelance video expert

This video was made by rosohh, a video expert on Fiverr, contact her for help with your commercial video.

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What do you need to create a video commercial?

Making Video commercials can be an intimidating process, especially if you've never done it before. Fortunately, there are many tools available to help you create professional-looking video ad campaigns in a matter of minutes.

Here are the main video ad components you’ll need, along with the useful tools to help you check them off your list.

1. A video script

When you're making a video ad, it's important to have a script. A good script will act as an outline for your video and cover everything that you want it to contain, along with the order in which it should appear. This includes elements such as dialogue, actions, and anything else that each shot will feature.

A proper script for your video can help ensure that you're saying the right things, in the right order, in the right tone of voice, and with the right visual cues—all while making sure that each point is clear.

The featured script was written by kbeamon

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Scripting your video ad can help you to be more confident and effective in your video ad, as well as reduce the chances that you will have awkward pauses or forget something important.

When writing your video ad script, you can simply utilize word processing software or apps such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Scriptwriting can follow a very specific formula, however, so if you’re not experienced in this field, it’s best to hire the help of someone who is.

Fiverr is home to numerous professional scriptwriters around the globe. This makes it easy for you to find a scriptwriter who meets your video ad specifications, such as language, budget, and timeline.

2. Video ad footage

Once the time comes to actually create your video ad, you'll probably be wondering what tools you'll need at your disposal. The equipment or software required to create your video ad footage will depend on the type of video ad you wish to create.

In general, there are three main types of videos:

• Live action (also called "actual footage"): This is the most common type of video ad and involves filming actual people in real settings. The camera can be handheld or mounted on a tripod, but should be operated by someone who knows how to use it, such as a professional videographer.

• Animation: An animated video is one where the images are created using computer animation software like Adobe After Effects or 3D Studio Max. This type of video requires both a professional animator to create the figures and a voice actor to provide the dialogue.

• Stock footage: Stock footage refers to pre-recorded video clips that have been licensed for use in other videos, often for commercial purposes. While Video commercials that use stock footage cost less than hiring a videographer or animator for your project, they lack personalization of your products or services. Therefore, they are often less effective than live-action or animated Video commercials.

3. A voiceover 

Voiceover narration is responsible for telling your story and getting people excited about what you're selling.

While a voiceover is an essential part of any video ad, it's often one that many brands overlook. Having a voiceover in your video ad has several important functions:

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• It can set the tone and context for the rest of your video, which helps you increase engagement and brand awareness

• It helps viewers know what they're watching and how it fits into their lives

• It allows you to make complex ideas easy to understand

• It helps you build rapport with viewers so that they want to keep watching your ads

There’s plenty of software that allows you to record your narration as an audio file, which can then be added to your video ad footage during the editing process. Two of the most popular include Audacity and Adobe Audition—both of which are compatible with all major operating systems.

When you're creating a video ad, however, it's important to have a voiceover that matches the tone of your brand. Therefore, if you aren’t experienced with voiceover narration, you’ll want to seek the assistance of a professional voiceover artist to ensure you get yours right.

4. Video editing 

Video editing is an essential part of creating Video commercials that look professional and high-quality. With the right software, you can enhance your video ad to make it more engaging and eye-catching.

Looking for a good video editing software?

Read our list of the top video editing softwares and take your videos to the next level.

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There are many different ways of editing Video commercials, but the most common method is by using a timeline. A timeline allows you to arrange the clips in any order you want, and then add effects and transitions as needed.

Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro X are two of the most well-known video editing software, however, they do come with a steep learning curve for those with no prior video editing experience.

This is where a freelance video editor can greatly assist, as they not only have access to high-quality video editing tools, but also have the expertise to create the exact video ad you had in mind—complete with perfect lighting, scene transitions, audio, text, calls-to-action, and more.

5. A social advertising platform

Once you’ve utilized the previous tools to create your video ad, the final tool you’ll need is a social media advertising platform in which to place your ad. There are numerous social media platforms you might consider, with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok being among the most popular.

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We delve into these in more detail below to help you discover the numerous video advertising options on each platform.

Learn how the latest social media video marketing benefits and trends can help your business with our "Social Media Video Marketing Strategy: Trends & Benefits" guide.

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Facebook Video ads

When placing a video ad on Facebook, you have three main choices in terms of where to display your ad:

• In-stream ads are Video commercials broadcast throughout regular videos from Facebook Watch and the news feed.

• News Feed videos enable you to promote an existing post featuring your video ad or create a new video ad to reach more people.

• Stories allow you to create a video advertisement for Facebook in an authentic style.

Instagram Video ads

Instagram allows several different video advertising options for brands. These include:

• Instagram Stories ads: Targeted audiences are shown full-screen, vertical video advertising while they peruse Instagram Stories. Unlike personal Instagram Stories, which vanish after 24 hours, you can specify a certain duration for your ad to broadcast.

• Instagram Reels ads: Vertical, full-screen videos that appear between a user's usual, unsponsored articles and reels. The content of reel advertising may be liked, commented on, saved, and shared by users. Reels ads loop and can last up to 30 seconds.

• In-stream Video commercials: In-Stream Video advertisements, which were formerly known as IGTV, provide longer-form content. They're vertical, full-screen videos that last around 15 seconds. They're displayed pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll.

• Instagram Explore ads: Allow Video commercials to appear on the Explore page, where users can discover photos and videos that the app has chosen based on their prior activity and preferences.

YouTube Video ads

YouTube has four main video advertising options:

• Skippable Video commercials: Video commercials that viewers can skip after 5 seconds of viewing.

• Non-skippable Video commercials: Ads that must be watched before a video can be viewed, and they range in length from 15 to 20 seconds.

• Bumper ads: Brief, non-skippable Video commercials of up to 6 seconds in length which must be viewed before the video content can begin.

• Discovery ads: Video commercials designed to look like regular videos suggested by YouTube. These appear on top of YouTube search results, on the video watch page, and on the YouTube mobile homepage.

TikTok Video ads

TikTok offers three different types of video ad campaign placements for advertisers:

• In-Feed Ads: Video adverts that appear in between videos on a user’s For You page.

• Brand Takeover: Ads that appear as a user launches TikTok. These display as a full-screen video to your target demographic and include a clickable link to a landing page or Hashtag Challenge within the app.

• TopView: The first in-feed post which appears to the user after 3 seconds. This ad shows up at the top of the For You page and features 60 seconds of full-screen video with auto-play and sound.

Tips for a successful video ad

When creating an effective video ad for your audience, there are some best practices you’ll need to follow. Download our video ads tips infographic designed by dazzling_rai

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Create an ad that tells a story

Your video ad should tell a story that's both engaging and relevant to your target audience. This story should also be clear and concise, as well as authentic.

The best way to do this is to understand the story behind your brand:

• What makes your company unique?

• Why does it matter?

• What makes you different from the competition?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can use that information to craft an effective video ad.

Another important aspect of creating a compelling ad is to tell the story in a unique way. A good video ad should be different from other ads, so don’t just copy what others are doing. Instead, think about how you can stand out from the crowd by using new techniques and solutions.

Make it short and sweet

It’s important to keep in mind that you want your video ad to be long enough for people to catch the message and remember it, but not so long that viewers will get bored or frustrated.

A good rule of thumb is to make your video ad between 30 seconds and two minutes in length. Keep in mind the shorter your video ad is, the more likely it is that people will watch it to completion.

Include your brand and logo in the ad

As an additional way to reinforce your company's name, include an image of your company's logo in the first few seconds of the video ad. You can place your logo in the corner of the screen, or why not think about some subtle, yet effective ways you can include this branding? Ideas include clever product placement or having the person on-screen wearing your business name and logo on their shirt, for example.

This will help viewers quickly identify your company as the source of the ad, and it can also help to create brand loyalty.

If you need a high-quality and unique logo for your video ad, Fiverr's Logo Maker lets you set your style, select a design, then customize it within minutes. Alternatively, you can hire a freelance logo designer to craft a bespoke logo that caters to your business's needs, timeline, and budget. 

Keep the focus on the product or service being advertised

When creating your video ad, ask yourself:

• What are you selling?

• How does it help people?

• Why should they buy from you, and not someone else?

It's important not to get side-tracked by irrelevant details or topics, since viewers are likely looking for an answer to one of those questions. If you can't answer them all within a few seconds, consider trimming down the length of the video clip or cutting it into separate ads that each focus on one particular aspect of what you're selling.

Remove any fluff, filler words, or unnecessary visuals that don't contribute to the message of your video ad. Instead, focus on a clear message that tells people what you do and why they should care.

Find creative ways to display your product or service

Humor can be an effective way to keep viewers engaged and make your brand seem more human because it often resonates with people’s emotions. Humor is also much more memorable than other types of messaging. Try using humor that reflects your audience’s current situation or something relevant in their lives. This allows them to relate to it on a personal level and remember it better later on.

Use customer testimonials where relevant 

Including testimonials from customers will give viewers an idea of what others think about your products or services. A customer testimonial can also go a long way in helping build trust between you and potential customers who don’t know much about your business yet but are interested in learning more after watching one of your videos.

When you have real-world examples of the benefits of your products or services, it also makes them seem more tangible and believable.

Include a call-to-action

A call-to-action is a button or other element that prompts the user to take perform a specific task. For example, if the video is about a new product or service, you could ask viewers to sign up for more information about it. Or if the video is intended to encourage viewers to purchase something, include a link to make it easy for them to do so.

The best time to include a call-to-action is at the end of your video. This gives viewers time to digest what they’ve just seen and allows you to capitalize on their feelings about it.

A well-designed call-to-action can be the difference between a user clicking through or not taking any further action from your video ad.

Why are video commercials important for your business?

Businesses use video commercials because they’re more effective than other types of advertisements—particularly when it comes to online advertising. Here are some of the other key reasons why video commercials are important for your business.

They’re powerful tools that increase reach and improve engagement

Video commercials can be used as a tool to increase engagement with your brand. They allow you to deliver messages in an immersive way that people prefer over other types of content. Video commercials are often more engaging than text or image ads because they include sound and moving imagery, which makes them easier to process at a glance.

Video commercials can also be targeted to specific audiences, which means they're even more effective at generating conversions. When your video ad only appears on sites or apps that are relevant to your target audience, it won't waste money on impressions or clicks from viewers who aren't interested in what you're selling.

They can get your message across and make your brand more memorable

You may have heard that Video commercials are more memorable than text ads. They're also better at conveying your brand's message and driving action, including conversions. This is because people tend to respond better to visual content than text.

This notion is supported by theorist Edgar Dale, as his studies conclude that people remember only 10% of what they read and 20% of what they hear, yet can retain 50% of what they see and hear at once.

They create a personal connection and build trust with prospects

Video commercials are more personal than static image or text ads, and they can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level. This is because Video commercials are the easiest way to convey information in an emotional manner that will resonate with your audience. This can be especially helpful when building trust with prospects who may have never interacted with your brand before.

They appeal to people's emotions which leads them to buy

It's no secret that emotions are the key to making a sale. The right video ad can induce specific emotions within viewers—and it’s that emotional connection that leads to trust and loyalty.

Video commercials are especially effective in driving sales because they allow companies to get personal with their customers in a way other mediums simply cannot match: visual storytelling.

Emotional stories evoke strong, visceral reactions in viewers and make them feel like they're part of the action. That's why advertisers have been using this effective storytelling technique for decades.

They're great for social media marketing

Social media marketing is a great way for you to get your brand in front of people, and Video commercials allow you to take this to an even greater height. Video commercials are the most powerful type of ad on social media because they’re native to the platform. They look and feel like regular content, yet they have all the benefits of a video ad. They're also more likely to be shared, liked, and commented on than other types of ads.

As a result, social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok, also favor video content when determining what to showcase in users' feeds. When a user is scrolling through their feed or tapping through their Stories, the animated nature of video has the ability to make them pause and engage with the content in front of them—especially when the ad has been targeted toward their very needs.

Effective Video commercials can boost your business’s success

The goal of a video ad is to grab the attention of your potential customers, deliver your message, and convince them to take action. To do this effectively, you need to create an engaging and persuasive video that uses both visual and verbal cues to communicate with your target audience.

Creating effective Video commercials is a complex process that takes some time to master. However, with the right tools and knowledge, it’s possible for anyone to create professional-looking Video commercials with ease.

Remember, if you don’t have the time or expertise to create your own Video commercials, then you can hire the help of a freelance video ad creator from Fiverr. Best of all, you can find a freelancer that fits in with your desired budget and timeline, meaning the right assistance is always on-hand.