Three Tips to Reach Car Buyers with Mobile-First Video Ads

Facebook Business

January 18, 2019

While auto marketers have been telling visual brand stories for years on TV, in order to reach today's car buyers, it's critical to adapt your storytelling to the way people consume content—on mobile. That's why we put together a list of tips to help you build more effective mobile-first video ads to tell your brand's story in a way that will resonate with your audience.

1. Shoot vertical

The traditional horizontal format of video has been turned on its side. In fact, 94% of the time, people consume content on their phones vertically. “The Rise Of Vertical Video: How Top Brands Are Adopting A New Content Format,” Forbes, February 2, 2018 That's why it's important to create videos tailored to the way people will watch them. And while vertical video may feel different, the same principles of great filmmaking still apply—strategic art direction, compelling storytelling and thoughtful use of sound are just as important, if not more, to capture attention on mobile.

2. Design for sound off (but delight with sound on)

Unlike on TV, many people watch videos on mobile without sound, so it's important that your ad can deliver your brand's message without it. Focus on grabbing people's attention and delivering your message quickly by stacking or animating your creative. And while sound can be used to delight and enhance your story, the content of your video should inform your audience on its own. Try using graphics, motion and explanatory visuals to convey your message, guide the storyline or creatively highlight emotional or provocative dialogue. You can also consider using captions to move viewers through your story.

3. Play with native tools

Talk to people like their friends do. From stop motion to 2D animation and visual effects, there are more ways than ever for marketers to engage with people on mobile. Experiment with stickers and GIFs to create visual surprises, change up your creative with filters or get people involved using polls.

Auto brands like Volkswagen are already using these tips to connect with customers and drive results. Volkswagen applied these mobile-first creative best practices in Instagram Stories as part of its recent Jetta campaign, resulting in a 17-point lift in ad recall, a 9-point lift in familiarity and a 5-point increase in purchase intent.

Get more creative best practices for auto ads.

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