If you want to stop your Facebook audience in their tracks, video ads are a great place to start.

There's good evidence that video ads on Facebook can achieve significantly higher engagement than static images (up to 5x higher), making them a great way to reach your audience. 

But success isn’t guaranteed just by uploading a video – you need the right approach. 

Competition in the feed is fierce, making it tricky to draw attention. To help your campaigns stand out and drive results, we’ve compiled some great practices for Facebook video ads. 

We'll let you in on the latest strategies for creating brilliant video ad content and maximizing return on investment (ROI), and reveal Facebook’s latest trends and user behaviors. You’ll also learn how to use Brandwatch’s suite of tools to launch great Facebook ads.

By the end of our guide, you'll be ready to create Facebook video ads that grab attention, delight your audience, and convert viewers into customers. 

Along the way, we’ll cover everything from design tips to targeting strategies, giving you a Facebook video ad template that tells your brand story in one clear message. Let’s get started.

10 tried-and-tested strategies for Facebook video advertising

People scroll through Facebook quickly, so the aim is to stop them in their tracks and reel them in within the first few seconds. You can also do some smart video ad prep to ensure your content reaches your target audience and track responses to improve your ads next time.

Here are 10 ways to nail your Facebook video ads this year. You may not need all of them, but be sure to take a look at each one. You never know when they might come in handy.

1. Grab attention early

Good video content on social media should hook someone almost instantly. As a rule, you want to capture the viewer's attention within the first three seconds – that's how you stop the scroll. 

To achieve this, use an eye-catching thumbnail or an opening frame that stands out in the stream.

It's also important to ensure your branding appears early in the video. In general, it's good to get your business name or logo and core message within the first few seconds, so even if someone scrolls past after a few seconds, they’ll have spotted your brand.

This is called front-loading, and it increases the chances that viewers will remember you when it’s time to make a purchase. Find out more about brand awareness in our guide.

2. Keep video content short and concise

In the age of TikTok and Reels, shorter video content is often sweeter. This way, someone is more likely to watch to the end. Aim for 15–30 seconds for most video ads, as this length tends to perform well without losing viewers. 

Some advertisers succeed with 6–10 seconds of micro-videos for certain placements, especially for quick promotions or retargeting ads.

To find the sweet spot for your ad campaign, use a tool like Brandwatch Social Media Management to dive into the analytics and pinpoint which of your videos are getting the most views, then look more closely at their length.

3. Optimize for mobile viewing (vertical and square videos)

Unsurprisingly, most people tend to use Facebook on their phone or app – about 81.5% of Facebook users access the social media platform this way. 

To make the most of this, it's best to design your video ads with the mobile experience in mind. This typically means using vertical (9:16) or square (1:1) video formats, which take up more screen real estate on mobile and naturally grab more attention than a landscape aspect ratio.

Data backs this up. Square videos can get 30–35% more views and up to 80–100% more engagement than landscape videos, and vertical videos often perform even better.

Most video editing tools or Facebook’s Ads Manager allow you to crop or upload different aspect ratios for the same video. It’s worth the effort to ensure your ad looks great in vertical/square format so it naturally blends into the mobile feed while still standing out visually.

4. Design for sound-off viewing (use captions and visuals)

Most Facebook users watch videos with the sound off by default. In fact, Facebook reports that 85% of users view videos with no audio. This means your video ad should be understandable and compelling even on mute.

Start by adding subtitles or closed captions for any spoken dialogue or voiceover. This not only makes your content accessible to those watching without sound but also caters to viewers who are hard of hearing.

Beyond subtitles, think about visual storytelling. The idea is that someone should understand the gist of your ad without needing to hear a voiceover or music. Music and narration can be incredibly emotive, so don't feel you have to discard it altogether – just remember that it might not be heard.

5. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) early

Every good Facebook video ad needs a clear call to action (CTA). What do you want the viewer to do after watching? Whether it’s “Shop Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Learn More,” make sure this CTA is obvious and compelling.

A common mistake is placing the CTA only at the very end of the video. Given that many users won’t watch a video ad to completion, a CTA that appears only in the last few seconds might be missed by a large portion of viewers.

Instead, displaying your CTA earlier, around the middle of the video, is often more effective once you’ve hooked the viewer and provided some information.

The goal is to guide the user toward the next step as seamlessly as possible. By the end of the video, you can reinforce the CTA again for those who do watch fully but don’t rely on the end alone.

>> What is a call to action? Find out more in our guide.

6. Tell your brand story and evoke emotion

These days, storytelling is a key skill for capturing the imagination of your target audience. Story-driven ads tend to be more engaging and memorable, as they pull viewers into a narrative rather than feeling like a blatant sales pitch.

As you craft your story, aim to elicit an emotional response from the viewer – whether it’s excitement, joy, empathy, or even a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out). When people feel something while watching your ad, they are more likely to remember it and develop a positive association with your brand. 

Crafting a storyline naturally introduces your product while also connecting emotionally. It should be genuine, authentic, and relatable – nothing overly cheesy or forced.

Use your video ad to tell a concise, compelling story. Engage hearts, not just minds. Whether you make viewers laugh, cry, or nod in understanding, tapping into emotion can significantly boost the impact and conversion potential of your Facebook video ads.

>> Discover these tips for better data storytelling.

7. Tap into social proof and influencers

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people look to others to determine their own actions.  Getting some social proof into Facebook video ads can do wonders for your credibility and click-through rates.

Customer testimonials can be good for this, as can a quick quote from a happy customer saying how your service helped them. The star ratings included at the end of movie previews are a good example.

User-generated content (UGC) also fits the bill – short clips of real customers using or unboxing your product can give a dose of authenticity while reinforcing your ad’s message.

Similarly, if you have partnerships with industry influencers or popular creators, featuring them in your ad can immediately draw attention. Influence is an ideal tool for launching and managing these sorts of campaigns.

Viewers who recognize the person are more likely to stop and watch and transfer some of their trust in that influencer onto your brand.

8. Test and make changes

Even with best practices in mind, remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for the perfect video ad. That’s why you should continuously test and tweak your Facebook video ads. 

Try out different versions of your video to see what resonates most with your audience. This could involve A/B testing major elements like the opening hook, video length, CTA timing, and smaller tweaks like background music or different color schemes. 

Facebook makes it relatively easy to run split tests or use dynamic creative optimization to automatically test multiple variations of your ad components.

Use an analytics platform like Brandwatch Social Media Management to keep an eye on key metrics such as video watch time, click-through rate (CTR), and conversion rate to track performance differences between variations.

Let data inform your decisions – you might be surprised by what your audience prefers. The trick is to learn and refine.

9. Tailor your content

Tailoring your video ads to specific audiences is another way to get more out of each one.

Facebook’s targeting capabilities allow you to segment your audience by demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. You can dig even deeper with Brandwatch Consumer Research and understand your audience inside out before targeting them with the Audience tool.

Armed with this knowledge, it’s much easier to customize your ad video content for different segments.

For example, you might have one version of your ad that speaks to first-time potential customers (with a bit more content about who you are), and another version for repeat customers or retargeting (getting straight to the point about a new product release or promotion). 

If you target different age groups or locations, it's even possible to make slight adjustments to imagery or language to better appeal to each group. Putting in this effort can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates because viewers feel the content speaks directly to their needs.

In short, never “set and forget” your Facebook video ads. The platform and user preferences evolve quickly, so what worked last year might not work now. Continuously monitor performance, run tests, and optimize.

By iterating on your creative and tailoring content to your audience segments, you’ll keep improving results over time and ensure your ad strategy stays sharp and effective.

10. Retarget engaged viewers for better ROI

One of Facebook’s most powerful advertising features is the ability to retarget people who have already interacted with your content. 

If someone watched your video ad (or even just a portion of it), that person has shown interest – however mild – in your brand. Don’t waste that opportunity. 

At this point, you can retarget your video viewers with follow-up ads to guide them further down the conversion funnel. Many advertisers consider it a major missed opportunity not to re-engage these warm prospects.

After all, if a user watched 50% of your video ad, they’re much more likely to convert than a cold prospect who has never heard of you.

What's great is that Facebook allows you to create “Custom Audiences” based on video engagement. In the Ads Manager, you can build an audience of users who viewed a certain percentage (10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, etc.) of your video or who watched for a certain duration. You can even specify which video(s) to include. With these audience segments, you can then tailor your next message appropriately.

Of course, you can conduct retargeting marketing with Brandwatch by your side, too.

Retargeting is especially effective because it focuses your budget on people who have already shown interest, thereby often yielding better ROI. 

When setting up retargeting, consider exclusion windows too – for instance, exclude people who have already converted or who have seen the same ad many times so you don’t waste your budget or irritate users with overexposure.

The idea is to re-engage interested viewers with relevant follow-ups.

Time to make the most of Facebook video ads in 2025

Facebook video ads are now part of the news feed that's here to stay – but success comes from executing them thoughtfully. 

By grabbing attention early, keeping content short and mobile-friendly, designing for sound-off viewing, and using storytelling with emotional hooks, you can create video ads that really speak to your audience. 

Don’t forget to include clear calls to action, throw in some social proof to build trust, and continually test different approaches. Take advantage of Facebook and Brandwatch’s retargeting capabilities to maximize the value of every video view.

Following these tips makes you more likely to create Facebook video advertising campaigns that people remember. The digital landscape is always evolving – so you'll need to keep up with trends to safeguard your strategy.

With a bit of creativity and the right tactics, your video ads can cut through the noise.

Once you've crafted a great campaign, Brandwatch Social Media Management can help you make it a reality. From scheduling and managing your Facebook content to analyzing performance, Brandwatch provides the tools you need to streamline your campaigns and optimize outcomes.

Be confident your Facebook video ads will reach the right audience and make a big impact. Request a demo with Brandwatch to supercharge your social media marketing strategy today.