How to Create a Story Ad that Captivates Your Audience
Hi everyone, welcome to another article on digital marketing. Today, we're going to talk about a new and exciting format of online advertising: story ad.
Story ad is a type of immersive, full-screen, vertical video ad that allows you to tell a compelling story about your brand, product, or service. Story ads are designed to capture the attention and emotion of your audience, and to inspire them to take action.
Why Story Ads are Effective
They leverage the power of storytelling
Storytelling is one of the oldest and most effective ways of communicating and persuading. Humans are wired to respond to stories, especially ones that evoke emotions, curiosity, and empathy. Stories can also help you build trust and credibility with your audience, as they show the human side of your brand.
Story ads allow you to create a narrative that showcases your brand's personality, values, and benefits. You can use story ads to tell your brand's origin story, share customer testimonials, demonstrate how your product works, or highlight a social cause that you support. By telling a story, you can connect with your audience on a deeper level and make them more interested in your offer.
They fit the mobile-first behavior
More and more people are consuming content on their mobile devices, especially on social media platforms. According to Statista, in 2020, 91% of Facebook users accessed the platform via mobile devices, while 81% of Instagram users did the same. Mobile users tend to prefer vertical videos over horizontal ones, as they are more comfortable and natural to watch.
Story ads are optimized for mobile viewing, as they take up the entire screen and eliminate any distractions. They also mimic the format of popular features such as Instagram Stories, Snapchat Stories, and Facebook Stories, which have millions of daily active users. By creating story ads, you can tap into the existing behavior and preference of your target audience and deliver a seamless and engaging experience.
They have higher engagement and conversion rates
Story ads are not only captivating but also actionable. They allow you to add interactive elements such as swipe-up links, call-to-action buttons, polls, quizzes, stickers, and more. These elements can help you drive more engagement and conversion from your audience, as they can easily respond to your ad without leaving the app or platform.
According to Facebook, story ads have shown to perform better than other types of ads in terms of reach, impressions, click-through rates, and cost per action. For example, a study by Ipsos found that story ads on Instagram had an 85% completion rate and a 23% higher conversion rate than feed ads. Similarly, a case study by Snapchat showed that story ads on its platform had a 60% higher swipe-up rate than snap ads.
How to Create a Story Ad that Stands Out
Define your goal and audience
Before you start creating your story ad, you need to have a clear goal and audience in mind. What do you want to achieve with your ad? Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, drive sales, or something else? Who are you trying to reach with your ad? What are their demographics, interests, pain points, and motivations?
Having a clear goal and audience will help you craft a relevant and effective story ad that resonates with your viewers. It will also help you choose the right platform and format for your ad, as different platforms have different audiences and specifications for story ads.
Craft a compelling story
The most important part of your story ad is the story itself. You need to create a story that captures the attention and emotion of your audience from the first second. Your story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning should introduce your brand or product and hook your viewers with a problem or a question. The middle should show how your brand or product solves the problem or answers the question. The end should provide a clear call-to-action and urge your viewers to take the next step.
Your story should also be concise and coherent. You only have 10 to 15 seconds to tell your story in most platforms, so you need to make every second count. You should avoid using too many words or scenes that might confuse or bore your viewers. You should also use transitions and sound effects to create a smooth and engaging flow.
Use high-quality visuals and audio
The quality of your visuals and audio can make or break your story ad. You need to use high-quality images, videos, and sounds that match your story and brand. Your visuals should be clear, colorful, and eye-catching. Your audio should be clear, loud, and relevant. You should also use text and captions to reinforce your message and make your ad accessible to viewers who watch with the sound off.
You don't need to have a professional camera or studio to create a high-quality story ad. You can use your smartphone or a simple editing tool to create stunning visuals and audio. You can also use stock images, videos, and sounds from online sources, as long as they are royalty-free and relevant to your story.
A Breakdown of Story Ads by Platform
| Platform | Specifications | Best Practices |
|---|---|---|
| - Video length: 1 to 15 seconds - Aspect ratio: 9:16 - Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels - File size: 4 GB max - File format: MP4 or MOV - Text: 125 characters max - CTA button: 20 characters max | - Use the first 3 seconds to grab attention - Use vertical videos with full-screen images - Use bright colors and contrast - Use text overlays and stickers - Use sound and music - Include a clear and relevant CTA button | |
| - Video length: 1 to 15 seconds - Aspect ratio: 9:16 - Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels - File size: 4 GB max - File format: MP4 or MOV - Text: 125 characters max - Swipe-up link: Available for accounts with 10K+ followers or verified accounts | - Use the first 3 seconds to grab attention - Use vertical videos with full-screen images - Use bright colors and contrast - Use text overlays and stickers - Use sound and music - Include a swipe-up link or a CTA sticker | |
| Snapchat | - Video length: 3 to 10 seconds - Aspect ratio: 9:16 - Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels - File size: 32 MB max - File format: MP4 or MOV - Text: No limit, but avoid covering more than 20% of the screen - Swipe-up link: Available for all accounts | - Use the first second to grab attention - Use vertical videos with full-screen images - Use bright colors and contrast - Use text overlays and filters - Use sound and music - Include a swipe-up link or a CTA filter |
| YouTube | - Video length: Up to 6 seconds (non-skippable) or up to 15 seconds (skippable) - Aspect ratio: 9:16 or 16:9 - Resolution: At least 720p - File size: No limit, but recommended below 1 GB - File format: MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, WebM, or 3GPP - Text: No limit, but avoid covering more than 20% of the screen - CTA button: Available for all accounts | - Use the first second to grab attention - Use vertical or horizontal videos with full-screen images - Use bright colors and contrast - Use text overlays and annotations - Use sound and music - Include a clear and relevant CTA button |
FAQs about Story Ads
What are the benefits of story ads?
Story ads are a type of immersive, full-screen, vertical video ads that allow you to tell a compelling story about your brand, product, or service. Story ads are effective because they leverage the power of storytelling, fit the mobile-first behavior, and have higher engagement and conversion rates than other types of ads.
How do I create a story ad?
To create a story ad, you need to define your goal and audience, craft a compelling story, use high-quality visuals and audio, and choose the right platform and format for your ad. You can use your smartphone or a simple editing tool to create stunning visuals and audio. You can also use interactive elements such as swipe-up links, call-to-action buttons, polls, quizzes, stickers, and more to drive more engagement and conversion from your audience.
Which platforms support story ads?
Story ads are supported by various platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok,LinkedIn, Twitter, and more. Each platform has its own specifications and best practices for story ads, so you need to check them before creating your ad. You can also use tools such as Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, or Snapchat Ads Manager to create and manage your story ads across multiple platforms.
How much do story ads cost?
The cost of story ads depends on various factors such as the platform, the audience, the bidding strategy, the ad quality, and the campaign objective. Generally, story ads are charged based on impressions (CPM) or clicks (CPC), but some platforms also offer other options such as cost per view (CPV), cost per action (CPA), or cost per lead (CPL). You can set your own budget and bid amount for your story ads, and optimize them based on your performance and goals.
How do I measure the performance of my story ads?
To measure the performance of your story ads, you need to track and analyze various metrics such as reach, impressions, views, completion rate, click-through rate, swipe-up rate, conversion rate, cost per result, return on ad spend, and more. You can use the analytics tools provided by each platform or third-party tools such as Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or Snapchat Pixel to collect and report these metrics. You can also use A/B testing and experiments to compare different versions of your story ads and find out what works best for your audience.
What are some examples of successful story ads?
There are many examples of successful story ads from different brands and industries. Here are some of them:- Airbnb used story ads on Instagram to showcase its unique accommodations and experiences around the world. The ads featured stunning visuals and catchy captions that invited viewers to swipe up and book their next trip. The campaign resulted in a 13-point lift in ad recall and a 5-point lift in brand awareness.- Spotify used story ads on Snapchat to promote its Wrapped feature, which shows users their personalized music stats for the year. The ads used dynamic creative optimization (DCO) to generate customized videos for each user based on their music preferences. The campaign resulted in a 25% higher swipe-up rate and a 9% higher conversion rate than the average for Snapchat ads.- Nike used story ads on YouTube to launch its React shoes, which are designed to provide a bouncy and responsive feel. The ads used a combination of live action and animation to demonstrate the features and benefits of the shoes. The campaign resulted in a 15% higher view-through rate and a 7% higher purchase intent than the average for YouTube ads.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating story ads?
When creating story ads, you should avoid some common mistakes that might hurt your performance and results. Here are some of them:- Using too much text or cluttered visuals that might distract or overwhelm your viewers- Using horizontal videos or images that might not fit the vertical format of story ads- Using low-quality visuals or audio that might make your ad look unprofessional or unappealing- Using irrelevant or misleading content that might confuse or annoy your viewers- Using generic or boring content that might not capture the attention or emotion of your viewers- Forgetting to include a clear and compelling call-to-action that might not motivate your viewers to take action
How do I optimize my story ads for better results?
To optimize your story ads for better results, you should follow some best practices that can help you improve your ad quality and performance. Here are some of them:- Use the first few seconds to grab attention and hook your viewers with a problem or a question- Use vertical videos or images with full-screen visuals that can create an immersive experience- Use bright colors and contrast that can make your ad stand out from the background- Use text overlays and stickers that can reinforce your message and add personality to your ad- Use sound and music that can enhance the mood and emotion of your ad- Include interactive elements such as swipe-up links, call-to-action buttons, polls, quizzes, stickers, and more that can drive more engagement and conversion from your audience
How do I test my story ads before launching them?
To test your story ads before launching them, you should use tools such as Facebook Creative Hub, Google Web Designer, or Snapchat Creative Kit to preview how your ad will look like on different platforms and devices. You should also use tools such as Facebook Audience Network, Google Display Network, or Snapchat Ad Preview to test how your ad will perform with different audiences and placements. You should also use tools such as Facebook Test and Learn, Google Optimize, or Snapchat Snap Publisher to run A/B tests and experiments to compare different versions of your story ads and find out what works best for your audience.
How do I get started with story ads?
To get started with story ads, you need to have a clear goal and audience in mind, craft a compelling story, use high-quality visuals and audio, and choose the right platform and format for your ad. You can use your smartphone or a simple editing tool to create stunning visuals and audio. You can also use tools such as Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, or Snapchat Ads Manager to create and manage your story ads across multiple platforms. You can also use tools such as Facebook Creative Hub, Google Web Designer, or Snapchat Creative Kit to preview, test, and optimize your story ads before launching them.
Conclusion
Story ads are a new and exciting format of online advertising that allow you to tell a compelling story about your brand, product, or service. Story ads are effective because they leverage the power of storytelling, fit the mobile-first behavior, and have higher engagement and conversion rates than other types of ads. To create a story ad that stands out, you need to define your goal and audience, craft a compelling story, use high-quality visuals and audio, and choose the right platform and format for your ad. You can also use various tools to preview, test, and optimize your story ads before launching them.
We hope you enjoyed this article on how to create a story ad that captivates your audience. If you want to learn more about digital marketing, check out our other articles on our website. Thank you for reading and happy advertising!
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