5 Different Ad Formats To Connect With Your Audience

Image by Nick Youngson via Alpha Stock Images under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

by Vaibhav Kakkar, Guest Contributor

​The advertising space is one of the most competitive online marketing areas - everyone doing it is trying to put their best foot forward. But like every other tactic, it doesn’t work for all. An ad can fail on account of intrusiveness, information overload or simply lack of engagement. To make it work, your advertising strategy must rely on the most engaging formats. 

​Here we have handpicked some of the best formats from multiple channels that come with a higher probability of hitting the mark. Use these to connect with your audience:
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Unlock advertising power and create great results!

1) Facebook video ads
With video becoming an integral part of Facebook, it makes sense to invest in video ads. The increasing consumption of videos on the platform points to the latest trend in information gathering - people like to watch a video, preferably a short one, to get their fill. And especially on Facebook, for which the sweet spot for video length is around 1 minute, it is essential for marketers to keep things simple and short. 

Take cues from the strategy of Muscle Blaze which created a compelling Facebook video ad. In its “Tum nahi Samjhoge (you won’t understand)” campaign, it resonates with its target audience through a relatable character, effective storytelling and connects with them because of the use of an effective ad format - video. 

MuscleBlaze

To make this format work for your brand, make sure to:

• Keep it short
• Include captions
• Use an enticing thumbnail
• Tell an engaging story

2) Youtube’s Pre-Roll 
No matter how intrusive these ads seem to the user, they actually work, thanks in part to Youtube’s pre-roll targeting. With filters like geography, demographics, language, topics and interests; it basically helps you translate your prospective buyer’s persona effectively. 

Take, for instance, this unskippable campaign by Geico which was a massive hit with the audience when it rolled out on Youtube. Taking a funny dig at unskippable ads, this ad hit right where it should and leaves you with a lasting impression, making the brand memorable. 

Geico

This format helps you achieve the highest engagement when you 

• Wrap it under 6 seconds
• Grab attention instantly
• Spark curiosity
• Create a compelling CTA
• Use them at the top of the funnel

3) Instagram Story Ads
Story ads provide a full-screen and immersive experience that enables you to tell your business's story on Instagram. This format connects well with the viewer because it blends with other user stories and doesn’t come off as an advertisement.

Instagram Stories

These story ads support all feed photo and video dimensions which means that you can either go for a single image upload or a 15-second video, in any dimension, and this will pop up in between other stories making it more likely for viewers to embrace these ad formats and connect with them. 

Remember that your ad story works best when-

• Paired with minimal text
• It has a strong visual appeal

4) Retargeting Ads
If a user has already engaged with you in the past, you should focus on moving them further in their purchase journey. Retargeting ads are a great way of achieving this.

17 Retargeting Ad Statistics That Will Make You Retarget Right Now [2 Infographics]

​These ads work by keeping track of your past visitors and targeting them while they are surfing other sites. 

To use these to connect effectively, focus on:

• Tracking your campaigns to make informed decisions
• Target high-value customers

5) 360-degree video ads
For a visually-immersive and interactive experience, 360-degree video ads are the way to go. In fact, they have been shown to increase the purchase intent significantly. 

These ads stand out with their visual quotient and allow users to look explore more than a video alone can offer. To make sure that you utilise this format to 360 degrees, create ads that:

• Are visually appealing
• Rely on natural light
• Have the most engaging part as the thumbnail

Closing Thoughts
The right ad format for your brand can differ based on the objective and the level of the funnel you are in. To make the most of your advertising efforts, focus on picking those that are more likely to trigger a positive response from your audience. The above 5 formats can help you unlock the advertising power and create great results for your brand. 

Vaibhav Kakkar is the Founder and CEO of Digital Web Solutions, a globally trusted agency with a full suite of digital marketing services and development solutions. Vaibhav believes in building system over services, and has helped scale up agencies from scratch to niche-leaders with million dollar turnovers.

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