When it comes to capturing your target audience with hooks, you need to think bigger. The days of creating still images for your ads are long gone. The best way to lure in your target audience with ads these days is with video ads.
And I am not just talking about any videos here, I am talking about using a proper detailed strategy video, which emphasizes hooks!
Think about this
You basically have less than 2 seconds to make your viewer stop scrolling and look at what you have to offer.
So you want to make those first few seconds count!
How do you do that?
Delivering a shocking, emotionally connecting, can’t-turn-away, interest-piquing experience, just in those first few seconds, will ensure that you get the most out of your video content.
In a sea of overloaded content, you absolutely have to make your viewer stop, or even stop and scroll back – this is when you have really captured their attention.
It’s when you get them to actually scroll back, but that’s a story for another day.
How to capture your target audience
So, how does one capture your audience? How do you make sure you stand out from all of your competitors and other random offers?
Knowing how to catch attention in video advertising is vital to business success. And, there is a trick to this, It’s not hard, but it does take a bit of brainstorming and strategizing from your side.
Fishing out your target audience
Think of it like fishing…
You want to throw your hook into the water with something tasty, just enough to catch your fish, and grab them – hook, line, and sinker.
Now, when it comes to capturing your target audience, the concept is exactly the same.
Start with a bold short line, like – “Go check, your house is on fire!”
This is obviously just an example, but every industry has the ability to write something bold and catchy like this.
And remember, you only get a few short sections to get this right and capture your target audience.
This information is based on previous research and past data.
Proven hooks to capture your target audience
So, by now you should understand the importance of not boring your target audience to death, as that is a sure way to lose them.
I am going to cover a few brilliant and proven video hooks that you can consider using when creating your script for your video ads, if you follow these, you are sure to get your target audience to STOP and LOOK at what your business is offering.
They are:
- Grab them with the title
- Focus on an eye-catching cover image
- Focus on the first few seconds
- Get them to relate to your ad
- Amplify their problem
- Provide a solution to their problem
- CTA
Before moving on, I would just like to emphasize how important the last point is – if there is no CTA (call to action), then there is no point in running an ad, your will only be wasting money. Your ads need to have a clear objective, you want your audience to do something, whether it is to come to your website, sign up for something, or download a free lead magnet.
Whatever you do, don’t forget your CTA in your video ad.
Grab your target audience with the title
Some would say that the title is more important than the video itself. Especially since the title is often the first thing that your audience may see (if your video is not on auto-play).
You absolutely have to have a great video title, including well-thought-out SEO keywords to help your video show up in their search, and this will also encourage your target audience to click and watch your video ad.
Be creative with your audience
Brainstorm your title ideas and don’t be afraid to do A/B testing on different options to find out which works best.
Consider the following when creating a title:
- Descriptive
- Enticing
- Catchy titles
The above is a sure way to capture your target audience in your video ads. In other words – this is how you get your fish to bite.
Related: The Power of WhatsApp Marketing
An eye-catching cover image
The thumbnail or cover image of your video must stand out LOUDLY, and encourage them to click, it needs to be so enticing that your target audience feels like they will miss out if they don’t click on your ad immediately.
Your thumbnail (cover image) must be attractive and enticing with a clear font and text that helps your target audience understand what the video is about.
You don’t want to confuse your audience with a bunch of mumbo-jumbo.
You want to be designing and creating attention-grabbing advertising videos, which are combined with great imagery, and text graphics that encourage your audience to click!
Focus on the first few seconds
You want to focus your video content on the first 5-15 seconds in order to get maximum results.
This will help you to capture the attention of your target audience in the first few seconds, getting them so hooked on what you have to offer, that they completely lose interest in any other content being shown to them.
If you get this right, then you have successfully lured them in!
Get your target audience to relate to your ad
Here you want to connect with your target audience. How do you do this? By making them feel as if you understand what they are going through.
For example, let’s say you are selling diet products…
In this case, you might want to share how you have battled with losing weight as well, showing them that you understand, and how you have tried every Tom, Dick, and Harry’s advice, but it has not worked.
Maybe also add that you are tired of wasting money on diet products that don’t work.
This is how you get your target audience to relate to the message in your video ad. Next, you want to amplify the situation.
Amplify their problem
So, once you have connected, and made your target audience feel like you not only understand what they are going through, but you have gone through the exact same situation…
You then want to worsen their problem.
This is done by telling them what happened when you (for example) waited too long to do something about losing weight, such as health problems, etc., or perhaps took advice from people claiming to be health experts, but weren’t.
This leads to my next point…
Provide a solution
In your video ad, you would have connected with your audience and amplified their problem. The natural digital marketing tactic to do next is to provide a solution.
And, not just any solution – I am talking about your solution, your product, or your service.
Here you want to highlight how this solution has helped you overcome the problem. Also add the benefits of what you have to offer, as well as what makes your solution different from other similar products or services. And, why they should buy from YOU!
Call to Action
Once you have covered the above, you want to get them to do something, this is called your CTA.
And, as I mentioned before, if there is no CTA (call to action), then there is no point in running an ad, your ads always need to have an objective, you want your audience to do something, whether it is to come to your website, sign up for something or download a free lead magnet.
Have you been successful?
Depending on the type of ad you are running, if you have gotten your target audience to click on your CTR, then you know that you have been successful in capturing your audience’s attention, they have now gone from a potential customer to a lead, and now you will be able to contact and work with them to convert them into a paying customer.
Your challenge
Create a social media campaign that follows the fundamental guidelines to effectively reach, capture, and engage with your target audience.
- Identify your target audience: The first step is to clearly define your target audience. Who are you trying to reach? What are their interests, needs, and preferences?
- Develop your messaging: Once you have identified your target audience, develop messaging that speaks to their interests and needs. Use language and tone that resonates with your audience, and communicates your value proposition clearly and effectively.
- Choose the right platform: Determine which social media platforms your target audience is most active on, and focus your efforts on those platforms. Each platform has its own unique features and strengths, so tailor your messaging and content accordingly.
- Create engaging content: Use a variety of content formats such as images, videos, and infographics to keep your audience engaged. Use creative visuals and catchy headlines to capture attention and drive engagement.
- Consistency is key: Consistency in posting and messaging is important to maintain engagement with your audience. Develop a content calendar and stick to it to ensure that your messaging stays fresh and relevant.
- Track your results: Use analytics to track your performance and adjust your strategy accordingly. Pay attention to engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversions to see how well your messaging is resonating with your audience.
Challenge yourself to create a social media campaign that incorporates these guidelines, and see how well you are able to reach, capture, and engage with your target audience. Remember to stay focused on your audience’s interests and needs, and continually adjust your strategy based on their response.
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