Take Two! DIY Options for Creating Video Ads for Social & Search

The time to act is now for enterprises that have toyed with the idea of introducing or re-introducing video advertising into their marketing mix.

Enterprises that do make video advertising a priority (and soon) will be in good company. A March 2016 report from Salesforce indicated that not only are 62 percent of marketers planning on increasing spend on video advertising this year, but they also rank it as the most effective ad format (slightly ahead of advertising with social media, display or banners and native).

If that weren't enough, it's never been easier or most cost efficient to produce and promote video advertising. Similar to how companies like Pagemodo and Canva have made creating social and blog graphics a breeze (thanks to drag-and-drop features as well as an array of stock illustrations, text design and photos), companies are emerging that help even the least tech or design savvy create, edit and publish videos. The following are some do-it-yourself (DIY) options to explore:

Viddyad

With its built-in content library, easy-to-use editor and low costs, Viddyad tops the list of software that is making quick and affordable work of creating video ads. For instance, users simply need to upload media housed on their personal computers or choose from Viddyad's free or premium videos or images to create ads.

From there, marketers can customize their "commercials" by adding subtitles, website URLs, music, text, logos and even voice-overs. A no-frills video ad could cost as low as $39 but it's free to try without any commitment.

With a portfolio of real-world examples created with Viddyad, it's easy to see that brands are truly creating some attractive, professional and engaging video ads with this low-cost service.

SnapStudioPlus

In three easy steps, DIY marketers can create video ads for as low as $5. SnapStudio Plus offers an array of stock content (and the option of uploading unique media) to build video using still images or video clips, text and audio. For audio, brands can either use pre-recorded music or voiceovers or create a voiceover with text to speech or include stock music. For the sake of transparency, SnapStudioPlus was a little "buggy" when attempting to view the video, but a variety of companies - from salons to stores - have created high-quality ads that fit their budgets using this online platform.

Shakr

With step-by-step guidance, marketers or small business owners can easily make a video ad for Facebook, their website or other digital properties using Shakr. Users choose from hundreds of video designs, personalize it with their own files or preferred text and then get a finished video via email in 5-10 minutes that can be used or edited further to their liking. One thing that makes Shakr unique is its focus on native video content like "list" videos that many social media users, in particular, have become accustomed to. What's more, Shakr offers small business and agency subscription plans to make a set number of videos each month. Making a video is always free but using it without a watermark will typically cost about $65 if a subscription plan is not purchased.

GO CREATE

With an increased focus on video ads in the coming months - not only by enterprises but by the various networks themselves - it's important that companies of all sizes research their options for creating these effective promotions. While these are just three of the DIY video ad platforms available, each will help Web professionals feel more comfortable with the ease in which video ads can be created.