5 Reasons Image Ads Outperform Video Ads

by George Konetes | Jan 9, 2018 | Digital, Media

There is no doubt that video ads on Facebook, Instagram, Google Display Networks, and YouTube are more than a trend. Video ads are here to stay and their use continues to grow.

Video ads are certainly effective, however they are not always more effective than image-based ads. A good digital strategy, especially in the area of lead generation for ministries, should explore every ad type to find what works best with each campaign.

The Merits of Digital Video Advertisements

Moving pictures have been in vogue since they were invented. They give you the ability to do things, to say things, and to show things that a photograph cannot do. Video helps you create a mood and stimulate emotions. It lets you connect with people in a new way.

Video ads on Facebook, for example, are a powerful tool that can inject your message right into someone’s daily routine in their personal space. AutoPlay enables you to seize attention and draw people in. Your call to action is right there, one click away from the person who just connected with your message. It is a great way to reach people, an amazing way, in fact.

The Truth About Video Effectiveness

The case for video seems airtight, but the truth is that an image ad can be just as effective in many circumstances as a video ad. When you look at the data, sometimes video is the best performing tool, but sometimes static-image ads outperform video.

How could this be, you wonder? Well, there are five reasons.

Video ads may cost more per impression than image ads. So when it comes to cost per lead outcomes, video has to accomplish more to be just as effective.
Image ads are faster. A video might need 30 seconds to communicate its message. A photo is essentially instantaneous.
Video is no longer such a great attention grabber because of oversaturation, at least on Facebook anyway. The tide has turned and photos can stand out more as you scroll through your feed.
Images are comprehensive, video is segmented. When you see an image ad, you see everything there is to see, the whole message is communicated at one time. If you miss part of a video, you miss part of the message.
Photos are more cost effective to test. You can test several photos, maybe dozens for the cost of producing one video. All of those options give you more chances to find effective combinations.

Case Study

After a recent successful client social media campaign, we were musing over the big wins when someone mentioned how video is our most effective advertising tool. Looking at the data, I realized there were some incorrect assumptions. Despite having over a half dozen expertly produced and brilliantly performing videos, the bulk of our response and the more cost-effective response came from three still image ads.

The Video Verdict

The bottom line is video is a great advertising tool, sometimes the best tool. But do not assume it is always the best tool. Always test, find out what works best for your campaign, and put your budget behind what gives you the best response.

Let us know if Infinity Concepts can use its expertise in digital marketing to produce results for you!