Not Sold on Video Ads? Here's the Why, the Where and the How
Why video ads?
Video is one of the best ways to show what makes your business different. Motion catches the eye in a busy feed, and a short ad can show your product, your offer and your brand in a few seconds.
Video ads also let you reach the right people. Social platforms let you target by demographics, interests and location, and show you how many people watched and for how long, so you can see what's working.
Making them used to be expensive. With ready-made templates and a free editor, even a small business can run professional video ads.
Whether you call it a video ad, a video commercial, a promo or (outside the US) a video advert, it is the same job: a short piece of video that shows a product or an offer and asks for one thing back. Everything on this page makes all of them.
- 91%of businesses use video in their marketingWyzowl, 2026
- 85%of people say a video convinced them to buy a product or serviceWyzowl, 2026
- 82%of video marketers say video gives them a good returnWyzowl, 2026
Where to run video ads: sizes by platform
| Platform | Best shape | Good to know | In Movidmo |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube in-stream | 16:9 wide, 1920×1080 | Viewers can skip after 5 seconds, so hook them first | Wide |
| Facebook & Instagram feed | 1:1 square, 1080×1080 | The feed also shows taller video, up to 4:5 | Square |
| Reels & Stories | 9:16 vertical, 1080×1920 | Keep text out of the top 14%, bottom 35% and 6% at each side | Vertical |
| TikTok & YouTube Shorts | 9:16 vertical, 1080×1920 | Other shapes show with black bars | Vertical |
| 16:9 wide or 1:1 square | 9:16 vertical ads show on mobile only | Wide or square | |
| Websites & presentations | 16:9 wide, 1920×1080 | Movidmo exports MP4, which plays almost everywhere | Wide |
Sources: Meta Ads Guide, Google Ads Help, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions and TikTok Ads Manager.
Tips for making video ads that work
Hook them in 5 seconds
On YouTube the skip button appears after 5 seconds, and in a feed people decide even faster. Lead with motion and your offer.
Design for sound off
Most people scroll with the sound off. Put the message on screen as text, and make the captions count.
Keep it short
Aim for 15 to 30 seconds. Most Movidmo video ad templates run 15 seconds or less.
Make it unmistakably yours
Use your logo, fonts and brand colors. You can change a template's whole color scheme in a couple of clicks.
One clear call to action
End with one next step and where to take it: a website, a phone number or a shop. Movidmo ad templates include a call to action you can customize.
Start small, keep posting
A boosted Facebook post takes minutes to set up. Try a few versions, see what gets watched, and keep your feed active between campaigns.
How Movidmo makes it easy
Movidmo is a free video ad maker with no watermark. Pick a template, start from scratch, or describe your ad and let AI build a first draft. Add your logo and product photos or free stock media, and publish an MP4 for any platform. Make as many versions as you like.
