eBay has just announced that the company is bringing video ads into Promoted Listings and is rolling them out in the coming weeks. The feature doesn’t cost sellers anything extra, and lets you show your product in action right in the ad, helping people better understand what it is and what it does.
eBay is Bringing Video Ads to Promoted Listings
In a recent post on the company website, eBay announced that it’s bringing videos into Promoted Listings with a priority strategy. Beginning on April 15th, sellers will be able to add videos to their Promoted Listings ads to help show off their product, stand out in search results, and highlight details that photos alone aren’t able to show.
In addition to announcing the news, the post also includes a few other pieces of information about the feature. For example, you’re only able to add one video per listing, it can be up to 45 seconds long, and be in either MP4 or MOV format. Also, eBay says that any aspect ratio is supported, but it recommends 16:9.
You’ll also be able to measure the performance of video ads using new video-specific metrics like view rates and video completion rates, alongside the existing campaign results.
How the Feature Works
Getting started with the feature is simple, according to eBay. If you already have a video in your listing, you’re already ready to go, and there’s nothing else you need to do. If not, you can simply upload one when you’re creating or editing a campaign.
If an ad placement doesn’t support videos, your ad will automatically show images instead, and your campaign continues to run as normal.
Also, there’s no change to how you’re charged for ads with the introduction of this new feature, as Promoted listings with a priority strategy will still use cost-per-click pricing just as they had before.
Creating Great Videos for Your Ads
The post by eBay also includes a few useful tips about how to create great videos, even without the need for professional production. eBay recommends that you show the product within the first few seconds, keep the video concise (aim for 15 seconds or less), focus on one key benefit or feature, and design the video for sound-off viewing.
In addition to these helpful tips, here are a few others you can keep in mind:
- Use close-up shots to highlight the details, texture, and quality that photos may not capture well.
- Experiment with different types of videos, such as how-tos and unboxings, to see which perform the best.
- Ensure you use good lighting. While professional or direct lighting is an option, even just finding good natural light may be enough.
Ultimately, I believe this will become a popular feature and could certainly see many companies taking advantage of it by adding videos to their Promoted Listings. Many items shine when they’re able to be shown off and demonstrated, as opposed to just being shown in a static image.
Having videos in ads should help many companies stand out above competitors, draw more attention, and give buyers more confidence as they can physically see the item and learn more about how it works.
