In July 2021, Microsoft Advertising (formerly Bing Ads) introduced a new feature to users – video extensions.
With this extension, users can upload a short video to run alongside their ad. When they click on your video, they will be taken to the landing page of choice on your website.
Videos are a fantastic way to grab people’s attention. According to HubSpot, eight out of ten people say that they have been convinced to buy a piece of software or mobile app because of a video.
Does this sound like something that will be of benefit to your business? Here’s how to set up video ads in Microsoft Advertising.
Video ads are now available across all markets. Mobile ads are only currently available in the US, but will soon be rolled out to all countries.
How to add a video ad
Videos can be added as an extension to your account. Just go to the ads & extensions tab and select extensions. You can then select a video extension.
You can associate your video ad at account, campaign or ad group level. Our top tip is to customize your video as closely to your keywords as possible. That way, users will be more likely to engage with it.
When you add a video extension, you will have a few different options available.
· Name. Give your video a name. This won’t be available outside of your account, but will help you organize your video extensions more efficiently
· Video source. You can either upload a video or provide an URL. Your video must be between 6 and 120 seconds and must have a maximum file size of 10GB. Microsoft Advertising will accept most video formats, but we recommend MP4 or MOV
· Thumbnail source. This is an image that will appear in your ad. When a user clicks on the thumbnail, your ad will play. You can either upload a thumbnail or provide an URL to one
· Display text. This is the ad copy that will accompany your ad. Like all search ads, make sure it is short, snappy and compelling!
· Alternate text. This is the text that will appear if your video doesn’t load. A descriptive description of your video will help people who can’t see your video, whether they are visually impaired or do not have the bandwidth to view it
· Action text. This is the text that will appear in a button below the video when it is playing. This will be your call to action, so make sure it appeals to your target audience!
· Action final URL. This is the URL that your action text will point to. You can set separate links to both desktops and mobile if you like
Video extensions can be shown alongside other ad extensions – try different combinations of extensions to see what results in the most conversions for your account.
Have you tried video ads in Microsoft Advertising? We’d love to hear what you think about them!