Data-driven best practices for Twitter Video Ads

By Niamh Keenan
Best practices
Group of friends watching a video on a phone

Twitter Video Ads are an incredible way to tap into the power of our influential audience, launch something new, connect with what’s happening and drive people to take action and buy. In short, video delivers on Twitter. 

On Twitter, 71% of all sessions globally involve video1. People are paying attention too, with a 13% increase in daily video views in Q1 2022 compared to Q1 20212. While looking back at 2021, we saw a 30% increase in video view watch time compared to the previous year.3

Twitter also gives ads the best chance to be noticed, with a 32% slower scrolling speed vs. other feed-based platforms.4 So how can your brand stand out and get people on Twitter to stop and watch your Video Ads

Here, we've summarized some of our top data-backed tips to help you maximize your video advertising strategy and drive results on Twitter.

Keep videos short and simple

In today's saturated advertising landscape, it's crucial to stand out and grab attention quickly. 

Our research shows shorter ads (6 to 15 seconds) are more effective at driving consideration and purchase intent.5 The same applies to your accompanying Tweet copy, as your video doesn't stand alone. 

Depending on your campaign objective, grab attention with a short Tweet of up to 10 words/50 characters or provide detailed messaging of the brand with longer copy of 30 words/160+ characters.6 Including a branded hashtag is also a good idea. 

Top tip: Make it easy for people on Twitter to click through to your brand’s site or desired destination by utilizing a Video Website/App Button.

Include product, people and prominent branding

With those logistics down, it's time to focus on the video content. What exactly should you be including? Here are five key elements your video should include:

  • Prominent branding — your brand name and logo should appear at the very start of the video and within the first four seconds.7
  • Strong colors — use dominant colors within the video, close to your brand’s palette.8
  • Your product or service — include your product/service within the first three seconds and ensure it’s present on screen for 75% of the video.9
  • People — real people resonate. Including a human presence, a celebrity or a crowd works particularly well.
  • A sound-off strategy — subtitles ensure accessibility for all and can help capture on-the-go mobile viewers. Read more about how to design video for global accessibility.

A 15-second Video Ad from @Sonos with clear branding and a sound-off strategy that was part of their Twitter Takeover campaign.

Connect with what’s happening 

People come to Twitter to discover what's happening. Brands who connect to what’s happening on Twitter by using connect campaigns see impressive results: +70% recall, +15% message association, +11% brand awareness, and +7% brand reference, compared to folks who haven’t been exposed to connect campaigns.10

Keep this in mind when planning Video Ad campaigns and where relevant to your campaign goals, connect with culturally-relevant moments. For example, major sports events, holidays like Christmas and Black Friday, award ceremonies, or music concerts.

This can help build connection and cultural relevance.11 For more tips on how to use video to connect with what’s happening check out the Twitter Connect Playbook.

Video Ad from charity @MovemberAUS connecting with the Movember conversation during the month of November. 

Need expert support?

Whether you need help optimizing your assets to follow these best practices or you want to go big and use Takeover or Amplify to promote your video, our team can help. For more information and campaign tips please get in touch or contact your Twitter Account Manager. 

Ready to put these data-backed tips to work? Launch a Video Views campaign today.

  1. Twitter Internal, January 2021, Global. Data reflects 2020 yearly average
  2. Source: Twitter Internal, U.S.  2021–2022.
  3. Source: Twitter Internal, U.S.  2020–2021.
  4. Source: Amplified Intelligence, Attention In The Feed, commissioned by Twitter & OMD, fieldwork conducted Dec 2021, UK, France, Canada, Mexico. PPS on platforms: Instagram: 15.4 pps Facebook: 14.0 pps, Twitter: 9.8 pps
  5. Source: Twitter Internal Analysis, 141 US Nielsen Brand Effect Studies that started in 2019, Video Ads n=1,617, Respondents n=122,583.
  6. Source: Twitter Internal Analysis, 352 US Nielsen Brand Effect Studies launched in 2019, Unique Ads n=12.5k, Respondents n=926k
  7. Source: Twitter Internal Analysis, 352 US Nielsen Brand Effect Studies launched in 2019, Unique Ads n=12.5k, Respondents n=926k
  8. Source: Twitter Internal Analysis, 352 US Nielsen Brand Effect Studies launched in 2019, Unique Ads n=12.5k, Respondents n=926k
  9. Source: Twitter Internal Analysis, 352 US Nielsen Brand Effect Studies launched in 2019, Unique Ads n=12.5k, Respondents n=926k
  10. Source: Twitter-commissioned study: Nielsen Brand Effect (US/UK/JP/CA), Q3 2015 - Q3 2020 Connect campaigns, Control vs Exposed. Percentages refer to % uplifts (not deltas or percentage point difference).
  11. Source: Twitter Internal Analysis, 352 US Nielsen Brand Effect Studies launched in 2019, Unique Ads n=12.5k, Respondents n=926k

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