Don’t Post a Facebook Video Ad Without Doing This First

People use a mix of different kinds of devices to watch video content and browse Facebook.

Sometimes, they're on a laptop, especially during the workday.

But they also browse on their phone a lot, and many consumers also have a tablet at home for evening reading.

If you're running video ads on Facebook, or publishing video content on Youtube, this diversity of devices is something you need to keep in mind.

How are people viewing your videos?

Are they scrolling through their Facebook feed and stumbling across your video?

In that case, you need to be mindful of the fact that 90% of the time, they'll watch without turning the sound on.

You can address these issues by optimizing your video content for two key factors: the platform — Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, etc. — and the type of device your viewers are most likely to be using.

Optimize for specific platforms and devices

Consider which platform you will share the video on (Facebook? YouTube?), and how your viewers will watch it (on a laptop or mobile device?). Your goal is to deliver the best experience.

Here are some quick tips for optimizing videos for different devices and platforms:

Think mobile-first.
More and more users are watching social videos on mobile. On Facebook, for example, 65 percent of video views happen on mobile devices.

Assume people will watch with the sound off.
Most users who watch on mobile are doing so without sound. As it turns out, 85 percent of Facebook video is watched without sound.

This might be because audiences are engaging with video in public—riding on public transit, killing time in a waiting room, or even slacking off at work.

Find out more about how to prepare for sound off viewing in the next section.

Use the recommended aspect ratio.
When in doubt, a square aspect ratio (1:1) is best as it’s compatible on most social platforms.

Square also takes up 78 percent more social media feed real estate than landscape video (16:9).