Video ads

Video ads that are built to be watched on a phone

Video ads are now the default format on most ad platforms. Meta, TikTok and YouTube all push vertical video, and the cost of reaching people with a good video is often lower than with a static image. The catch is that "good" on these platforms means something different from a classic commercial. People watch on a phone, often muted, scrolling quickly between posts from friends. A video ad has to earn every second.

So I think about video ads as three parts: a hook that stops the thumb, a middle that shows the proof, and an ending that tells people exactly what to do. Everything else is optional.

The hook decides almost everything

The first one to three seconds decide whether anyone sees the rest. Good hooks for small businesses are usually concrete:

• The result first. A finished kitchen, a full restaurant, a clean carpet, then how it happened.
• A question your customer asks. "How much does a basement renovation cost in Calgary?"
• A surprising detail. A close-up of something people rarely see.
• A person talking straight to camera. Owners often outperform actors because they sound real.

I usually film or cut several openings for the same video, then let the ad platform show which one keeps people watching longest. That single test often matters more than any other edit.

Script first, camera second

Most wasted video budgets start with filming before anyone has decided what the video should say. I write a short script first: one main message, the proof, the call to action. Then the shot list follows from the script, so you know exactly what to capture and nothing important is missing. A typical shot list for a trades company might be: van arriving, a wide shot of the problem, three close-ups of the work, the finished result, the owner saying one sentence about their workmanship warranty, and a phone number on screen.

Your phone is enough, most of the time

For social video ads, phone footage filmed in your real workplace often works better than a studio production, because it looks native to the feed. What makes phone video look professional is mostly technique: steady framing, light from a window or a work lamp, vertical orientation, and sound recorded close to the person speaking. I include simple tips with every shot list.

For some projects, such as a product launch or a premium service, a professional session is worth it. I work remotely, so in that case I brief a videographer near you and edit the result myself.

One shoot, many versions

From one filming session, I usually cut:

1. A 15 to 30 second vertical ad for Reels, Stories and TikTok.
2. A 6 to 10 second version for quick reminders and remarketing.
3. A square or 4:5 version for the Facebook and Instagram feed.
4. A horizontal version for YouTube ads where needed.

Each has captions, because sound-off viewing is common, and versions with different hooks for testing. For organic content from the same footage, see Reels and Shorts.

Video in regulated markets

Canadian advertising rules apply to video just as to images: real prices, no misleading claims, care with health and financial promises. Platforms also review videos and may reject those with exaggerated before-and-after scenes. In Quebec, French versions are needed for most commercial ads; my video work is in English, so French versions come from your own team or a French-language producer.

When to use creator videos instead

If you sell a consumer product and want a steady stream of fresh, first-person ads, UGC content from creators may be faster than filming yourself. For a local service, your own team on camera is usually more convincing. For more ideas, see the wider ad creative overview.

What you get

Script, shot list, editing, captions, every format you need and several hooks to test. Three rounds of revisions are included, and both raw footage and final files stay with you.