By now, we all know how fast the marketing field evolves. Traditional video ads have become the standard, but the situation is getting more complex and immersive as we see the emergence of spherical or 360-degree ads.
360-degree ads (or parts of that, like 180 degrees) allow viewers to have a more complete view of a particular clip by maneuvering their mobile devices, by using the panning keys, or by clicking and dragging. This has changed the way people perceive ads, giving them an immersive experience to let them see products in a new way.
Image credit: VirtualRealityReporter
Ever dreamed of riding in a Lexus? Well, check out this ad by MSN, which lets you experience the inside of a 2015 Lexus NX in 360 degrees thanks to spherical video tech. This isn’t a video ad, but it’s made with similar technology.
See what we mean by immersive?
In the near future, 30% of brands and businesses are planning to incorporate virtual reality or augmented reality ads into their campaigns, which often includes 360-degree video. Marketers and business owners are slowly realizing the marketing benefits spherical ads have to offer.
If you believe spherical ads are what your campaign needs right now then this blog is for you. Today, we will tell you everything you need to know about 360-degree video ads and how you can begin incorporating them into your campaign.
Ready? This way to the future of social media marketing!
Benefits of 360-Degree Videos
Before we get into the technical aspect of launching 360-degree video ads, we want you to know how much they can impact your marketing campaign. 360-degree video ads are fairly new on the playing field but a number of studies have proven how effective they are in helping brands and businesses achieve their marketing goals.
Image credit: Advrtas
Engagement and interaction are two of the most endearing traits of spherical ads. Aside from garnering high engagement, 360-degree video ads also generate more shares compared to traditional ads. Furthermore, they can drive more earned actions compared to standard, linear video ads.
This means 360-degree video ads can help brands and businesses reach more social media users and maximize the earning potential of their ads.
Toms is a well-known shoe company that used 360-degree videos to showcase how their initiative to provide footwear to less fortunate children is impacting the lives of kids in certain troubled parts of the world.
The video allows us to have a complete overview of these communities, and we can take a peek at the lives of those who are at the receiving end of Toms’ initiative to provide footwear for less fortunate children. It actually feels a bit like you’re walking alongside them.
You see, 360-degree video ads are not just for gaming or fun. They can be a great way to allow users to have a seemingly first-hand experience of what your business or brand has to offer.
This experiential feature makes video ads less intrusive and more appealing for internet users everywhere.
How to Launch a 360-Degree Video Ad Campaign
360-degree video ads are created using specialized video cameras and rigging devices in order to generate a spherical perspective of a particular scene.
There are also certain apps and stitching programs required for the production process. Simply put, 360-degree ads are not created the same as traditional video ads, but the extra work it requires is worth it once you see for yourself how they can transform the way people perceive your marketing efforts. Once you get the process down and make the initial investments in equipment (if you choose to do it yourself), the rest will be smooth sailing.
Below, we break down the steps involved in launching a 360-degree video ad – from planning to uploading and everything in between.
Brainstorming and Planning
Just like any other campaign, launching 360-degree video ads requires an ample amount of planning. Begin by asking yourself which aspect of your product or services you’d like to highlight using spherical ads.
Once you’ve decided, you can proceed to the filming of your 360-degree video ad.
Filming
When it comes to filming 360-degree videos, you have two options: you can either hire a third-party company or try to do it yourself.
Third-party production companies are one-stop shops for all your filming needs. You don’t have to worry about equipment or even editing because it’s likely that these companies will do it all.
The downside to hiring a third-party production company is the cost, which can be pretty high depending on the quality of the service you go with. Be prepared to burn some serious marketing dollars when you choose to go this route.
If you don’t have the resources to hire a third-party production company, you can always take the DIY route. If you decide to film your own 360-degree video ad, you have to make sure you have the right tools and all the required software to actually make it happen.
Image credit: Premiumbeat
360-degree video capturing devices are fairly inexpensive, ranging anywhere from $300 – $500 dollars. Since they’re pretty cheap, these cameras are worthwhile investments to make if you decide to create many spherical ads in the future.
If you’re looking to buy a 360-degree camera this nifty guide can point you in the right direction.
You can also take DIY to a whole new level by building your own 360-degree video capturing device using cameras you have lying around. If you have 6 cameras available, you can mount them on a makeshift rigging device and shoot away. Then, you can put all the clips together to create one 360-degree video by using a video stitching software.
There’s definitely a learning curve with this method, but it will serve you well once you decide to incorporate 360-degree video in more ads.
Editing
Once you’ve done all the brainstorming and filming, you are left with the editing process. There are third-party video stitching and editing programs out there that are specifically designed to help you polish 360-degree videos.
Below are some 360-degree video editing programs you can try out:
- – VideoStitch
- – SkyStitch
- – Kolor Autopano Video
Some of these video stitching programs are more user-friendly than others, so be sure to pick out the one you are most comfortable with.
After editing the video, make sure you encode it in high resolution. YouTube recommends you stitch spherical videos in 4K resolution for maximum clarity.
Get Everyone Excited
Once you’ve edited your 360-degree video ad, you now have to get everyone excited for it. This is probably one of the most groundbreaking ad campaigns you’ve ever engaged in, so a proper teaser is in order.
After editing your campaign, isolate a few snippets that you can use for your teaser campaign. Be sure to create an air of mystery to keep everyone at the edge of their seats – or at least enough to get them excited for your launch!
Here’s a teaser that the entertainment company IGN did for their 360-degree experience of The Jungle Book. As you can see, it includes a link to the real thing:
Post your teaser around the same time you launch your campaign and be sure to hype it in the days leading to the launch. Posting the teaser around the same time as you would your actual 360-degree ad can get people to form a habit of checking up on your brand for updates.
Aggressively share your teasers on all of your social media platforms so you can maximize your existing network and get as many people interested as possible.
Upload Your New Ad and Launch it
After you’ve successfully launched your teaser campaign, all that’s left for you to do is launch your actual 360-degree video ad. In the past, uploading 360-degree video ads was usually not so easy, involving spherical data injection, which meant you had to dabble with spatial media Python scripting – and who wants to do that?
Now, YouTube has simplified the process, which allows you to upload 360-degree videos in less than 5 minutes. It involves downloading the 360 Metadata App which will take care of all the scripting for you.
From there, you can easily share your newly uploaded spherical ad on all of your social media platforms.
If you want to upload directly to Facebook, there’s a set of instructions for that too.
Set it up for Success
Aggressively sharing your new spherical ad can get you exposure but if you want to take it up a notch consider purchasing Youtube views from a high-quality provider.
Bought views can help strengthen your social proof and can generate more interest in your video. By purchasing views, you are efficiently helping create more interest in your content without overly exhausting yourself.
When it comes to choosing your bought views provider, always go with high quality. Go with a provider who can offer you prompt customer support and provides comprehensive guarantees that will protect your best interest.
If you want to know where you can the right views for your campaigns, check out our detailed reviews of social media boosting companies. We put the biggest providers out there to the test to make sure they provide you with exceptional services.
We also include providers for every budget, to make sure you get good quality services without breaking the bank.
Still not sure whether bought views are right for you? We’ve collected the pros and cons of purchasing views to help you make the most informed decision for your campaign.
Get it Published On Big Sites
Once you’ve bought some initial views for your video and people are gaining interest in your ad, consider reaching out to various digital publications and try to get your spherical video ad featured.
This can help you reach people you might not otherwise find if you don’t spread word of your new, groundbreaking ad outside your social media platforms.
If you manage to come up with something that is truly valuable and unique, you won’t have a hard time convincing bloggers and other websites to feature your new ad.
Find out who the most influential bloggers, magazines, and online publications in your industry are, and don’t hesitate to send them an email – you might be surprised by how many of them are willing to feature your new ad.
To leave you with a little extra inspiration, check out this incredible 360-degree animated video by Oreo, showcasing their newest delicious cookie:
Take Your Video Marketing Campaign to a Whole New Level
As of last year, there are over 1.3 million YouTube users subscribed to virtual reality channels. This means more and more people are appreciating the experience that spherical videos and ads have to offer.
According to experts, the interest in spherical ads will see a steady rise as more brands and creators jump on the bandwagon.
Now is the best time to be part of this evolutionary marketing opportunity. Spherical video ads are one of the most immersive and engaging ways you can reach out to potential customers and followers through their mobile devices and computer screens.
As with any marketing campaign, production is only half the battle. You also need a solid follow-up campaign that will help you gain maximum exposure and recognition.
If you want your 360-degree video ads to go the extra mile, buy yourself a solid amount of Youtube views from a high-quality provider that knows how to deliver. This will help kickstart your campaign, getting it in front of more eyeballs.
Spherical ads are the way of the marketing future, and now is high time for you to start incorporating them into your existing and upcoming campaigns!