What is the Cost of Making a Video Ad?

The use of video ads for reaching consumers and converting more audience members into paying clients continues to grow in popularity. The cost of making a video ad for your website or for social media can vary depending on individual needs and many influential factors such as the total length of the ad, the complexity of the production, and professional elements included in the advertisement such as special effects or 3D imaging. If you’re considering video advertising for your business, you’re probably wondering what the cost of making a video ad for your brand will be — and we’re trying to answer that question as thoroughly, and thoughtfully as possible.

Length & Average Price Per Finished Minute

First, video ads are typically defined based on the appropriate length or timespan for the running video. Advertisers generally recommend a video ad that is between 11 and 20 seconds long. About 10% of video ads are actually shorter than 10 seconds and an additional 10% are actually longer than 30 seconds in total length. Depending on where your video ad will be shown (YouTube, Social Media, your own website, television) the length of your ad will probably vary based on unique factors relative to average ad lengths for each of these platforms. 

The average cost of video per finished minute is between $1,000 and $10,000. As a good rule of thumb, we like to recommend people budget between $3,500 and $7,500 per finished minute for their advertisement unless they already know that their vision will include over-the-top graphics and the use of excessive production techniques and skillsets that are not typical for the average consumer ad — if this is the case, you may need to budget between $15,000 and $20,000 per finished minute, especially if you intend to achieve a 3D animated video advert.

Itemized Production Rates

When you consider the total cost of making a video ad, you’re really considering the cost associated with various different production specialists having their hands on your project. Essentially, you get a scriptwriter, a producer, a director, multiple cameramen, the equipment, studio rental, and all editing rolled into a single estimate from the production company. What they have done is worked out a total estimated cost of video production for your advertisement that includes the following:

● Film Director – >$250 per hour

● Script Writer – >$150 per hour

● Cameraman – >$400 per hour

● Editor – >$175 per hour

● Actors – >$500 per hour

● Equipment – up to 100s per hour

● Studio Shooting – up to $400 per hour

● Narrator – >$400 per hour

● Audio Files – up to $1000

● Video Rendering – up to $75 per hour

● B-Roll – expect to pay a percentage between 10 and 50% of your total cost

● Miscellaneous Fees – can cost very little up to 1000s extra

As you can see, the various expenses add up quickly which is why the end cost of producing a video ad is somewhere in the lines of between a few thousand and several tens of thousands per minute. Each of these professionals works hard to do their part to produce a video advertisement that will be effective and useful for your brand. Keep in mind that a 1-minute video ad may take several hours to create and could take days to produce when you figure in the time spent planning, capturing footage, and editing the shots. 

Low-Cost Video Ads

So, is it possible to have a video ad created for a cost of less than $3,500 or more? YES! It absolutely is possible, but you must keep in mind that when you’re working with a tiny production budget you cannot expect advanced technical skills used to create the ad.

A production budget of $1,000 per finished minute will get you a basic, starting point video ad that you can use as a benchmark upon which to grow your brand. Our hope is that over time you see the true value in video advertising and that you can expand your budget to allocate more towards your production in the future.

Need more information about the cost of making a video ad? Give Beverly Boy Productions a call!