Social media is changing the way people consume information. Business marketers use different social media platforms to deliver information about their products and services consistently.
And it is not astonishing to see that more than any other form of content posted across the varied social media channels, videos have 40x higher chances of getting shared. With 65% of the large organizations and SMEs considering videos to be the most engaging form of communication for audiences, they are fast becoming an important part of the business promotion artillery.
But the major question is – are you making the most out of your video marketing on the different social media platforms? With videos making up over 82% of all online traffic, considering your options in growing on social media by video marketing is necessary.
So, on that note, here are some tips:
1. Be Clear on Your Destination Before Moving Ahead
This is good advice for travelers and businesses using video marketing to grow on social media platforms. Setting out on a journey without knowing anything will likely get you nowhere, and you might get lost along the way. Therefore, proper goal setting is important to get the right starting point.
Different social media platforms can work differently for different businesses and organizations. Like some individuals use Instagram for information while others for entertainment and yet skip Instagram content to get news from Twitter and express themselves through Facebook, so should your content and strategy adapt to what your business is looking to accomplish.
Be very clear on the results you expect from your video marketing efforts on different social media channels. Are you looking to generate leads for your products? Or maybe you are just looking to get your business out of their bouncing on people’s minds?
Remember, videos are versatile, and they will help you achieve all these objectives. But make sure your overall social media video marketing plan looks completely different based on your priorities.
2. Set the Right Video Marketing Objectives
Even before starting with social media video marketing, set the right objectives. Create just a few limited numbers of goals if you are starting. This way, you will not be overwhelmed.
Some brands use social media videos for creating awareness, while others heavily depend on videos for advertising. Such videos can start on a product page on their site and then branch out to become social advertisements.
This strategy is specifically useful for direct-to-consumer businesses such as Lo & Sons, a luxury bag company, where it is necessary to use product videos to help the consumers imagine themselves with the bags.
The company uses product videos to highlight the features of its bags and even to address the common problems that its bags will solve for individuals who travel a lot. Its videos are short and relatable and serve the dual purpose of Facebook feed posts and social advertisements.
Setting your objectives initially will help you create effective CTAs in your content that will further up your marketing game.
3. Start with a Strong and Powerful Hook
Remember, the first few seconds of your video are very important. So, try and get the users’ attention in these first few seconds. Failing to do so means there are higher chances that the viewers will stop midway while watching your video.
Starting your social media video with a strong hook can be an effective way to capture the viewers’ attention and increase engagement. You can start with a key takeaway or captivating question.
Powerful openings give your video more exposure but make sure your hook is succinct and straightforward. It must not confuse the viewers. Instead, it should encourage them to continue watching your video.
Take inspiration from the hooks used by successful social media video marketers to keep the attention of their audiences intact. Also, use an online video editor where you get ready-made templates to create the intro, the body, and the outro of your marketing video.
4. Know the Post-Production Steps
Post-production is not just about cutting the scenes and placing them back together with music. Post-production also includes different additions such as text overlays, closed captions, and call-to-action screens.
The post-production stage of your video will take time, especially if it has heavy editing requirements. The more you record, the more polished you will want your video to be, and the more time you will require.
Some videos might require light and simple post-production. Take this example of Epic Gardening, which uses both pre-filmed, uploaded videos and live videos to promote its products.
The Facebook live videos of the brand are published the moment they end, but they have a proper post-production procedure to follow for their uploaded videos.
Have an idea about what you are getting yourself into even before starting: polished, formal YouTube videos need a lot more effort than basic live stream videos. Since YouTube is an out-and-out video platform, the visuals and words in your YouTube video must stand out.
5. Optimize Your Videos for Auto Play
It is necessary to know the auto-play technicalities of different social media networks and optimizes your videos for auto-play accordingly. This way, when the users scroll through their feeds, your videos will play automatically.
An excellent rule of thumb here is to feature bright colors or movements at the beginning of your video to catch the user’s attention. Do not forget that majority of the users turn off auto-play on their mobile phones to save data charges.
6. Make Short, Shareable Videos
Short videos earn more views. Remember this, and you will surely gain success with your social media video marketing. Just have in mind not to overdo the short video content thing.
For Instagram, videos of up to 26 seconds will be fine, whereas videos of up to 2 minutes perform best on YouTube. Twitter loves videos 45 seconds in length, while Facebook videos should not be more than 1 minute long.
Abide by this rule, and things will work your way.
Conclusion
According to video marketing statistics, thoughtfully created and perfectly edited social media videos are a blend of amusement and simplicity. And this combination is bound to catch the viewer’s attention.
Therefore, it is high time for brands to create videos that really matter to them and their prospects.
