Let’s suppose you have a successful Digital Marketing strategy, and everything is well and good.
But how is your video marketing performance? If you haven’t already made substantial investments in video content for social media platforms, then it’s about time to get started.
Videos are more attractive, engaging, and achieve a higher ROI — and these are all good reasons for you to incorporate them into your Digital Marketing Plan.
Of course, you can always post the URL to any old video that you already published.
But as good old communication author Marshall McLuhan once said, “the medium is the message”, meaning that each platform demands a specific format that will allow you to explore all the media’s potential.
If you want to step up your game in this area, you came to the right place.
In this article, we are going to explain the following topics:
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Why use video for social media?
We will start this conversation by stating some facts that will only confirm what we see daily: videos are an excellent way to communicate with your audience, provide a good social media experience, and, ultimately, generate engagement.
Video marketing is a Digital Marketing trend that has been going on for some years. Although it is nothing new, it is still something we should keep under our radar because it shows no sign of slowing down.
A report published by Tubular Insight revealed that the consumption of branded videos increased an impressive 258% on Facebook. On Youtube, the increase has been 99% in the same period.
Twitter, on the other hand, revealed that tweets that contain videos are nothing less than 10 times more engaging. The same report stated that promoted tweets with videos can save more than 50% on the cost-per-engagement investment.
This year, this trend keeps developing at full speed. Here are some data for your consideration:
- According to a BuzzSumo report, videos are still the best performing kind of media.
- On Pinterest, users are 2,6 times more prone to purchase after seeing a video post.
- Videos will make LinkedIn users 20 times more inclined to share a post than static content.
After getting familiar with these numbers, we believe you are ready to move on and see how to get the best out of your video marketing strategy, right? So, let’s do this!
What are the best videos for each platform?
By now, you already know that each platform has a video format that will get better results with users. Now, it is time to explore all the different options and what works best on each social media.
It has been said that Facebook was on its deathbed. But reality contradicts the predictions year after year.
Truth is people are still on Facebook, active and consuming content — especially videos. Here are some formats that still perform well on Facebook:
1. Interviews or Q&As
Facebook is a good social media for longer videos. Therefore, interviews and Q&A are a good idea for the platform.
When you go for the interview format, you can invite specialists in the market, influencers, team members, or even customers.
On the other hand, for the Q&A, you can use questions that show up in comments or publish a post a few days before the shooting, asking users to send you questions about a specific theme.
2. Announcements or reveals
Launching products or announcing news on social media is an excellent way to generate engagement in your channels and increase SEO relevance.
People follow brands on social media because they identify with the brand’s values, but also to see new products and offers.
Give your best shot and set your creativity free. Play with different fonts, effects, colors, soundtracks. It will all make your announcement/reveal more interesting.
3. Behind-the-Scenes
Today’s consumers love feeling like they’re part of what their favorite brands are up to, and behind-the-scenes video for social media is a great way to give that to them.
Try giving your audience an inside look at how some of your most popular products are manufactured or introducing them to a few of your team members.
There’s nothing in the world quite as infectious as the excitement people have when they love what they do, and your customers will absolutely love being allowed to see that.
The below example from Coca-Cola Australia is an excellent example of what we mean.
➜ Instagram
Supporting videos on the feed, Stories, IGTV, and live streaming, Instagram has become one of the most video-user-friendly social media platforms.
For each support, certain types of video will perform better. See some options below!
4. Product demo
The influence of social media posts is real. Consumers are led to purchase being impacted by a post, be it a Digital Marketing ad or organic.
Therefore, creating videos that clearly speak about your product is definitely a good idea.
Static images can only do so much to convey all the features and benefits of your product. Some things must be seen in action, and the video is your go-to media for that.
There are a few possibilities to do this demonstration. For example, you can shoot an overview of your product, showing it in many different situations. Or you can focus on one particular feature that you would like to highlight.
The best part is you are left with several options of pre-planned scripts and multiple video possibilities to populate your profile.
French brand Le Creuset published a video on Instagram presenting their new line of rice pots made in iron. Featured in the video was Justin Chappelle, of Food and Wine.
5. User-generated videos
Let’s be honest: as much as we love videos, they are a piece of work. You can spend days thinking of the script, preparing the set, shooting, and editing.
But there is one simple strategy to allow you to have more videos without adding to the work: accepting your followers’ help with user-generated content.
Once you involve your most loyal fans in your strategy, you can start using videos they create in your account — of course, everything must be previously authorized.
Besides populating your channels with original, relevant, and high-quality material, you are also bonding with your audience. It’s a double win!
6. Promos and Deals
Remember, modern-day consumers like being made to feel like more than just everyday customers. They want to feel like they matter to your brand — that they’re special.
Promos and deals, especially any that are exclusive or limited in any way, are terrific ways to achieve this.
Great deals or discounts are a great way to drive new purchases, while innovative, well-made promo video for social media can help cultivate excitement about a new product.
For example, this clever promo from Samsung does a great job of generating buzz by tying in the release of the cell company’s new S22 line with Netflix’s popular Bridgerton series.
➜ Twitter
The microblogging platform has officially left its 140 characters behind. Twitter now supports bigger texts, pictures, and, of course, videos.
See below what kind of video works well on this social media!
7. Tutorials
Nowadays, there’s a tutorial for pretty much everything online.
People teach all kinds of stuff, from makeup techniques to building a robot and everything in between.
Do you know why there are so many tutorials online? Because the public likes them. Learning something with the support of a video is much easier than following a text and photo tutorial.
Carrots are magic in this recipe! 🎩✨🔮
— Mercy For Animals (@MercyForAnimals) April 1, 2022
Watch as they become a delicious vegan lox. 🥕🥯 pic.twitter.com/JqUeuixT97
8. Event videos
Posts about your brand’s events can be used for a variety of reasons. The most common is to show your audience what an amazing experience that is going to be and entice people to be there.
But you can also use these videos to provide coverage of your event in real-time.
You can even adopt a live blogging strategy for your brand, allowing more people to access some parts of your event or expanding the participants’ experience.
Did YOU know ❓
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 18, 2022
Don’t miss these ONE superstars in the Circle THIS FRIDAY! 👊 #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/IL7uKlKYmg
9. Relatable Stories
Video for social media is an excellent option for telling engaging, personal, or otherwise relatable stories that help consumers form meaningful connections with your brand.
The key is to choose stories that revolve around your company or one of your offerings while showing consumers how it ties into their lives and value systems.
You can do this by talking about a pet cause your company supports or spotlighting prominent influencers in your industry.
You can also take a page out of MailChimp’s book and share real client stories in a fun, engaging way, just like they did in this charming animated video about imposter syndrome.
New on Mailchimp Presents, Outer Monologue is an original animated series featuring 5 people telling their relatable stories of imposter syndrome. Watch Now: https://t.co/tka0ZY6mYy pic.twitter.com/HvcM7gWCKb
— Mailchimp (@Mailchimp) August 27, 2019
Bonus: Let’s talk about TikTok
A Digital Marketing strategy can’t ignore TikTok anymore. Even if you conclude that it doesn’t make sense for your brand to be in it, the platform must be considered and analyzed.
If it does make sense to include this social media in your strategy, you will deal with videos.
In the feed, videos can be 60 seconds long, and the platform allows a variety of special effects, filters, and whatnots to make your content more interesting and engaging.
Although 60 seconds may seem very little time, there is plenty you can do with just some edition work and creativity. Let these creative juices flow and explore formats such as challenges, unboxings, reviews, and many more.
@ikea_usa Enjoy your plants in every room with a rolling cart! Try mixing real & artificial plants to make your home extra green! #plants #spring #HomeDecor ♬ SAY IT – Isaac James:Julius Gordon
Another Bonus: Let’s talk about lives
Lives became a big thing in 2020, mainly during the Covid-19 isolation months.
Live videos can be broadcasted from most platforms. The most popular ones are Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter — not to mention, of course, YouTube.
The length of a live will depend on the platform. On Instagram, you can go up to one hour with your followers. The other social media don’t have the same limit.
They also vary a lot in terms of production. You can either have a very simple live where you alone will talk to your followers using just your phone camera — in a keynote speech kind of way.
Or you can involve multiple professionals, use high-end equipment, and have live performances happening behind the screen.
You just want to make sure that the chosen format is appropriate for the kind of content you want to share. And since we are talking about content, take some time to plan what you are going to offer in your live experience.
Users are still overwhelmed with all kinds of content, and it is a big thing when they decide to dedicate time to your brand, especially on a live, which is normally a longer kind of video.
So, be worthy of their time and bring some relevant material to the table.
Social Media Video Tips
Video for social media isn’t just an accessible way to reach an audience and raise brand awareness. It’s also increasingly prevalent, with 86 percent of digital marketers using it in their advertising strategies.
Here are some tips for making great videos really resonate with an audience.
Keep your content short
Most social media users aren’t going to want to sit through a 20-minute video, no matter how exciting it is.
Video for social media should be short, sweet, and snackable for that reason — something that gets your message across in under a minute or two, if possible.
If you can do it in seconds, that’s even better.
Add subtitles where appropriate
Around 85 percent of videos on Facebook are watched without sound and with good reason.
Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are now the preferred way to access social media, so many people will be watching your videos in environments where they won’t want to disturb others.
Captions and subtitles ensure they’ll still be able to process videos that include talking without missing a beat.
Tell a compelling story
On social media, capturing a viewer’s attention within the first few seconds is crucial, as is holding their interest once you’ve got it.
Remember, the next interesting post is never more than a swipe or a short scroll away, so people need a reason to stick with yours.
Gripping storytelling is the way to do this, so make sure your video for social media has a story that’s witty, relevant, and provides lots of value for the viewer.
Optimize for each platform
Although it may be tempting to save time and effort by simply posting the exact same video file to all of your social media channels, you’ll get better results if you take the time to optimize it for each of the platforms you use.
Instagram or Facebook is going to call for different dimensions, content length limits, and other specs than YouTube or TikTok will.
Finetuning your content for each post will help maximize your results.
Close with a strong call-to-action
People like to be told exactly what’s expected of them so they know what to do next, so don’t forget to close your video for social media with a clear call-to-action (CTA).
This gives your audience a purpose and some valuable encouragement to actually complete the desired action.
Just be careful not to make yours overly sales-focused, as people dislike feeling sold to.
How can I implement a video strategy for my brand?
If you got this far in this article, you might have realized that besides fun, videos also demand a fair amount of work hours before you have good material.
Let’s see some practical tips that will help you implement a video marketing strategy for your brand!
#1. Set goals
Goal-setting should always be the first step when putting together any digital marketing strategy (or updating an old one), and this is just as much the case when creating video for social media.
What objectives do you want your videos to accomplish? What people are they meant to reach, and where is their current position within your marketing funnel?
Is this round of videos meant to advertise, brand-build, cultivate relationships with customers, or something else entirely?
As with any digital marketing effort, avoid setting goals that are too vague. Good goals are specific and come attached to deadlines by which you need to reach them.
They should also be actionable, as well as relevant to your current business objectives and realistic given the data you’re working from.
Applying a SMART approach to your digital marketing efforts, including your social media videos, can help you make sure your goals are reachable and appropriate for your brand at this point in your ongoing campaign.
#2. Choose a platform and video types
Although most of today’s popular social media platforms support video, each has its own approach to it.
Classic platforms that have been around a while — like Facebook, to name just one example — may offer you several video for social media options. But newer options — like TikTok and Snapchat — focus more intently on just one type.
Try out your strategy on platforms where you already have an established, engaged audience first.
And make sure you fully understand the dimensions, run times, and other specs that are required (or recommended) for each platform.
Give some thought to the kind of videos you’d like to make as far as subject matter, too, and think about how you can finetune your content to better fit your platforms of choice.
Are you looking to educate with how-to videos, entertain by leveraging pop culture trends, connect with heartfelt testimonials and behind-the-scenes content, or something else entirely?
Plan your content accordingly.
#3. Plan out your content production
Having a solidified content production plan to work from when creating video for social media is just as important as setting definable goals to work toward in the first place.
Planning things out in advance saves you the additional time, money, and effort it would take to figure it out on the fly.
If you decide to handle your content production in-house instead of outsourcing to an agency or production company, you’ll need a full understanding of what goes into producing sleek, dynamic videos that get results.
Examples of factors to consider may include:
- Writing and editing a video script.
- Storyboarding.
- Planning out your shoot to capture your footage at the best times.
- Coordinating the schedules of everyone who will be involved in your video.
- Scouting locations and understanding when you’ll get the best light for shooting.
- Choosing music and making sure you have the rights to use what you pick.
#4. Plan your post-production routine
The process of creating fantastic video for social media doesn’t stop when you finish shooting your footage.
Your approach to post-production can really make or break your results, so it’s important to know what’s involved.
You also want to allow plenty of time to post-produce your videos, especially at the beginning of a new campaign.
Yes, post-production involves cutting your scenes together and setting the footage you’re going to use to music or sound effects, but that’s not all.
You’ll also need to add extras like captioning, call-to-action screens, text overlays, title cards, and more.
The amount of effort you’ll need to put into post-production depends on your platform and video type.
For example, YouTube lets you add captions, multi-language support, and tags within the platform itself. And a live stream to Facebook or Instagram won’t require any post-work at all, as it’s published as soon as it ends.
#5. Schedule and promote your videos
Once your videos are complete, it’s time to think about the logistics of putting them out there in the world and making sure they succeed.
Again, it really helps to know what works best for each of the platforms where you’ll be posting the content.
For example, Facebook rewards users for uploading their content directly to the platform by showing it to more people.
And you should always consult the built-in analytics features on each site to determine when your audience is most likely to engage with your content. Naturally, this is especially important if you plan on live-streaming at all.
Coordinate your promotion efforts to match your platform, audience, and content type, as well.
Livestreams often do best when they receive lots of continual promotion to make sure members of your target audience pop in at the right time to partake in the action.
And platforms like Twitter are perfect for promoting video content multiple times over weeks or months.
#6. Measure your results
Any good social media strategy involves an airtight plan for measuring and assessing your results.
Otherwise, you have no real way of knowing whether your content met expectations, exceeded them, or underperformed.
Again, most social networks have built-in analytics options that keep track of your stats for you.
Get to know how these work and educate yourself on what each of the stats says about your content’s performance — watch times, view counts, shares, etc.
Pay especially close attention to the numbers associated with your first couple of video for social media efforts. Then use what you’ve discovered to make your next attempt even stronger.
Keep your eyes peeled for patterns across all of your social media platforms.
What types of content seem to perform best for your brand? Are they the same types on all of your platforms, or are there differences? What can you change about your videos next time to improve watch time, encourage more sharing, and more?
#7. Behold the power of delegation
Pretending to do everything by yourself is a common mistake among business leaders that are new to the video strategy. And now that you know this, it is a great time to avoid making this mistake.
Learn what works and delegate the execution to your team.
Schedule time to create and post video content, and ensure you’re set up to get notifications when your audience interacts with you.
Basic reminders such as these will keep you from going crazy in Content Marketing, of which social media is just a subset.
#8. Build your subscriber base outside of social
Seriously, don’t become completely dependent on whatever social media video platform you use.
You should use video to help build your email subscriber list, blog traffic, and Facebook audience, say Sean Cannell and Benji Travis of Video Influencers, a YouTube channel dedicated to social video mastery.
This video has some great reminders about the value of including calls-to-action in clips that get your fans to connect with your brand through multiple touchpoints.
#9. Link up
Kissmetrics reminds us in this video post about the power of doing a link audit to ensure social media channels are making information about your website and digital presence easy to access.
You’ll find many of the tips in this video are specific to platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, but the bottom line is these practices are universal.
Post links prominently on your brand’s social pages, find ways to incorporate customer testimonials into your video stream, and interact with people who post comments on your videos and other channels.
Now that you need the best formats of video for each social media channel go ahead and plan your video marketing strategy!
As we said before, live videos are a big trend. Check our text with the 7 best types of live video and try them!
