Leveraging video content on social media is an important opportunity for many professionals.
It is increasingly difficult for a company to stand out from the growing online competition. Therefore, try to build brand awareness and to stay top-of-mind with your target group. After all, you want them to think of your company as soon as there is a need for your product or service, and not of your competitor. Interesting video content Posting on social media is the perfect way to do this. Because video usually attracts more attention (and is more engaging) than, say, a static photo.
Moreover, in most cases, the algorithm prioritizes content that receives the most engagement. For example, on platforms such as LinkedIn, videos are five times more likely to receive comments than any type of post. In short, then, videos are necessary and indispensable in 2022 for greater engagement on social media.
First of all, 4 different kinds of video content
1. Stories: Stories are short (vertical) videos (up to 15 seconds long) that disappear after 24 hours. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn all have their own version of Stories.
2. Short videos: These videos are popular on TikTok and Instagram Reels. They can last between 5 seconds and 1 minute and are usually played automatically.
3. Long videos: These videos can be shared on Instagram via IGTV, or on YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn. Long-form videos are usually more than 1 minute long.
4. Live streams: Live streams are unedited videos that are streamed on the spot. You can find them on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Top 5 video tips to effectively reach your target audience and create more engagement
1. Add value for the viewers and provide high-quality images
As mentioned before, it is crucial to capture the attention of the audience, but it is even more important to keep it. You obviously want people to fully consume your videos. So when you make videos for social media, be it Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook, they should always offer something of value to the viewers. So before you start creating your video, ask yourself the following question:
"What personal benefit does the viewer gain from seeing my video?"
Moreover, with the growing popularity of video on social media, both social media users and the platforms themselves expect high-quality content. Instagram even revealed that Instagram Reels' algorithm will deprioritize blurred, low-resolution videos
2. The first 5 seconds of your video are crucial
You have about five seconds in a video to grab someone's attention before they scroll on. If you only have five seconds of someone's time, make sure the intro to your video is particularly captivating! It should make people curious about what's next. We therefore recommend always putting your logo, an enticing question, phrase or call-to-action at the front of your video.
3. Provide a clear flow and keep your video content as short as possible
The best videos on social media have a clear introduction, middle and end. In addition, try to make your videos as short as possible, cut out all unnecessary parts and save only the most relevant and high-quality content for your social media pages.
By organising (and limiting) your video to 3 tips or sections, you can be clear and concise. If viewers can easily follow the video, they will be more inclined to join the conversation, leave a comment or share the video with their followers.
Tip: With people's attention spans decreasing more and more, it is essential that your videos contain only relevant and engaging content, without additional unnecessary padding.
4. Use text and subtitles
Subtitles and text not only make your videos more accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing, but also ensure that viewers can follow along even when their volume is turned off.
While some platforms such as Facebook, IGTV and YouTube automatically generate subtitles, others such as TikTok and Instagram Reels require you to add them yourself. However, both apps have easy-to-use text editing tools. Make sure you use the same font, colours and style for each video to create a cohesive branding across your social media videos.
The main advantage of subtitles is that they make the video easier to digest. Another important reason for using subtitles in video content has to do with the way videos are played automatically on social media. Facebook videos, for example, automatically start on mute - this means you have no chance of capturing your audience's attention with powerful words unless they turn on the sound. Subtitles help you get your message across, whether the video is muted or not.
5. Add a call-to-action
Guess what! We saved the best for last.
The final tip for the success of your social media video is to use a call-to-action. A great video is useless if it doesn't contain a powerful call-to-action that helps you achieve your business goals. After watching a video, people need direction. They want to be told what to do and where to go next. So you must always provide this answer in your video.
With a dynamic mix of audio and visual elements, social media video is a powerful tool for telling your brand story and delivering value to your target audience - and all you need is a smartphone and a little patience...
By implementing these simple tips for social media videos, you will see an increase in engagement, reach and brand awareness.