Open any social media platform and you will see a variety of video posts ranging from short skits called Reels on Instagram to long live streams on YouTube and interesting vlogs on Facebook.
In this social media video marketing guide, we’ll talk everything about social media marketing including its importance and how to ace the game.
Let’s get started:
Why Videos Matter on Social Media
Here are some social media video marketing stats that highlight the importance of videos:
- About 54 percent of businesses agree that video marketing is highly valuable yet it's still highly underutilised. Only about 14 percent of Facebook content includes video. It goes to 11 percent and 5 percent for Instagram and Twitter respectively.
- About 93 percent of companies have used social media video marketing to acquire new clients.
- Nearly 50 percent of social media users prefer videos and around 85 percent want brands to post more video content.
- About 36 percent of businesses use social media to improve brand visibility as posts that contain videos get 100x more shares than posts that contain no videos.
What Kinds of Videos to Post on Social Media?
Since social media video marketing involves a variety of social media platforms, we’ll talk about each individually:
Facebook Video Marketing
Over 75 percent of marketers use Facebook for video marketing. It allows brands to post a variety of video content including short clips and long content. You can even go live and connect with your followers.
American companies spend nearly 25 percent of their marketing budgets on Facebook video marketing. The company controls about 87 percent of social media marketing in the country and is said to be working towards a 'video only' future.
Start by planning what you should upload. User-generated content performs well on Facebook. Such videos look more authentic and can help boost engagement. However, consumers follow brands because they want to know their story so consider posting these:
- Behind the scene videos of your latest events such as product launches
- Digital ads that answer questions a buyer may have about your product or service
- Tutorials and how-to guides covering how your product works
Make sure to optimise videos for mobile users since 65 percent of all video videos on the platform come from hand-held devices.
Facebook videos can be very long – up to 240 minutes. Videos under 60 seconds tend to do well on the platform but a long video can work well if it’s well made.
Next, work on the campaign and make sure to choose the right objective.
Feel free to run ads and decide your aim – do you wish to get more views, clicks, or messages. This will help Facebook decide how to market your content.
Instagram Video Marketing
Instagram is the go-to option for people looking for videos, however, unlike Facebook, it is more popular for short videos (under 60 seconds). The platform allows users to go live, share stories, upload Reels, and make videos. The secret to success lies in leveraging all video types on the platform:
- Instagram Live: More than 1 million users watch Instagram Live per day and about 80 percent prefer live streams over blogs. It can be a great way to connect with your followers and these videos can be saved for up to 30 days. Hold question answer sessions and turn your live streams into interactive sessions. You can even get others onboard as Instagram now allows live streams featuring up to four users.
- Instagram Stories: Stories are up to 15 seconds long and can be broken into multiple parts. They stay on the profile for up to 24 hours and can even be saved for future viewing. Use this feature to connect with your followers and show your day-to-day life. You can boost engagement by adding hashtags and emojis. You can even add filters and polls to make your videos more interesting and connect with your followers.
- Instagram Reels: Reels are short-form videos that have the potential to go viral. Many believe they've been inspired by TikTok and include some exciting features and effects. You can select from available music files, AR effects, and even change speed to give your Reels a dramatic effect. Reels generate 22 percent more engagement than traditional videos and are very popular among Gen Z, hence can be a great option for brands looking to target younger users.
- Instagram Videos: Instagram Video is a combination of Instagram feed videos and IGTV. These can be up to 60 minutes in length and allow users to add captions, location tags, and filters. These videos appear on the Explore page and can help you attract more visitors. Use relevant hashtags to increase visibility and tag others in your content.
YouTube Video Marketing
YouTube is the second largest search engine and is used by over 50 percent of marketers. Start by identifying why people watch videos on YouTube. Here are some of the most common reasons:
- For fun
- To solve a problem
- To know about a product or service
The platform works like a search engine and uses ‘SEO’ to rank videos. Hence, spend some time researching what people search for on YouTube and use relevant tags.
In addition to videos, you can now even upload Shorts on videos – these are videos under 60 seconds and work just like Instagram Reels with the option to add a variety of elements including new music. In addition, consider breaking long videos into chapters to help people find what they need.
TikTok Video Marketing
TikTok is one of the largest social media platforms in Australia and a great option for brands interested in video marketing. It’s said to be more suitable for influencers but even brands can use it to increase sales.
Most users look for short and interesting videos on TikTok so make sure to come up with fun content. You can post try-on videos, reviews, and more. The platform has some interesting tools such as the Q/A Feature. You can try it to connect with your followers as it’s proven to improve engagement.
In addition, try the Stitch and Duet Feature. It helps attract new users and increase reach. For brands, however, it’s best to create campaigns or competitions and get people onboard. Chipotle did it well with the #ChipotleLidFlip challenge on the platform that helped it thousands of followers.
Twitter Video Marketing
Not many people think of videos when they talk about Twitter as it’s best known for short posts yet videos perform well on the platform. It generates over 2 billion views per day and posts with videos get 10x more engagement than Tweets without videos.
Twitter recommends keeping videos under 15 seconds and to deliver the message in the first 3 seconds.
In the mood for something sweet after enjoying your fave pizza? Try our delicious Death By Chocolate dessert today! So which pizza are you going to enjoy with this dessert? pic.twitter.com/BlHc6KeImY
— Debonairs Pizza (@DebonairsPizza) October 11, 2020
Look at the video above, it does the job in just 10 seconds.
On Twitter, it's all about being creative and simple. Include people and your products in the video. Videos that show positive human interaction get about 40 percent more engagement on the platform. Also, make sure to neatly mention your brand in the video. Doing so can improve recall value by up to 21 percent.
How to Get People to Watch Your Social Media Videos?
Now that you know more about social media video marketing, let’s share some great tips on how to ensure your videos hit the bull’s eye.
1. Pay Attention to Titles, Descriptions, and Thumbnails
Most people will judge a video based on the thumbnail alone. Almost all platforms allow users to customize the thumbnail. Here are tips on how to create an impressive thumbnail:
- Go for high contrasts
- Be consistent
- Use a mix of graphics and text
- Make sure the size and ratio are perfect
In addition, keep titles and descriptions neat, descriptive, and SEO-friendly.
Only Post Relevant, High Quality Content
Only post high quality, relevant videos. It doesn’t matter how interesting your videos are, they will not generate much engagement if they are not of high quality or relevant. For example, don’t talk about the best lipstick flick if your page is dedicated to pets.
Add Captions Whenever You Can
Subtitles boost watch time by up to 25 percent and work well on almost all platforms. This is important because over 90 percent of users watch videos without sound. Some websites like YouTube will allow you to choose auto-generated subtitles but most require manual work.
Don’t Forget to Add a CTA
CTAs help viewers turn into customers so make sure to add one to your video. It can be in the form of 'voice overs', 'text', or 'clickable links'. Your CTAs should be concise, obvious, and not distracting.
Keep an Eye on the Numbers
Analytics are important so keep an eye on the number and look at factors such as ‘peak moment’, ‘average view duration’, etc. This will help you understand what works and what doesn’t and you can change your social media video marketing strategy accordingly.
The First Five Seconds Are the Most Important
About 20 percent of viewers lose interest in the first 10 seconds of a video, hence it's important that you create videos that are interesting from the very first second.
Start by planning a 'hook', it can be done by asking a question, adding a short teaser in the beginning, addressing a common problem, or using comedy.
Guide To Social Media Video Marketing: Conclusion
This is all you need to know about social media video marketing. The key lies in understanding your viewers and offering exactly what they want. Don’t compromise on quality, post regularly, take care of visual elements, and keep your strategy flexible so you can make changes if things change.
Video marketing is a complex job and it’s best that you work with professionals to ensure you get high quality videos that are likely to generate traction. Working with a company like Media Masons can do the trick so get in touch with us to know more about what we have to offer.