Why Video Is What You Need To Elevate Your Social Media Strategy
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Content is indeed king—however, the content format is just as important as the content itself. The meteoric rise of video-based platform TikTok is just one of the examples of how video content is becoming more and more important to add to your social media marketing. Video can be used to educate, entertain, or showcase products and when done right can increase engagement on your social posts.
Why is Video Content Important to Marketing Strategy?
First, let’s start with some statistics. A recent study showed that people watch an average of 16 videos online each week. More importantly, 84% of consumers report that they have purchased a product or service based on the video they viewed.
According to Social Media Today, video generates more engagement than any other type of content on social platforms. In addition, it’s predicted that 82% of all consumer internet traffic will come from videos by 2022. Statistics like these show the power that video can bring to a marketer’s social media strategy.
Best Practices for Video by Platform
Now that we understand that video content should be an important part of your marketing efforts and social strategy, let’s discuss some of the best practices. Some of these best practices will overlap, and some are platform-specific.
Across all platforms these best practices are universal. First, you must have good lighting and quality sound. Depending on the environment you’re in you may choose a different location that will be less distracting. Choose your lighting judiciously. You may need to supplement indoor lighting with a Ring light or other external light. Videos with captions or subtitles are key to accessibility and to keep the attention of people who watch videos with the sound off.
In addition, content should be authentic. Overly curated video will turn off many Millennials and Gen Z audiences and if executed correctly, will increase your engagement, your target audience reach, and your value in search engine optimization.
Each of these best practices will help your video content, no matter the platform you choose. Now, we will look into individual platforms.
Facebook—The OG of Social Media Video
Facebook has evolved from a platform aimed at college students to one that now skews older. As the audience has evolved, so have the options for your social media posts. Facebook videos can include Facebook Live videos, which are saved and stored on your business page. Of all the social channels, Facebook is the most used social media platform with 2.85 billion active users.
You can elevate your Facebook social strategy with different types of videos, which are typically one to three minutes in length, although Live videos can go longer. Live is a great option if you’d like to include longer videos in your digital marketing strategy. The length of your video depends on the kind of content you are producing, but in general, short videos perform better unless it’s a live video. Live videos have the most engagement with audiences. Examples of great Live video content include behind-the-scenes tours of your business or a message from the CEO. It can also be educational content such as cooking videos, or question and answer sessions with your team. The range of topics is endless!
You can shoot Facebook videos in landscape or portrait orientations, but aspect ratios for landscape are 16:9 and portrait is 9:16. For video with multiple people, or scenes, shooting landscape is preferred. Portrait videos are ideal for tall subjects and close-ups. The recommended video formats are .MP4 or .MOV.
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Instagram—From Static Aesthetic to Stories and Reels
Instagram is known as the photo-sharing platform, but recently Instagram has decided to focus on video through their Reels product. Instagram videos, or Reels, are similar to TikToks in that they are shot in 15, 30, and 60 seconds.
Instagram favors videos shot in Reels, and not from a third-party platform. If you’re looking for more engagement on your Reels, start on Instagram to appease the algorithm. In addition, use captions for your videos.
TikTok—The New Kid on the Social Block
TikTok exploded onto the scene in 2017 when it purchased Musical.ly. The global pandemic experienced a sharp increase in March of 2020 when 315 million users downloaded the app and brands began to leverage the popularity for marketing.
According to TikTok, best practices include shooting in high resolution, including sounds such as a music track or voiceover, use a 9:16 aspect ratio in your shots. Creating your videos using a vertical, or portrait, orientation is also important for more engagement.
TikTok videos can be shot in 15 seconds, 60 seconds, or more recently, three minutes. When you’re creating content, keep these time limits in mind.
The interesting fact about TikTok is that content of all kinds can go viral or capture your audience’s attention. Dancing videos, thirst traps, and trending sounds are just the tips of the content iceberg. Videos about cleaning, ASMR content, cooking, and a variety of non-Gen Z typical content are just as likely to go viral than content aimed at younger people. You may be able to find a niche with your business and start creating TikToks to promote your products or services.
LinkedIn—Workin’ It with Video
Since 2017 video has become an increasingly popular post type on LinkedIn. These types of posts generate more than 300 million impressions per year and get three times more engagement than text posts.
One best practice for LinkedIn videos is to post natively in the app rather than a link in from a third party like YouTube or Vimeo. Platform algorithms tend to favor native videos over anything from a third party.
Within LinkedIn, you can either upload a video from your computer or if you’re using the mobile app, you can shoot and post video straight from your phone. The mobile app gives you the same kinds of features as other platforms including the ability to add stickers and text to your videos.
As with other platforms, video content should be authentic. This could be an interview with your CEO, or another team member, or a quick product update. Make sure the content is relevant to your audience and has a clear call to action. The ideal length of a LinkedIn video is between 30 seconds and five minutes long. As usual, be sure to include captions.
Video Marketing Works
Video engages more users overall by capturing—and holding—the user’s attention. Using best practices for video on social media platforms can increase your overall engagement, and ultimately, convert sales. If you need help, every platform has tutorials you can view. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your video content and create relevant strategies to appeal to your audiences.
About the author
Andrea Anglin
Andrea Anglin is the Agency Director for Baseline Creative and oversees staff and strategic direction for clients. In her multi-faceted role, Andrea is committed to continuing the culture of collaboration at Baseline and being a cheerleader for team members. Andrea also enjoys building relationships with clients and working with them to evaluate the bigger picture and work toward goals.
