31 Jan Video Content on Social Media
Short-form video content is leading the scene. According to Wyzowl’s 2022 Video Marketing Statistics, people spend an average of 19 hours per week watching videos on social media.
Why are they so attractive? Because they’re designed to entertain. As predicted, video content has taken over the social media sphere and is now the key to success for many businesses and creators.
Whether it’s on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or any other social network, videos are an effective way of communicating a long or complex message within a few seconds and in a simple way. Their potential is limitless, as there are hundreds of thousands of ways to create and share.
So, if you still need convincing to start creating your own, here are five reasons why you should incorporate video content on social media right away.
1. Videos help reach new and wider audiences in shorter periods of time. They are the preferred content type for most social media platforms, so usually guarantee more exposure and potential engagement. Incorporating video into your content production strategy can be a highly effective tool for growth and success.
2. The fast-consuming era is here and brands count on very short attention spans to engage their viewers. Videos have the advantage of capturing attention faster and for an extended time. What you should always have in mind is that the first seconds of your video will determine your audience’s completion rate (do they watch till the end or leave after a few seconds?). Beware of promising too much! You must later ensure that the video content meets the viewer’s expectations.
3. Videos are the best content type for storytelling. Framing communication as a story helps to build an emotional connection between the brand and the audience, which can have a dramatic result on customer retention figures (Source: Don’t Panic London). It also makes it simpler to communicate and comprehend complex messages, ensuring all viewers understand its content. They also provide an opportunity to reach and demonstrate the brand’s creativity and compassion.
4. Videos are much easier to create. Gone are the days of elaborate video production, professional equipment and highly edited or polished production. Mobile phones come with high-quality cameras and intuitive editing tools. Videos can be made at any time and any place. Pairing with content creators (a.k.a the new UGC) is a great idea for producing real consumer content and increasing your brand’s authenticity and engagement with potential audiences.
5. Videos are a great way of personalising your brand. The 2023 Social Media Trends highlight authenticity and transparency as key aspects to bear in mind while using social media. Videos are the perfect tool to humanise your brand and connect in a deeper, more truthful way with your audience. You could use video to show the ‘behind-the-scenes’, tell real stories, show the working team and transmit your brand’s identity.
After knowing all the great things that come with video content on social media, you’re now ready to start creating. Below, we’ve detailed a few steps to consider while adventuring in the fantastic world of audiovisual storytelling.
- Plan your content strategy and set up measurable goals. Think of what you want to achieve and plan the content from there. Do you need brand awareness, or would you like to educate your following on how to use your product? What do you want to achieve?
- Define your content type. With your main objectives in mind, what is the ideal type of video to achieve them? Consider different sorts of videos such as DIY tutorials, testimonials, behind-the-scenes, etc.
- Write the script. Even if the video doesn’t have dialogue, prepare a script that will guide the storyteller towards your objective. This tool will help you to maintain a clear message while keeping your audience engaged from the first few seconds.
- Lights, Camera, Action! While recording, make sure both your image and audio are clear, comprehensible and aligned with your intention. Also, adapting your device's position to the social media platform’s requirements is a must. Remember to use 9:16 aspect ratio videos for Instagram REELS, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Facebook Watch. Landscape videos with a 16:9 aspect ratio are only recommended for YouTube and LinkedIn.
- Time for editing. While editing your content, try to keep the image and audio as honest as possible (this means with the least “effects” as possible). Social media users today demand more real and authentic content on their screens. You can always follow editing trends but use them only if they align with your brand. Also, remember to include subtitles or translate the content and post alongside your video to ensure it’s accessible to all audiences!
- TIME TO POST! You’ve set up your content marketing goals, written the scripts and created the video. You edited the final output and are now ready to go LIVE. Big feeling, huh? Well, the work is not done yet. Once live on the social media sphere, your video will start tracking metrics, gathering information and providing performance results. Be sure to monitor these KPIs (video views, video completion, etc.) and (why not) take advantage of the valuable information you can get from your viewers by retargeting with new creatives.
Whether you’re running a festival or launching a new cultural experience, video content will be key to connecting with your audience – especially with those who aren’t able to experience it first-hand.
Pre-event videos can anticipate the occasion’s feeling, live streaming will bring the event to life wherever your followers are, and post-event recap videos are the best way to keep an audience engaged and wanting more. Remember, content can also be valuable real estate for sponsors and longer form content can be commercialised for future downloads. Just ensure the content feels organic and not over-produced.
Nothing beats the advantage of live-streaming a music show or feeling the joy of a family-friendly festival through a post-event video!
At Milestone Creative, we have a multi-disciplinary creative, social and digital team that can help you create an effective content strategy and lift your socials to the next level. If you would like more information or Milestone to support you with your 2023 campaigns, contact our team at info@milestonecreative.com.au