For the past few years, video has grown to become one of the most powerful forms of content marketing for commercial and personal brands. It can be used to tell stories, entertain or inform. It connects with people on an emotional and cerebral level. And when it comes to social media, video is king.
Why is video the most effective social media strategy?
There are a few reasons why video is such an effective form of content, and why platforms such as TikTok are exploding, as well as the copycat versions of YouTube’s Shorts and Instagram’s Reels functions.
Video is more engaging – As we mentioned with the explosion of TikTok etc, people just love watching videos. Studies have shown that people are far more likely to watch a video than read a text-based post, especially people of a younger generation. It is said that people will get more information from a one-minute video than from 1.8 million written words. That’s the power of video in engaging an audience.
Video is shareable – Videos are more likely to be shared on social media than other types of content. This means that your video can reach a wider audience and help you build brand awareness. Studies show that video is shared 1200% more than images and text combined. You should be harnessing the power of that information to bring a solid video strategy into the mix if you aren’t already.
Video is measurable – You can track the engagement and viewing stats of your videos to see how well they’re performing so that you can replicate what works, and bin what’s not. We recommend that you experiment with different types of video to see what your audience is into.
It might be a timely jump on a TikTok trend that drives a huge uplift of followers, or it could be a vlog that gains you traction on Instagram or YouTube with a relevant and engaged audience. The point is that you need to be looking at your viewing and engagement data carefully to know what works and what doesn’t. All platforms offer data and other information that can help you optimise your videos and improve your results.
What kind of video content works best in social media marketing?
This is a difficult question to answer definitively because it really depends on your objectives, your business, and your audience. A retailer of a sterile medical instrument will have a completely different approach to a fitness product manufacturer, who in turn will have a different approach to a fitness fanatic looking to secure valuable and lucrative brand partnership deals.
However, you’re here because you’re looking for help in harnessing the power of video content on social, so here are some great tips for creating content, that you may find value in.
Follow the Trends – Don’t be scared to jump on what’s trending to further your own brand awareness. Do try to make it relevant to what you do and in keeping with your brand values and personality.
Creativity is key – Remember, a lot of digital marketing is trial and error, so it pays to experiment and find what works for you and your brand.
Keep it short and sweet – People have short attention spans. TikTok and Reels have proved that they enjoy little more than scrolling over short-form videos, so be sure to keep your stuff in bite-sized chunks. If you’re looking to create longer videos, like a how-to guide, or a series of reviews, then be sure to keep them on a platform such as YouTube that does accommodate longer videos.
Make it interesting – Your videos should be interesting and engaging to watch, to give your audience a reason not to go scrolling. As we have mentioned, it does depend on the public brand personality as to what your audience will expect to find from your platforms, but humour, for example, helps to present a more human side to the business. Informative and educational videos like how-to guides present the industry authority you have.
Use high-quality visuals – Unless you’re pushing for a raw and authentic personal TikTok presence with your personal brand, your videos should be well-produced and look professional. This will help you build trust with your audience; after all, how can people trust that your products or services are of the highest quality if they don’t perceive there to be any production values in your content output?
Extra tips for social media video posting
A video is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your social media marketing goals, whatever they may be. By following these tips, you can create videos that engage, inform, and inspire your audience.
Use eye-catching titles and thumbnails – When people are scrolling through their social media feeds, they’re only going to watch a video if the title and thumbnail grab their attention. Make sure your titles are clear and concise, and your thumbnails are visually appealing.
Tailor your content to your target audience – What kind of videos does your target audience like to watch? What are their interests? Keep your target audience in mind when you’re planning and creating your videos.
If you’re a brand manager looking to work with an influencer or relevant industry professional, you should be looking at those people’s platforms and audiences. You need to find the influencer whose content and audience aligns with your targets, as opposed to trying to convince that person to change their approach to suit your brand. Audiences are naturally very suspicious of obvious brand partnerships, so it needs to be as authentic and natural as possible.
Experiment with different types of videos – There are endless possibilities when it comes to video content. Try experimenting with different formats, such as product demos, interviews, or behind-the-scenes footage. See what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t.
Be consistent – If you want people to keep watching your videos, you need to be consistent with your posting schedule and the type of content you eventually settle on posting. Try to post new videos on a regular basis, whether that’s once a week, twice a week, or even daily. Keep your visuals consistent with your brand, which will then breed familiarity in your audience, whether you’re a manufacturer, product retailer, or a healthy lifestyle expert.
In Conclusion to video and social media marketing
Ultimately, video is a powerful tool that can help you connect with your audience and achieve your social media marketing goals, no matter what they are. Luckily, Picture Perfect Photography is the perfect partner for any brand or person looking to capture the highest quality video content that resonates with relevant audiences.
We are a professional photography studio based in South Yorkshire, with clients based across the UK, from London to Newcastle and beyond. We have professional strategic partnerships with expert video production studios and social media management brands that help us to offer a full one-stop-shop service.
Our creative services range from discovery consultations, creative strategy sessions, and full social media management services, to photography sessions in our studio, behind-the-scenes lifestyle video as part of a UGC campaign, and CGI photographic retouching.
If you’re considering adding professional video content to your social media marketing strategy, then we strongly recommend that you get in touch so that we can understand your objectives and help you to reach the biggest possible audience with the best possible content.
Even though she is a professional photographer who makes her living capturing still images of people and products, our company founder Collette Evans is a huge advocate and regular user of video content through her own personal brand Hundred Percent, and with our Picture Perfect Photography platforms. Working alongside professional social media expert, influencer, and model Jen Hammonds, Collette has seen great results with incorporating more video in her content and is delighted to be able to offer the same services to any new or existing clients.
Simply get in touch via the form below, or drop us a line via the contact form to tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll be delighted to help.
