Video is one of the most powerful forms of content on social media, and its power is only growing. People multitask a lot today, which means they skim a lot—waiting for the elevator, on the toilet, while photos are downloading, etc. Of all the skimmable content however, video is proven to be the most thoroughly consumed. If you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. Videos are engaging visually and auditorily, and that goes a long way for our short attention spans.
Video outperforms all other content types on social media. Posts with video see 48% more views on average, and generate a lot more shares. Okay, you get it now—you need video. But how do you even begin to create effective video content? Because yes, there is a wrong way to do it. Whether you’re just delving into the world of video, or you aren’t seeing the results you want with your current strategy, we’ve got you. Keep reading.
Beginning, Middle, and End
With every video you post, you should be telling a story—even if it’s 15 seconds long. Thinking through the following questions is a perfect place to start when brainstorming new video ideas:
What’s your goal?
Think about what you want your viewers to do after they’ve watched your video. Do you want them to buy a product? Follow you? Share your content? Or are you just raising awareness? Pick something specific, and let that be the basis of your content ideas.
What’s the story?
Figure out how you’ll translate your goal into a storyline. What narrative is necessary to get people to do what you want them to do? Get as granular as you can, and figure out what will motivate your specific audience.
How will your audience relate to this video?
Sure, you’re walking your viewers through a narrative that should motivate an action at the end—but if they don’t relate to it, if they don’t feel connected, how can you expect them to do what you want? Think like them. Thinking about what motivates them will help you motivate them.
What value are you giving your viewers?
You can’t just make a video for yourself and your goals expecting people to do what you want without offering them anything in return. Entertain them, engage them, offer them valuable information—when they’re done watching your video, they should have gained something. Think about what you want them to remember after the video’s over.
Would you watch it?
I know, we’ve been telling you to think like your audience. But it should be something that you like, too! If you hate it, think about the demographic categories you fall into—there’s a chance your category friends will hate it too.
Aaaaaand Action!
One of the greatest things about social media is that it’s accessible. It’s relatable, (usually) genuine, and inclusive. You really don’t need a full camera crew and professional actors to make the perfect video for your brand. Thanks to smartphones, it’s actually pretty easy to shoot compelling social media videos in no time. Well, some time.
DIY shooting is a great, budget-friendly option if your staff is full of creatives! You can utilize the tools you already have to make great content. Plan what you’re going to film ahead of time, and choose your location wisely—think about what will be in the background, how the lighting will be or how it could change, what the weather will be like, etc. Try a lot of different things before you start filming the final version.
85% of social media videos are viewed without sound. You have to think about how your video will translate in silence! Does it convey the story without sound? How can you get your viewers to turn their sound on? Answer these questions in the planning process.
There are tons of video editing tools out there for beginners that don’t cost an arm and a leg and a camera. If you don’t feel like you’re tech-savvy enough, you can always look into outsourcing your video projects to a freelancer or a (cough, cough) marketing agency! They’ll have a thorough understanding of what works and what doesn’t, and how to execute engaging content within your brand.
Building Awareness with Social Media Videos
Creating compelling videos for social media isn’t exactly a piece of cake. There are a lot of moving parts that all require different skills. It can all feel very overwhelming, very quickly. The good news? It’s worth it! Those not taking advantage of social media videos are seriously missing out.
Just start small! One of the best ways to start almost anything is to see what other people are doing. Look at what similar brands are doing. Don’t copy them, but take note for what they’re doing well and what they’re doing that you don’t like, or that doesn’t fit with your brand. Research some beginner tools and just start messing around! This is an amazing opportunity to collaborate with your team—the more ideas and perspectives you can get, the more well-rounded and appealing your video content will end up being.
Have fun with it. Stay on brand. Be creative—or, let us do it. We’d love to help you make engaging, memorable content.
