Content marketing, digital marketing, and influencer marketing...today all of these are tied in one way or another to social media marketing.
The concept is to create unique original content for a target audience with a goal of driving conversions–and that content can be in the form of videography, photography, podcasts, blog posts, or even ebooks.
This “inbound marketing” strategy works because it provides value-added content to niche consumers, generating a greater number of qualified leads who are genuinely interested in your product or service.
Social media video is not only one of the most versatile types of content you can use for your brand’s marketing campaigns–it's also a major opportunity for growing your business.
There has been a huge demand for social media platforms to adapt and offer new features for video creation and consumption, for both businesses and individuals. Case in point–check out these statistics on social video:
- 93% of brands say they’ve acquired a new customer from a video on social media.
- 25% of marketers planned to start using TikTok as an advertising channel in 2021.
- 500 million people use Instagram Stories every single day. 90% of them follow at least one business account and 50% of users say they’re more interested in a brand when they see ads for it on Instagram.
The opportunities for brands are endless. However, it’s important to note that not just any video will perform. By applying industry best practices to your social media strategy, this will be your key to success.
Are you considering creating your social media videos yourself instead of hiring a social media video agency? In this post, we’re going to share twelve tips on how to create amazing social media videos that will outshine competitors and keep your audiences watching–and sharing!
Types of social media videos you can tap into
There are several different video types that you can create and publish for social media, and this impacts which social channels you should share your content on.
When it comes to content strategy, picking the right social media channel is critical because it determines which types of audiences and potential customers you’re more likely to reach.
Stories
Stories are short-form videos that disappear 24 hours after being published. Snapchat pioneered this feature back in 2013 and over the years, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn have all followed suit with their own versions of Stories. This is a great format for driving audience engagement with interactive features like polls and questions.
On TikTok and Instagram Reels, the most popular videos typically span between 15-60 seconds long. Short-form videos as a general rule always run under 10 minutes. This format is perfect for short creative storytelling, and works especially well for content like explainer videos and tutorials too.
Long-form social media videos can run up to 30 minutes or more, making it a less common format on social media which mostly prioritizes short, snackable content. These videos are ideal for longer storytelling or content like short films, webinars, online courses, Q&A sessions, and can be shared on Instagram (through IGTV), YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Live streams
Live streams are unedited videos streamed in real-time. There is little to no editing of footage involved because the content is published immediately. However, thorough preparation is necessary and there is little room for error since mishaps cannot be edited out. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn all have live video streaming capabilities.
Looking to level up your social media game? PlayPlay's platform is the ultimate solution to create social media videos. Whether it's for LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, or any other platform.
12 social media video tips to get the best out of your content
1. Write a script, even for short videos
A simple rule to remember: every video should have a script. This is an essential step to laying out the groundwork for your video and you’ll save time in the shooting phase by writing out exactly what should happen in each scene (whether there’s dialogue or not).
2. Make the first few seconds really stand out
Social media influencers and content creators know this well – no matter what industry or niche you’re in, there is competition. There are more than 500 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute. That means your content needs to grab your audience's attention almost instantly–and get them to click.
PlayPlay Pro Tip
Make sure your intro quickly gives the viewer an idea of what they can expect from the rest of the video. For example, for a video interview you could begin with a key quote or a striking key figure. Alternatively, you can provide timestamps in the video description so viewers can skip to the parts that are most pertinent to them. Discover our online free intro maker and start engaging your audience !
3. Don’t create videos just for ‘sales’
Videos should always serve a purpose to the viewer, whether that’s educating, informing, or entertaining. An increasing number of consumers want to connect with the brands they buy from on a deeper level–and they pay attention to brand communications to see if your values and mission align with their beliefs.
Audiences search for content every day that helps them in their daily lives, and they’re drawn to entertaining easy-to-consume formats like branded social media videos.
Make sure your company’s editorial planning mixes various video types (e.g. interviews, tutorials, explainer videos, etc.) to address different audiences and their unique needs.
4. Focus on the storytelling
No matter what message you’re trying to communicate to audiences, good storytelling is the key to a memorable video. Take the time to flesh out a compelling storyboard with characters or scenarios that your target audience can connect with and care about. You don’t want viewers to just hear your message–you want them to listen and remember it.
5. Jazz up your video’s aesthetics
Like with all good marketing materials, make sure your videos follow your brand's design guidelines to stay consistent in look and feel (colors, fonts, etc). This also makes brand recall easier for consumers.
To create a little variety in your social media video content, use transitions, motion design, graphics and text overlays. Strategically use these design elements to highlight your videos’ key messages.
And don’t worry–you don’t need a professional motion design artist to achieve this. You can easily experiment with different design templates and dynamic effects with an easy-to-use online editor and social media video maker like PlayPlay.
6. Use optimum set up: mics, tripod, lights
So you’ve got a great script and storyboard...but don’t forget about the quality of your video footage. Make sure your video production meets professional standards and upholds your brand reputation.
Before filming, make sure all equipment is set up correctly before hitting “record”. Test your lights, microphones, camera, props, etc…to make sure you’re getting the best quality audio and lighting while you’re shooting. This will save you time from reshooting or fixing issues in post-production.
7. Keep the length short (under 2 minutes)
Are you wondering how long a social media video should be? You’re busy, and your viewers are too. Studies show that viewer engagement drops sharply after the 2 minute mark. So unless you’re creating long form video content, try to keep your video length under that benchmark. The main goal is to capture and keep your viewers’ attention long enough to see your video’s key messaging and remember it. Short, simple, and creative content does just that.
8. Optimize for different mediums with consistency
Every social media platform has their own technical video specs that creators need to follow for optimal content performance. Manually reformatting or creating new video files from scratch for each and every social channel can be a time-consuming and tedious process.
We recommend using an online video editor tool like PlayPlay to format your videos with the perfect specs for each social platform in just a click. PlayPlay also ensures that your videos will have same branding and style across the board, thanks to its 'branding presets' feature.
9. Add music to your videos
Music sets the energy of your video, so it’s important to choose music that not only complements, but enhances the desired tone of your video. Be aware of lyrics too–even if the melody is on point, inappropriate or irrelevant lyrics can distract the viewer from the key messaging of your video.
PlayPlay Pro Tip
PlayPlay Pro Tip Music licensing can make it expensive to use copyrighted songs in your videos. PlayPlay’s video maker tool gives you access to royalty-free stock music so you can stay focused on your video creation and not worry about the legal stuff.
10. Add subtitles to your videos
A U.S. survey by Verizon and Publicis Media showed that a staggering 93% of American consumers preferred to watch video without sound on their mobile devices. This goes to show how critical it is for brands and creators to add subtitles to social media video content to ensure it’s accessible to all audiences, including the hearing impaired.
To prove this point even further, the same study revealed that 80% of American consumers are more likely to watch an entire video when captions are available.
11. Always include a call-to-action
No effective marketing video is complete without a solid CTA (call-to-action) at the end. Choose a CTA that matches the objective of your marketing video, and make sure it’s easy to understand and perform.
Some great CTAs to try: download gated content, share the video with your network, subscribe for more content, visit a website, or book a demo.
In addition to making the CTA copy concise, it’s a good idea to make the design attention-grabbing as well so viewers don’t miss this step. Consider using motion design, bright colors, or animation to highlight the final CTA.
12. Always repurpose existing content
This is a great method to increase your marketing ROI. Each time you create a piece of content (for example, an ebook, a blog post, or a customer testimonial, etc...), reformat it as an awesome video for social media.
Make the most of your marketing efforts by reformatting these videos as evergreen content, giving it a longer lifespan on social media and other marketing channels. Repurposing your existing content into videos is a sustainable strategy to increase your high-impact marketing assets with less budget.
PlayPlay Pro Tip
Use a social media tool like Hootsuite to organize and schedule out your social media calendar. You can efficiently repurpose your content by publishing your videos across different social channels with unique copy and media–all from one place.
If you want a more complete list of social media marketing tools, read our article.
Over to you
With these 12 new tips in your marketing arsenal, why not put them into action? Try PlayPlay’s creative template for your next social media video marketing with an easy-to-use online video maker, or book a demo with a PlayPlay specialist today.
Melissa Francois
Head of Global Content & Comms
With over 10 years of experience in the wild world of SaaS, Melissa cares about building great brand stories and driving community engagement through engaging content. Off the clock, she enjoys long walks and a pint in a cozy country pub.
