Since you have a working knowledge of the various social platforms at your disposal, you need to be prepared to make the most of them! Here are our 7 tips for maximizing your videos on social media:

1) Select the correct platform to reach your audience.

Facebook: The Facebook audience is the widest, with users ranging from early adolescence to retirement age. This platform is the most receptive to video marketing of all types, from those recorded on a personal smartphone to full-scale productions with a more corporate feel. It is good to note that Facebook ads that have a native feel are becoming more popular and tend to perform better in 2019. This means videos that are more personal are performing better and Facebook users are shying away from interacting with ads that have the expensive full-scale production look.

Twitter: Twitter users tend to be slightly older than the youngest Facebookers, and the most successful video content is quick and easily shareable. Twitter also loves humor – this would be a great platform to choose if your business lends itself to shareable puns, one-liners, or is interested in throwing some comedy into the mix!

Instagram: Instagram is the favorite platform of the millennial generation. It is the perfect platform for small businesses to pick up steam through one-to-one connections with followers. Over the past few years, Instagram has become a major player in the game for videos with the introduction of stories and IGTV – it is clear the platform is trying to become more video-centric, so this is a great place to start if your target audience is here. For more info on how to make Instagram work for your business, check out this blog entry!

As we have already established, Facebook is clearly the platform where it is currently easiest to get the most bang for your buck! It has the most users, a more receptive environment, a design that caters to video, and the option to sponsor your content, but Instagram shouldn’t be ruled out. It has definitely become a major player for video, especially for paid advertising.

2) Choose the appropriate length for your platform.

The average time spent viewing a video on Facebook is only 3 seconds, and those who stick around move on after less than a minute. Facebook analytics have determined that the majority of an ad’s effectiveness is reached in the first 10 seconds of the video. That means you have draw viewers in fast, and swiftly deliver your message.

Instagram caps the length of video content to just 60 seconds in posts. Though the platform will allow you up to 10 minutes on IGTV (and sometimes 60 minutes for verified accounts), it has had mixed reviews since its launch in 2018 and users tend to only use the platform off and on. Because of these limitations, it may be tempting to use an extra-long caption to fill in the gaps left by a short video, but it is unlikely your followers will read it.

Most videos for Twitter are even shorter – an average of 15 to 30 seconds – and accompanying text is limited to 140 characters. That means it is worthwhile to use some characters to link back to your well-designed website where users can get more information about your products or services. Twitter is not about telling your story, it’s about grabbing attention and creating interest. It is a great tool for pushing followers to a longer video on your website as it can be used to provide a quick preview that works as a teaser but it is not the best option for everybody.

Believe it or not, 30 seconds to a minute is actually plenty of time to create an effective promotional video. That time can be used to create a simple how-to video, teach viewers something new, or share your story. Another option is to create a series of videos that work together to deliver pieces of a message – this will draw viewers back to your content again to get the rest of the story and create a more memorable experience for customers.

3) Skip the sound.

Did you know, 9 out of 10 Facebook videos are viewed without audio? Most Facebook and Instagram videos now autoplay silently and the user must click the video to turn on the sound. Video on social that is dependent on audio to communicate its message simply will not reach as many potential customers!

Marketing via social media is a perfect time to utilize open captions, animation, and motion graphics. Unique animation and creative motion graphics can grab attention, but remember that users are leaning towards more native content as of late. It is also extremely important to include captions so that viewers can follow along without hearing the dialogue, making the videos more accessible to all.

4) Create compelling content.

This is where creativity and artistry meet marketing strategy. An unfamiliar face talking to you through a screen is not as eye-catching or impactful as thoughtfully curated content that will connect with viewers on a deeper level. We may be biased (we love to tell your story!) but when it comes to effective video content, nothing can compete with storytelling.

In the story of your business, you can specially craft your content to be relatable, reliable, and unique, all at the same time. You can feature your product or service without saying a word about sales by weaving your business into the background of a great story. Pay attention to color scheme, timing, music, dialogue, and what feelings are evoked by the look and feel of your video.

5) Use hashtags.

One of the easiest ways to make your video discoverable in the world of organic social media posting is to effectively use hashtags. This is how users who are not yet your followers find your content and begin interacting with it. The first thing you should do is develop a hashtag unique to your brand that will be used in every single post you make. This allows users to click on a post that grabs their attention and instantly be connected to every other post you have made.

Next, be focused and specific with your hashtags. If your hashtag lacks specificity, you could be connected with a host of unrelated content. If it is too random, then it is unlikely users will ever stumble across your content. For example, it would be more effective to use the hashtag #NOLAseafood than #weloveseafood, because it tells your customers more information about who you are and where you a located. The second hashtag could link back to everything from backyard crab boils to the fish market in Seattle.

It is important to use only the most relevant hashtags and make sure they are legible. Hashtags are made up of words without spaces in between, which means as they grow in character length they become more confusing. It is important to be able to distinguish between where one word ends and the next begins, so try not to choose words that begin and end with the same letter right next to each other. A good rule of thumb is not to make your hashtag too long or too cryptic.

You can also draw users that are not yet following you by using popular on-topic hashtags and location tagging. Users who want to see posts about New Orleans can find your video easily by searching #NewOrleans or searching by tagged locations. It is important to pay attention to what is “trending” around the time you plan to share your video marketing content. If you can connect your business with what is happening in your city (#FrenchQuarterFest) or popular culture (#UnitedAirlinesFAIL), you are bound to garner more interaction.

6) Connect with your city.

Speaking of tagging locations, social media provides the perfect opportunity to connect with your area – both its community and other businesses. When you post your video content, it pays to share directly with others in your vicinity who may be interested. There are social accounts on Instagram that feature and promote local businesses and restaurants – Girl’s Guide to New Orleans is a great example – and tagging such an account or inviting them to visit has the potential to extend the reach of your video content. It is not difficult to find local users that have similar interests through their hashtags, it just takes a little time!

7) Always include a call to action.

Always, always, ALWAYS include a call to action in your video posts on social media. The goal is not just for users to view your video, but to interact with you in one way or another. If you don’t get users directions or a further step to take, they simply won’t interact with your brand beyond that post.

One of the perks of having a brand-specific hashtag is that you can invite followers to participate in promotions for your brand. When they visit your business, they can check in on Facebook, share a photo on Instagram, or send out a tweet using your unique hashtag. When their followers click the hashtag it will push them toward your account and all of your content.

There you have it – 7 tips to effectively use video marketing on social media! Use these in connection with our tips on branding, paid advertising, and creating compelling videos to make a well-rounded marketing strategy. Remember, if you need any help, we are happy to help – just reach out to the LETSDEVELOP.TV team to take your marketing from functional to exceptional!