Looking for new ways to expand your brand reach?
Blogging is the first step. Creating good social media posts is another. However, if you want to go viral and become an online phenomenon, you need to consider making great social media videos.
Video content already makes up the majority of online traffic. One of the benefits of social media is the speed at which good content can become viral. With one video, thousands or even millions of people could discover your brand and products.
That said, making effective videos for businesses is a lot easier said than done. Fortunately, we’ve got it broken down for you. Keep reading to discover how to make great social media videos today:
Have a Goal
The first major step is to know the purpose of your video. This will not only shape the style and content of the video but it’ll also dictate which social media platforms to post it on.
Is the video meant to announce a new product or service? Are you posting this video for more brand exposure or to highlight a promo?
Knowing your goal is only the first step, however. You now need to understand what kind of content and video style works so you can achieve that goal.
Know What’s Trending
Take a moment to get on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram or IGTV. Look at the most recent trending small business videos on each platform. Use hashtags and social media analytics tools to list down the most successful videos in the last month.
Why is this important? Don’t release videos that seem outdated or uninteresting. Focusing on recent trends ensures people are looking for that kind of video content, increasing your video’s potential exposure.
Some effective tools include Google Trends, BuzzFeed, BuzzSumo, and Sprout Social. You should also check the current topics trending on sites like Quora or Reddit.
Study Your Metrics
Don’t forget to look at your content too. Run an analytics check on your social media pages and website. List down the most successful content you have.
If your most successful types of content are funny blog posts that still inform consumers about your products, emulate this style with your video content. If your trending posts are user-generated images, ask for user-generated videos and then compile them into an epic montage video.
Studying your metrics will prevent you from making videos that might not succeed. High engagement is the end goal since it can boost traffic, brand exposure, and lead to profitable conversions.
Check the Competition
Make it a habit to check the competition. It’s important to know which social media platforms they focus on, what kind of videos work for them, and how they market these videos on social media.
Find a distinction between your competitors that find success and those that don’t. Identify the outlying factors so you can take what works and avoid what doesn’t.
It’s also crucial to identify any differences between you and your competitors. You might both sell clothes but their audience might be seniors while yours are young adults. Marketing to those demographics is a whole different beast.
Short But Stylistic
Don’t make videos that are too long. Short videos are the way to go when it comes to using social media.
Short videos are a lot easier for people to digest. They don’t feel like time wasters, they get a point across quickly, and people can then continue scrolling or will push forward to check out your pages.
How short should you go? Advertisements should stick with the 30-second to 2-minute restriction. People find advertisements annoying so keeping them informative, engaging, but short will make them seem less intrusive.
For other types of social media videos, you can push to the 5-minute and 10-minute limit. Anything beyond 10 minutes is a little risky.
Get the Best Equipment
Gone are the days where a DIY video can make it big on YouTube. You run a business and your social media videos have to exude professionalism and style. The only way to achieve that high-quality mark is to use the right equipment.
Start by getting three things: a good camera, a good microphone, and enough studio lights. These three are the basic equipment to get when it comes to filming.
If you intend on making animated videos, you should prioritize good software. This also counts for editing your video too. Don’t settle for a free tool that reduces the resolution of your social media video and features an ugly watermark in the center.
Hire Professionals
At the end of the day, you need to work with experts who know how to produce the kind of videos you want to make. Whether it’s live-action videos or something animated, they have the tools and skills to get it done, like these videographers.
Allocating the job to professionals allows you to focus on what you do best: running your business. You won’t have to waste resources trying to train new employees simply to make social media videos.
That said, you need to narrow down your search to professionals who have experience making the kinds of videos you need. Don’t hire a group of animators if you want to make a live-action advertisement video for Instagram.
Subtitles Matter
Don’t forget that not all your audiences can hear audio content properly. If there’s any kind of talking in your videos, make sure to add closed captions. This ensures everyone, even people with hearing disabilities, can enjoy your social media videos.
You can add closed captions yourself or include this task with the people producing and editing your videos. They will need a copy of the original script for the video to make sure they don’t have to make subtitles by ear.
Create Amazing Social Media Videos
What are you waiting for? Boost engagement by making the best social media videos possible. Do your research, work with professionals, and don’t hesitate to study the competition to come up with engaging and trending video content.
Of course, making social media videos is only one tactic to increase brand awareness and conversion. If you enjoyed this guide and are looking for more, why not read more of our content today? We cover other marketing methods and we also have guides on technology and business strategies too!