Creating video content for social media is one of the most challenging things a marketer has to do. After all, the video created will compete with hundreds—no, thousands of other social media videos trying to vie for the attention of users and viewers.
A Simple Guide to Creating Video Content for Social Media
Below are some of the tips that you can use to create the perfect social media video for your company:
#1 Use a sense of humor
Entertainment value—this is one of the things that people want to see in a social media video.
That’s why the key to creating marketing video content for social media that can go viral is to inject some sense of humor into it.
After all, people are looking for something fresh and different that can take their minds off their busy and stressful lives.
This video from Payk is one of the most humorous social media videos that you can watch. Sure, it starts simple enough. But the humor snowballs as each new character is introduced.
Another excellent example of a funny video is this one from Koala. The company wanted everyone to know that they won an award. But how do you announce something like that using a video?
Merely stating it will just make them look arrogant, but they were able to use humor to skip over the arrogance and instead just build up their brand.
#2 Keep it concise
The best videos in social media are those that are short and sweet. The rule of thumb is to create videos that are less than 60 seconds, because studies show that most viewers will lose their interest or stop watching a video after a minute.
If you want to capture the attention of your viewers truly, you should keep your video short but succinct—it must still contain the critical information that you want your audience to know.
Take a look at this Square Terminal video. It is just 6 seconds long, but that’s all they need to provide the viewer everything they need to know about their product.
Some studies suggest that the attention span of most people is around 8 seconds. With the short duration of their video, Square Terminal has kept their audience engaged from the beginning of the video until the very end.
#3 Connect your video to a good purpose
Creating video content for social media that stands out is made easier if the video talks about a meaningful goal.
These days, people crave purpose, and they are often more than happy to jump at the next big thing that will allow them to help out someone or be a part of a movement that can make a difference in the world.
This video campaign is a collaboration between MobileMuster and Samsung—two tech companies. They decided to take part in National Recycling Week by opening their stores for the collection of old and damaged Samsung phones. To encourage people to join their campaign, they will fund the planting of one tree for every phone they have collected.
The video is stunning, of course. But above all, it is the message and the campaign that will make the video stand out in social media.
#4 Tell a compelling story
Everyone wants to hear about stories, and people will surely go crazy if the story that you tell is a compelling, heartmoving one. This video from the American Cancer Society, for example, captures the success stories of three different cancer survivors in just 60 seconds. And it does it as a way to say “Thank You!” to all of the donors who made it possible.
If your viewers connect to your content at an emotional level, they will not just appreciate it—they will share it.
#5 Optimize your video for mobile viewing
Almost half of the video ads on social media websites are watched using mobile phones. If you want your social media to stand out, you have to make sure that your video is optimized for a small screen.
When creating video content for social media, one of the things you should focus on is the graphics. If you’re using animation, you must make use of bold and bright graphics so they can be easily seen and deciphered even through the small screen of a phone.
And you need to keep in mind that 85% of videos on social media are watched without sound. So subtitles are almost a necessity. Best practice is to use plain and easily readable font styles. Also, try to remove all clutter in the video and keep the background as plain and straightforward as possible.
#6 Pack a punch at the start of the video
The first 3 seconds of the video are essential. It is what makes or breaks your engagement with your audience.
Three seconds is all that the viewers need to decide to continue or stop watching your video. This makes it imperative that your video must start with a bang. Make sure that you hook your audience’s attention in those 3 seconds.
The way Hootsuite started their video is a good example. They use upbeat music and thought provoking statements to build up to an engaging headline: “Are you ready for 2019?”.
#7 End the video with a call-to-action
No matter how amazing your video is, all your marketing efforts will be put to waste if you don’t give people clear instructions on what they should do next.
Keep in mind that videos have the highest conversion rates out of all the types of social media content, so you should take advantage of its power. You can do this by including a call-to-action at the end of your video.
Your call-to-action can be anything that can move your audience to the next step of your sales funnel: follow our page, visit our website, swipe up to see the product link, and more.
Now, Let’s Create the Social Media Video of Your Dreams!
Creating video content for social media that stands out is hard—but it is not impossible. All the companies we shared in this post were able to achieve it, and with the tips provided, you can surely do it too.
If you’re looking to play the game on easy mode, though, you can always hire a professional to get your social media video marketing done the right way. Get in touch with Vidico today to learn more.