The global digital population is growing day-by-day and users are actively engaged by video content across social media channels. According to Statista, 4.57 billion people were active internet users as of April 2020. As these users surf the internet, they are actively consuming content including video. Video is one of the most powerful content mediums and organisations should have a comprehensive social media content strategy.
The Importance of Video in Social Media
Social saturation is a real concept! As more social media users engage online, the greater the demand is for quality content such as video. Video cuts through the clutter and commands engagement within seconds. Video can innately amplify your brand over still images and text. A report published by the Global Web Index, reported that social video can reinforce a strong value-proposition, especially in the research stage, video can better bridge the online-offline shopping experience gap. This means that customers resonate value with video – in an online and offline setting.
Social Media Tips
When designing your social media video strategy, you should plan ahead and think about content goals. These are some of tips for designing your social media strategy:
Create an Agenda and Goals: Write down your objectives – what would you like to achieve and what is your goal? Be realistic by weighing up the time, effort and spend, you are willing to contribute to these goals.
Research you Target Audience: Create target personas, these are the individuals who make up your target market and consider their social media habits and the way in which you can connect to these targets through their habits.
Design a Social Media Calendar: Incorporate a digital communications calendar which includes when you will be distributing content, types of content you should produce and where you will be publishing this content.
Research what is Trending in your Industry: Undertake an analysis on your market, including what resonates with your consumers, your competitions strategy and what is trending.
Create Memorable Curated Moments: Each post you publish should be memorable and captivating. Video content is a game changer! We encourage video across all channels. In most cases, platform algorithms prefer video content.
Distribution: Social platforms are not created equally. Strategically place your content on the right platform. Each platform has a genre type and segment.
Create a Formula and Review Results: Once you have created a formula which is consistent with your overall strategy, look to metrics.
Video Marketing: Your video marketing should play a major role in your social media strategy. Consider the format your video should be in context of your platform and audience. Video is versatile and the opportunities are endless.
Rinse and Repeat: Social media and video is an ongoing game plan, expect to see result however, these results are long term and consistency is key to success.
TikTok: Social Video Success
Although TikTok is relatively new to some, it has been around for quite some time and is a major play in the social media scene. Most TikTok users are of Gen Z or Millennial segment and 44% of users are located outside of China. The platform is slowing converting users as it delivers bit size, relevant video content to users on demand. The platform intrinsically streams curated content to your phone through artificial intelligence. Your preferences are curated based on likes/dislikes and your habits on the platform. App users are young and are generally considered to appreciate ‘exclusivity’ and value being ‘trendy/cool’ according to the Global Web Index.
TikTok opportunities can be found in influencer partnerships or by creating insightful content. Changing the game, TikTok released ‘TikTik Creator Marketplace’. A market platform where creators and brands come together to produce video content to stream on the app. Creating and producing your own video content on TikTok can be a great opportunity to connect and grow your following organically.
Twitch: Gamification and Social Hangouts
Twitch is an application which is slowly gaining traction in the mainstream market. The platform is live-streaming platform which is predominantly popular in the online gaming market however, genres on the platform are diversifying. This platform is in the early innovation stage and is one to watch!
Social Media Video Content on Instagram
Social media giant Instagram has multiple social video function capability. The app launched standalone video functionality on IGTV in 2018 and has exploded ever since. Additionally, users can publish in-feed video content and video stories with limited duration capability. You can also run video advertisements on Instagram which can also drive success.
- IGTV Video Length: 15 seconds to 10 minutes
- Instagram Feed Video Length: 3 seconds to 120 seconds
- Instagram Story Video Length: 15 seconds max
- Instagram Feed Video Ad Length: 3 – 120 seconds
- Instagram Story Video Ad Length: up to 120 seconds
Brands can maximise video content opportunities by creating an ongoing stream of video content. Importantly, brands can use the paid advertising function on Instagram stories and on your feed to advertise to specific target markets. Mapping out a sales funnel can also increase sales for eCommerce brands. Partnerships with micros influencer can provide a great opportunity to maximise coverage online.
Social Media Video Content on Facebook
Facebook needs no introduction, as major players in the social media market, the app has immersed itself into video. According to PEW Research 74% of adults use Facebook once or twice a day, at least. Facebook has always adapted to trending functionality, this includes video. Over the last 6 years, video has become extremely popular outweighing text and image posts.
Social media video content opportunities are all over Facebook. Brands can generate a constant stream of ongoing social video content through Page feeds. Video can be promoted or boosted through paid advertising. Again, sales funnels can be created by using video to grab the attention of consumers. Funnels can be a great opportunity to take a customer on a journey all the way through to conversion. Facebook also has a ‘LIVE’ functionality which can be a perfect opportunity for impromptu moment or event networking.
Social Media Video Content on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a powerful network tool for industry professionals and B2B organisations. Video opportunities are abundant on LinkedIn. They can be used to present and promote services, product, advice, or value. Again, much like Facebook and Instagram videos can be posted in the feed of individual organisations or on an individual’s page. LinkedIn does have paid advertising functionality; were you can prompt a user to ‘follow’ your company page or ‘visit’ your website. However, we believe the best way to maximise video coverage is by personally engaging in company content – like, comment, follow and interact with posts. Employees need to be company advocates online by sharing and connecting with content. Social media mangers need to invite company employees to share content with their network. On LinkedIn, users are likely to engage with individuals rather than an individual companies, therefore it is important to use employees as company advocates.
Video Content Ideas
One of the reasons why social media video production is incredibly popular is because of its versatility. We are in the era of social video and brands should maximise their video opportunities with valuable content that resonate with consumers. Here is a list of some of the trending social video content ideas.
Promotional Video: Promotional video is versatile way of creating content that can be placed on all forums from email, social media to presentations. This is a classic and popular method used in corporate video productions.
Event Video: Event video and broadcasting is a prevalent concept due to COVID-19. Organisations are turning to virtual events which are documented through video.
Gamification: Gamification is the overlap of gaming and branding. Using gamification and video is a great way to stimulate brand relationships with consumers.
Expert Interview: Expert interviews or reviews can be useful in B2B settings, especially on platforms such as LinkedIn.
Explainer Video: This an advantageous way of explaining how a product works when your product is new to market. Explainer videos are a resourceful way of explaining functionality while marketing a product.
Funny/Entertaining: Video content that is entertaining or funny is highly engaging. Aussies are receptive to humour and entertainment. Social media video which is positioned in such a way increases the chances share-ability and viewership.
