Whether you’re trying to boost engagement, increase brand awareness, or sell more of your products, great video content is crucial to your social media strategy.
In fact a Hubspot study found that video has helped 94% of marketers increase understanding of product or service. Creating your own social media content can feel daunting, but we’re here to help with some tried-and-true tips of the trade!
How to Create Great Video Content for Social Media—3 Simple Steps
Start with a Strategy
Are you looking to increase brand awareness, spark conversations about an upcoming launch, or attract new followers? Are you aiming for new sign-ups, more website visits, or increased sales? Creating a clear strategy with clear objectives will ensure your video project stays on track, so you can meet your goals!
Your strategy may include many elements outside of the four listed below, but these components are key to a successful social media strategy that aligns with your business goals.
FOCUS ON THE STORY
Before you jump into filming for social media, consider the message of your video: what story are you trying to tell? To keep your viewers’ attention, your video must not only look, sound, and feel professional, but it should also share a compelling story that has wit, relevance, and value.
Focusing on your brand’s story allows you to create a video that resonates with your followers, so it’s important to create a personal connection with them and deliver a message that touches on their emotions. Utilizing strong writing and tools like storyboards to tell your story will take your videos to the next level, delivering even better results for your brand.
OPTIMIZE FOR DIFFERENT CHANNELS
It may seem tempting to post the same videos across multiple social media platforms, but remember—size and shape matter when it comes to social media videos! To optimize for each channel, you should be mindful of the correct dimensions, orientation, video length limit, and any other important specs for each platform.
END WITH A CALL TO ACTION
A well-crafted social media video should leave viewers with a purpose, encouraging them to take the desired action. When people reach the end of your video, they will want to know where to go or what to do next. A call to action is your chance to give them the answer! Your CTA should circle back to any goals and business objectives you’ve set during the planning stage.
MEASURE YOUR ROI
Was your video a success? Checking analytics and measuring metrics like ROI will give you that answer. If your social media video achieves your goals, the data will reflect that success in a quantitative way. If your video doesn’t perform as well as you expect, explore your analytics for data that can help you improve your strategy for your next video!
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Now that you’ve got your strategy in place, let’s turn our attention towards the most important aspect of content creation: knowing your audience! Who will be watching your video? Whose attention do you want to grab? When you define your audience clearly, you can speak to them directly and effectively.
To get started, ask yourself questions like:
- Where is your target audience geographically?
- How do they identify?
- Where do they live?
- What do they do for work?
- What are their passions?
- Who or what do they love?
Now that you know your audience, it’s equally important to be mindful of their attention span. Microsoft’s research indicates that the average attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to 8 seconds, so the first few seconds of your video must stand out. To captivate your audience quickly, keep your videos short and sweet, and craft a stellar hook to reel them in.
Your social media video should capture attention, share a message, and get viewers to act all in a short span of time.
use the right tools
Now we’re getting to our favorite part of the process—making the video! It’s not necessary to own the most expensive camera or fanciest microphone to create your own video content, but your tools and process do matter. Here are our pro-tips for content creation:
- Invest in the Tools That Suit Your Needs – Consider using a quality camera and external microphone if you can. If you’re filming your video just using your phone, the video and audio quality might fall short—depending on your audience and your goals.
- Aim for Natural Lighting – Lighting will make or break your videos. Whether you’re relying on sunshine or a ring light, make sure your lighting is as close to natural light as possible.
- Use Music Properly – Before you add a song to your video and share it with the world, you must secure permission from the rightful owners of the music. Check the specific rules associated with your platform.
- Utilize Subtitles and Captions – A recent study showed that 69% of people view videos with sound off in public places. So, if there’s talking in your video, you need to include subtitles. Adding subtitles and relevant captions will keep their attention without relying on sound. Subtitles also ensure your video is accessible to non-native speakers and hearing-challenged users.
ready to start filming?
No matter what your marketing goals are, creating a great social media video will help grab your viewers’ attention, enhance brand awareness, and make your audience feel included in your story.
If you need help crafting an effective video for your social media channels, give us a call to get started!
