If there is one thing we all can finally agree about in the world of content marketing and social media, it is this: video is king. Okay, okay. Maybe content still wears the crown, but the medium is undeniably video. We’re also guessing that you don’t need another long form post telling you so because you get it. Now, you need to know what to do in order to capitalize on this new trend. You’ve come to the right place, friend. Before we dive in, let’s just lay the groundwork, shall we?
- More than 50 percent of people who visit Facebook in the U.S. every day watch at least one video.
- Video is expected to take 80% of all web traffic by 2019.
- Facebook averages 8 billion video views per day.
- Facebook is rated as the most impactful social channel for video — 8.4X higher than any other social channel.
- 43% of people want to see more video content from marketers.
- By 2020, over 75% of global mobile data traffic will be video content.
You get the picture. By now, you’re probably thinking you don’t have the time or resources to add yet another thing to your growing list of marketing deliverables. Don’t panic! Here are some tips to help take your video efforts to the next level.
Tell A Story
We’ve talked about the culture of storytelling before, and will continue to do so until we are blue in the face. Your story is your brand and vice versa. Finding a way to make that story engaging and interesting is the key to shareability and success. When we tell stories, certain parts of our brains come alive with activity. Empathy kicks in. Our language process centers light up. Olfactory sensory areas may become active. In short, more of our brains are engaged when we listen to someone telling us a great story. It’s not brain surgery, then, to see why storytelling can be such a powerful asset in your video content. Or any content, frankly. Tell your story so your customers are captivated.
Give Away Information
What unique perspective can you bring to your industry? Valuable, unique information can foster trust in your consumers. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes for a moment. Look at questions that are frequently being asked and answer them in a video series. Take a look at your website data to see what customers search for on your site and create content around those. If they trust your content, they will eventually trust you. How-To videos are one popular choice, but even basic informational videos can do wonders. Just think about the journey your customer is going on to get to you. Empathy is the key here. Consider Warby Parker’s YouTube page. Many mention it and there is an obvious reason why: it is a master class in empathy. Instead of a generic response to customers seeking help from the company, Warby Parker has employees film personalized vignettes for question seekers. It is engaging. It is authentic. It is empathetic.
Mute is the New Black
We’ve mentioned how Facebook has completely rocked YouTube in the world of video views. What we haven’t mentioned yet is that 85% of the videos on Facebook are watched without sound. Facebook has a built-in captioning tool, just like YouTube. However, you probably have witnessed a pretty standard aesthetic in the high-performing video group: stylized captioning done in post. These videos aren’t using standard closed captioning. Instead, they are using the scripted part of the video as a stylistic element. This is a pretty big deal. While this trend has caused an “aesthetic flattening” of videos, it seems to be one that is working well with the muted crowd.
Keep it Native
Native content performs better. What we mean is this: sharing a link from YouTube on Facebook is not going to get you views. Those companies are competitors and the sophisticated algorithms employed by Facebook recognizes third-party links. If you want to see your video do well, If you want to see your video do well, especially on Facebook, don’t share from YouTube. Upload content directly to the platform for maximum results. Obviously when we start moving into the other social realms (who are still heavy-hitters, by the way) link sharing isn’t as much of an issue. But, you still need to be thinking about what content you are putting where. Snapchat videos are only 10 seconds. Instagram’s videos are only 60 seconds. Have a 90 second video you want to share? Think again. Plus, proportions are different on Instagram. At DBA, we believe in always using video shot in a square format. It increases visibility in-stream on mobile devices, which is where nearly 80% of the time spent on social media comes from. Keep it square and keep it native.
Under Two Minutes Is Gold
While the maximum video length on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are all over two minutes, you’re playing a dangerous game after the 120 second mark. HubSpot has a great per platform breakdown on video length, but as a general rule of thumb, we say keep it under two minutes. Now, rules are made to be broken. Certain pieces of content may require longer formatted videos. The best advice we can give to you in this instance is test, test, test. Audiences behave differently and hard and fast rules do not apply in this consumer-controlled world. Here is the thing we can say with utmost certainty: Video is where it is at. If you’re not including video in your strategy, there is a huge opportunity missing from your marketing funnel. Consumers want it, and they want you to provide it for them. Don’t let it be daunting. Authenticity and effort go a long way with the new consumer. If you build that trust, they will come.