Video content marketing and advertising have quickly become a mainstay for social media managers, and it’s easy to figure out why — video drives more engagement than any other content type across social platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. In fact, social media platforms dedicated to video, such as YouTube and TikTok, are thriving. Across the globe, YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users, while TikTok has 800 million monthly active users. With the odds in their favor, more and more social media marketers are looking towards video as the next frontier.
In this article, we introduce how marketers should use social media video marketing for their business:
Social media video marketing allows brands to include a rich bed of information in a relatively short period of time, with eye-catching visuals to boot. It’s no wonder that social media users are attracted to video content above anything else.
They don't have to be lengthy either — videos on Instagram Stories have to be under 15 seconds in length, while videos posted on TikTok are kept under a minute long. Marketers can tailor their content based on the requirements and restrictions of the social platforms they’re active on. Generally, three types of video formats exist:
Top tip: don’t restrict yourself to videos of a certain length! The same explainer can easily be cut into 15-second snippets for Instagram Stories, a 6-second bumper ad on YouTube, and a one-minute video for your social feed.
YouTube, an incumbent in the social video sphere, has a foothold in over 100 countries. In addition, it’s also the second largest search engine on the Internet. This makes YouTube marketing a no-brainer for brands looking to create regular video content. Here are a few key features marketers should take note of:
15 minutes maximum for regular users, verified accounts can upload videos longer than 15 minutes.
LinkedIn is the second most used social media platform by B2B and B2C marketers worldwide. The social platform has its own video marketing offerings, namely native videos and video ads.
Here are a few key features marketers should take note of:
Facebook is the top social platform used by both B2B and B2C marketers. Its popularity also means that the company is constantly adapting how it pushes out content to users. Accompanying its consistent brand updates are changes to its video distribution algorithm that affect videos in the News Feed, Facebook Watch and ‘More Videos’ tab. These factors include:
Here are a few key features marketers should take note of:
Instagram, too, has expanded its video content capabilities over the years. The platform now includes feed video content, Instagram Stories with a lifespan of 24 hours, and longer-form video content through IGTV. The Instagram algorithm prioritizes the types of content a user engages with the most — meaning that if you spend more time watching videos, you get more video content on your feed. In addition, Instagram Stories prioritizes your relationships with other users when deciding their ranking on your feed.
Here are a few key features marketers should take note of:
Tweets need not only be text-based. Twitter supports Tweet Videos, live videos, and video ads as well. Here are a few key features marketers should take note of:
up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds
TikTok has been THE platform for viral videos of late. The platform is especially popular with Gen Z, and in 2019, the app’s downloads surpassed Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. The platform’s unique roster of sound effects, filters, songs, and interaction tools makes it the perfect platform for UGC to thrive. While brands may not be compelled to create content themselves, marketers have found ways to capitalize on UGC for their campaigns.
Here are a few key features marketers should take note of:
up to 60 seconds in length when recorded in-app
feed posts and ads
When considering which platforms to use, it is important for marketers to consider the difference in intent between users on each platform. On YouTube, for example, users are likely to enter the platform with the intention of watching longer-form content. In addition, users are likely to be watching these videos on a larger screen and with the right audio equipment.
On more mobile-based platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, on the other hand, videos that include text or captions are likely to be viewed more frequently as on-the-go users often watch videos without the accompanying audio. Videos should also be shorter in length to cater to these audiences.
On platforms such as LinkedIn, viewers are likely to be professionals within or interested in your industry, and may thus be more likely to seek out formal or informative industry-related content.
Now that you are familiar with the various platforms that support social media video marketing, you should consider the types of content you can create. Generally, video content falls into the following buckets:
However, there are several types of content that should also be considered specifically for social media:
Spoilt for choice? Here’s our guide to video content ideas you should consider for your business.
Marketers must keep the marketing funnel in mind when considering what content to create. After all, only pushing out content with a strong call-to-action may alienate users that are just trying to learn more about your products. Social media video marketing is all about creating the right content for the right audience. Here's what you should know:
Create fun, short-form content that introduces your brand and products. You can also include educational content that showcases how your product is used or how it addresses a certain pain point. Link your content to more in-depth product information to direct users further down the funnel.
Differentiate yourself from your competitors by fully showcasing your product. Now that users know who you are, pique their interest with explainers and product demonstrations that feature your perks. Link your content to your website or product page.
Reduce any further pain points by introducing FAQs and how-tos to offer assistance when your customers need it. Include demonstrations on how your product can be set up and feature additional resources. Try to keep them engaged by providing value-added content such as webinar snippets and covering related industry events.
It can be tempting to create an epic, feature-length video dissertation on the topic of your choosing. However, the average attention span has dropped dramatically in recent years. Unless your content is incredibly compelling and to the point, you’re not going to be able to command the attention of most social media visitors for more than a few minutes.
In addition, you need to make the first few seconds of your video count! If you’re not showing something interesting in the first few moments, you’ve already lost most of your audience. Try to include the top draw for potential customers early on or identify the main point of the video to ensure that the right viewers stick around.
You shouldn’t skimp on your accompanying description text — this is a golden opportunity for you to capture the attention of a larger audience. This is especially important if the main point of your video isn’t immediately apparent.
In addition, always optimize your video for search by including relevant keywords in your video title, description, and video tags, if any. Include accompanying captions and transcripts whenever possible.
Your thumbnail is also important — ensure that it is eye-catching and well-designed, as this often affects whether or not your audience will click on it. In addition, pay attention to any text restrictions for thumbnails on your social network of choice. For example, Facebook limits thumbnail text to 20%, including logos and UI.
As mobile usage often occurs in public areas, many users now have their sound off by default. When you’re editing your video for social media, it’s important to consider the ‘no-sound’ experience.
Ask yourself:
As the race for social video content domination kicks into high gear, it has become increasingly important to upload your video natively whenever possible. This means that instead of uploading your videos on one social media platform and sharing it across your various social channels, you should upload the video directly on each of these networks.
You may have noticed that when you post a link on Facebook to a video that’s located on YouTube, it no longer displays in the larger inline video view that it once did. Likewise with links to YouTube from Twitter.
As individual social networks attempt to gain more of the video market, they are less likely to support and surface video content which is hosted on a competing platform. This can be frustrating as it involves a bit of extra work, but by uploading a video to each platform individually, you increase the chances of your content being seen, viewed, and shared by the users on that platform.
It’s important to remember that while posting content for content’s sake is fun, every piece of content should help to contribute to your organization’s goals. Before creating any content, it’s important to understand:
From there, it should be fairly straight-forward to create a clear CTA. Want more subscribers? Make sure to ask viewers to click subscribe at the end of every video. Want more suggestions on what your viewers would like you to cover in future videos? Ask them to post a comment! Simply asking for what you want can go a long way towards encouraging more social interaction and subsequent growth.
Every great social or video marketing strategy needs to demonstrate great results. With Meltwater’s social media management tool, you can not only plan and publish your content and engage with customers in real-time, but also measure your performance with critical insights and a comprehensive view of top-performing content at the click of a button.
With insights at your fingertips, you’re all set to create the next viral video! Want to know more? We unpack the tricks to creating engaging viral content that delivers real-world business value here.