Getting Started with Video Marketing on Social Media

Are you the type of person who communicates better through speaking than writing? Honestly, speaking in front of the camera for social media isn’t my favorite, but as a marketing strategist I have to put myself out there to practice video marketing. 

And you know what? The more you do it, the easier video marketing it gets!

Billions of videos are being consumed on different social media platforms on a daily basis. Video marketing has evolved throughout the years and has become helpful to small business owners to expand their reach and reach their target audience more easily.  

If you are like most people who ignore social media because they don’t know how best to use those platforms, this blog post is for you. Going live on social media is one thing, but I will talk about posting pre-recorded videos in this blog post today. I will share with you some video marketing strategies to maximize the platforms you are using for your business.

Video Marketing on Social Media

Facebook and Instagram 

With over 3 billion active monthly users, Facebook provides marketers with an opportunity to reach a larger audience than any other social media channel in the world. Instagram is also extremely popular, with over 2 billion active monthly users. Instagram loves videos and allows you to post them as regular videos, reels, or stories. 

Reels are short, engaging videos that typically last between 15-90 seconds. Considering that many users watch videos with the volume muted and the fact that some people have hearing impairments, it’s important to add captions and/or transcription to your videos. 

When creating a reel, remember to keep it relevant to your target audience and include eye-catching visuals or trendy music to capture attention. While Instagram was originally a photo-sharing platform, quality is key when marketing on Instagram. You can use templates on the platform, create them in programs like Canva or InVideo, or you can record yourself or your team sharing something about your business.

Posting stories on both Facebook and Instagram is also helpful in sharing content in the easiest and fastest way possible. Stories are a great way to build relationships with your audience, and are the perfect location for behind-the-scenes snippets of your day. Just remember that stories are only visible for 24 hours, so if you want your content to have a longer lifespan, post it to the regular feed instead.

YouTube

Another platform with worldwide popularity is YouTube, with more than 2 billion active users. Though many refer to it as a social media platform, it is also the second-largest search engine (Google has the #1 spot.) Here are a few of the best strategies for video marketing on YouTube:

• Always caption your videos. As a search engine, putting captions on your videos helps potential customers easily find what you share on YouTube.
• Make your videos short and precise. While YouTube allows you to post long-form videos, it may be harmful to your engagement if you post very long content. The ideal length for a YouTube is around 7-15 minutes. There are only a number of social media users who will watch videos longer than 20 minutes. Of course, you still need to consider the attention span of your target audience.
• Employ metadata, tagging, and video descriptions to help with SEO. You can also do keyword research for your video titles, captions, and hashtags.

TikTok

With over a billion active users worldwide, TikTok has become increasingly popular over the past few years. It has revolutionized the creation and sharing of short-form video content. Video marketing on TikTok is one of the effective ways to reach a younger audience and drive traffic on your website or other social media accounts. Here are some tips to make the best out of this platform:

• Keep it short and sweet. You have to make every second count. TikTok started with videos no longer than 60 seconds, but now, you can post videos up to 10 minutes long. 
• Use trends and challenges. Whether it is a popular dance, a hashtag challenge, or a meme, jump on the latest trend to help your video go viral and reach a wider audience. 
• Be authentic. Make sure your videos feel genuine and unscripted. Also, make sure to communicate your brand in a natural and relatable way.
• Partner with influencers. Influencers are a huge part of the TikTok ecosystem. Find the right ones to help your brand reach a wider audience and gain credibility. 

To succeed on social media, there is more you can learn. Trends change. Functions may change. Social media platforms evolve with time, and you need to be ready to adjust your plan accordingly.

Videos can capture attention and communicate information quickly and easily, making them an ideal tool for promoting products, services, and brand messages. With so many robust smartphones with high-quality cameras and easy-to-use video creation apps, creating videos for social media really can be pretty easy and fun.

Do you have something to share today? Record that video now!