Video Content: Your Social Media Best Friend
Laura Bell
There can be no doubt that video is social media currency right now. There has rarely been a stronger medium of communication to date than that of video content. If a picture speaks a thousand words, then how much can a video cover in a few short seconds? A lot, we imagine.
The younger generations are increasingly influenced by visual or audio-visual content, rather than written words. Generation Z and Millennials in particular, seem to be much more engaged with video content than other forms of online content, but why is this? Well, we’ve been looking into it and here are a few pro points for using video content online to further the reach of your business and some tips on how to go about creating valuable video content.
1. Video is convenient
A 2018 study “showed that 54% of consumers wanted to see more video content from the brands or businesses they support. It’s been suggested that the reason for an increased interest in video content is that the western consumer is simply growing lazier. That is to say, they don’t want to read long passages of text. They just want it all laid out ready for them in a handy bitesize portion of information. We’re not sure that the laziness factor is quite accurate though. We think that video content is simply more convenient for consumers to digest. That’s what people increasingly want; for things to be convenient for them. Video content requires them to do no more than sit back, relax and watch.
2. Video is engaging
Film fans will know just how much even a short film clip can communicate both on the surface and through background layers. Words have always been able to convey emotions effectively through the medium of prose or poetry, but video adds many more layers on top of the words. If there are words in the video, you then have choices about how to deliver them, this influences the viewer. Then you have visuals too which illustrate emotions, setting, action and much more. It’s no wonder people were so thrilled when motion pictures and the Talkies first came out of Hollywood. It looks like life, but also like magic. That’s why they’re engaging. Moving pictures are as close to designed artificial life as we can comfortably get. In terms of social media, videos tend to get more engagement than other types of posts, particularly if they are original, entertaining, and creative. If you were trying to market your garden maintenance company for example, then showing how you might trim a rose bush is more interesting than reading about it, but it’s less engaging that if you started singing a bad karaoke version of ‘Grow for Me’ from Little Shop of Horrors to the plant, as you go. Add bonus points for using your secateurs as a microphone. Entertainment is great, originality is vital, and engagement is key when it comes to video material.
3. Video is visual
Video advertisements have known since the 40s that seeing is believing. If you tell people that your newly developed black mould remover turns your shower seals from nasty to nice in three minutes flat, then they might believe you. Then again, they might not. Providing visual proof that you are a trustworthy company whose products or services do as you claim is an invaluable tool in attracting new customers. Online shopping and sourcing of products and services is more and more common now, but that means people cannot always try before they buy, as it were. This means that most of your customers aren’t going to see your products before they commit to the sale. They can’t hold it in their hand before they dig their debit card out of their wallet. That means that they may be more sceptical than in-person customers. Visual demonstrations of what you do, produce, or sell will help people to feel as though they know what they will be getting. Customers like to think they are making an informed decision. We’ve already said that seeing is believing and you can trust us that, you want your customers to believe and trust in your brand.
4. Video lasts longer
Did you know that videos tend to last longer on the internet than other types of content? It’s thought this may be because they are very shareable and because there may not be as many videos shared as pictures and word-based posts per second. Do you share a video on Facebook as often as another type of post? Probably, because you want to share what made you laugh or cry. You want to share the experience. That’s what a video is, an experience. This is good news though because different types of content have different shelf lives depending on what they are and where they are shared. Later.com suggests that “A TikTok video, for example, can be surfaced in users’ For You Pages for weeks, even months, after its first published.” Instagram also has lots of options when creating visual content to make it move or appear to move to catch people’s attention as they scroll.
5. 2 Minute videos are optimum
A video of up to 2 minutes is the optimum time limit for online video content. After that, people are likely to move on and miss anything else you wanted to communicate. Say what you want early on and don’t make it a verbal essay. Keep it as entertaining and informative as you can while limiting the time, then you should have a solid piece of content that will circle around the internet for a good while to come providing free marketing and engagement.
If you would like advice on creating or sharing video content to promote your business, then Deearo Marketing is always here to help. We also have the facilities to create quality, unique video reels, content and adverts for your products and services. We can provide you with examples of our video work upon request. Get in touch with us by clicking here. We’d love to chat.
