If one social media trend could define 2018, it would probably be video. Internet users spend up to one-third of their time online watching videos across different social media channels, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and now even LinkedIn. Over 500 million people watch videos on Facebook every single day. Video is huge, and it's a trend that's here to stay.
Given this, you should probably be utilizing video in your social media marketing strategy - 87% of marketers say they do. But producing videos can be a significant investment. Whether you hire someone in-house or use an agency, its an extra cost, and as such, you'll also want to do all you can with your video posts in order to maximize that outlay.
To help, here's a collection of tips on how to optimize your videos across all the major social channels.
Over the past year, Facebook has pushing its new YouTube competitor, Facebook Watch, which enables users to flick through videos created by publishers, Pages and their friends. Facebook's also been working to popularize Facebook Stories, another video-focused element.
Between native video, Facebook Stories, and Facebook Live, it can be hard to choose which platform packs the biggest punch. Here are a few best practices for Facebook video marketing which might help point you in the right direction.
1. Upload videos directly to Facebook
According to research, natively uploaded videos on Facebook see more than eight times more comments than videos posted through YouTube or Vimeo. Overall, native video also receives 168% more interaction than videos which come from third-party sources.
2. Add captions
People check Facebook at almost all times of day, even at work and in public. More than 85% of Facebook users keep videos on silent for just that reason.
If you want to get your message across, make sure to optimize your videos for soundless viewing by adding captions. You can also use charts, subtitles, or animations to communicate silently with your audience.
3. Go live
Some 82% of Facebook users prefer to watch live-streams over a reading a basic social post, so it might be worth broadcasting an event to help bring some attention to your page.
Instagram is all about creating attention-grabbing visuals that stand out in a sea of stunning photos. With a maximum of 60 seconds for posted video, Instagram requires marketers to be deliberate with their video marketing techniques.
Here’s how to make the most of video in your Instagram feed.
1. Square videos perform much better than landscape in a feed
This trick applies to all social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. So much of social media is mobile that square videos are much more visually appealing than landscape format (vertical format, in Stories, is also rising in popularity)
2. Use eye-catching graphics or animations
You've only got a minute to get your message across - or even less if your audience scrolls past your video. To stand out on Instagram, use highly-produced, graphic, or animated videos which explain your product quickly using bold and engaging imagery.
3. Capture candid moments with Instagram Stories and Live features
Instagram Stories now has more than 400 million daily active users. Use the Stories feature to show day-to-day life at your company, or go live to interact with your audience in real-time.
Extra tip: your audience receives a notification every time you go live
Video performs surprisingly well on Twitter, seeing around 6x more retweets than photos. Take advantage of Twitter marketing using these tips.
1. Use native video features to extend reach
Just like Facebook, Twitter’s algorithm rewards native video much more than external links. The autoplay feature makes users more likely to watch and interact with videos, so upload videos directly where you can.
2. Keep videos short, like a tweet
Users log onto Twitter for quick bursts of information. For top results, capture attention in the first three seconds of the video as people scroll by, and don’t post videos longer than 45 seconds.
The professional social network is the most recent to add video to its feed, first for individuals and more recently for business pages as well. Make sure you maintain an educational and professional tone on LinkedIn - busy business-people are unlikely to stick around for a frivolous post which might work well on Facebook or Instagram.
1. Leave your sales pitch behind
Professionals use LinkedIn to expand their networks and keep updated about relevant news in their field. Use the platform to share your expert knowledge on a topic, or to provide customer service for one of your products.
2. Keep videos under two minutes long
Although LinkedIn allows you to upload videos up to 10 minutes long, 53% of users prefer videos that are 90 seconds or fewer.
Remember, most LinkedIn users are busy professionals looking for career growth and development.
3. Add subtitles - someone might be watching at work
Much like on Facebook, many LinkedIn users watch videos silently. Make sure they can receive your message either way by adding captions to your videos, so they don’t need to turn the sound on.
Social media video is an incredible tool for interacting with your audience - but there's no 'one-size-fits-all' approach that will work for all content types, and all platforms. Use these tips to tailor your video marketing to each of your channels, so that you can optimize your reach and spread your message to your audience.