So, you’ve nurtured a solid social media presence and you want to make sure that it’s doing everything it can to connect you with a bigger audience. What do you do to engage those people and prompt them to take action? You make marketing videos, of course!
Marketing videos are a great way to get your brand out there and attract new customers. They’re also an ideal avenue for you as a business to show off your unique brand personality in a way that isn’t possible through other media.
The problem, though, is that making a great marketing video for social media is a tricky business. You have to make your video stand out from the crowd and have your viewers keep watching long enough for you to deliver your message.
But how do you create a successful marketing video for social media? What should it look like? Keep reading this article to learn all about it!
Why Make Marketing Videos Exclusive to Your Social Platforms
Generally speaking, social media has already proven to be a powerful marketing tool — there’s no better way to make people feel as if they’re actually part of your branding efforts and experiencing what you have to offer through live interactions and engagement.
However, there are plenty of specific reasons why you should jump on the social media video marketing bandwagon:
- Social media users value visual content above all other forms of communication, which means higher visibility.
- Since social media videos have an easier time engaging an audience, you can deliver information effectively through video, and people will be more likely to retain your message.
- If someone likes your video, it’s easy for them to share it with their friends on social platforms. This makes it more likely for you to go viral and improves your reach.
All in all, this means that when you make use of marketing videos on social media, your audience will engage with it more than any other type of content — engagement that can lead to conversions if you do it right.
5 Ways to Make an Effective Marketing Video for Your Social Platform
The best marketing videos are those that are engaging, entertaining, and informative at the same time. Your goal is to make a video like that, but that’s also built around the specific social channel you’ll use for distribution.
Here are the five pillars of making such videos:
1. Establish your goal:
Before you produce anything, it’s important to know exactly what you’re hoping to accomplish with your video marketing piece. Do you want to increase sales or sign-ups? Is there an event coming up that you’d like to publicize? Or are you just looking for some creative way to showcase your product or service?
Once you’ve figured out your goals, you can then start thinking about how best to achieve them using the right type of video content. Different types of videos will be better or worse suited for different marketing goals.
Do you want to make an explainer video or something like a testimonial? Both types of videos can be effective, but one is ideal for informing your audience about a relevant topic, while the other helps you humanize your brand and nurture customer confidence. They’d also require different approaches, so understanding your goal from the get-go can make a huge difference here.
2. Determine your audience:
Next, you need to determine who your target audience is. For example, if you’re a sneaker brand targeting younger people–you’d want to make a video that appeals to younger viewers through elements like animation, vibrant aesthetics, and an uplifting tone. An entirely different approach than if you were trying to capture a more mature audience’s attention.
Your audience will also determine which social platform you should aim your video towards. If you’re targeting an older crowd, platforms like Facebook and Twitter are ideal for getting your message across. Whereas for the younger generation, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are the way to go.
3. Write a script that’s short and sweet:
Most types of marketing videos will require a script. Without a script, you’ll make up lines on the spot and likely come across like an amateur. And nobody wants to watch amateur videos!
Your script should get the point across in as short a time as possible, given that social media users aren’t known to be patient.
For most social media platforms, the sweet spot seems to be between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. If you go over that, you risk losing people’s interest. You don’t want your viewers to abandon ship before they learn anything useful about your business or product line.
4. Have a catchy opening line:
Next up: hooking viewers from the get-go! Remember–the first few seconds of your video are crucial: they determine whether your viewer will stay to watch your video or just keep scrolling.
This means you need a catchy opening line that captures their attention immediately. The best way to do this is through humor or shock value—something like an unexpected twist or funny joke will get people excited about what’s coming next, but posing a relevant question your audience would be interested in knowing more also tends to do the trick.
5. Finally, tell a story:
The secret to a good marketing video isn’t just making a video; it’s about having an experience. By creating a story around your brand and message, you can make it more interesting and relatable than any other brand out there.
Tell people why they need it in their lives and how it will make them feel better about themselves. Your customers are human beings with feelings and emotions—make sure you include those feelings in your campaign!
Pro Tips to Get the Best Out of Your Marketing Video for Your Social Platform
While we have covered the basic elements of making an effective marketing video for your socials, that alone is not enough. Social media users absorb a ton of video content in a day, which means you need to make your video stand out.
Here are some pro tips for doing so:
1. Ensure high-quality audio capture:
If you’re shooting with a smartphone, use an external microphone to record sound, and use locations with as little ambient sound as possible. This means you won’t have to worry about technical difficulties that come from using a phone as your camera.
2. Set the mood with music:
Consider adding some music to your video—it can help set the mood and add interest for viewers by giving them something extra to focus on while watching their screen.
3. Make use of subtitles:
Oftentimes, social media users watch videos without sound. Having subtitles ensures your message is still getting put forth to them, even in those situations.
4. Show, don’t tell:
Try not to use too many words; instead, show your audience what you’re trying to showcase through actionable methods in your video!
5. Use high-quality footage:
Regardless of the type of video you go for, your footage needs to be of high quality. You don’t want your content to be static or too dark because those things will take focus away from it. Moreover, your videos are a reflection of your brand, and you want to put your best possible foot forward.
6. Make use of humor:
Getting a laugh out of your audience is the best way to keep your viewers watching your video until the end. Funny videos have a higher chance of going viral on social media. But, only make use of humor if it fits with your narrative.
7. Optimize for all platforms:
Make sure you optimize your content for all social media platforms since they all have different requirements. This includes the duration, shape, size, and length.
Ready For Your Socials to Thrive?
Making use of social media for marketing your videos is the most effective way to drive results. And with this handy guide, you’re well on your way to making a video that’ll absolutely nail it.
Try it for yourself and watch how your followers soar and your engagement reaches new heights. We promise you won’t be disappointed. ?
