Video has become an increasingly important feature across social media platforms. As early as 2018, 54% of consumers noted that they wanted to see more video content from the brands they follow. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media platforms saw a significant uptick in activity, with Facebook and Instagram seeing a 40% increase in usage. Video lets customers see things for themselves instead of relying on anyone’s word. It makes them part of the action or gives them an insider look into how your business operates.
If you want to reach your customers on social media, videos are an excellent way to do it. They don't need large budgets or equipment. Most of the time, a smartphone video is usually enough to have an impact. With low-cost social media videos, you can significantly increase your marketing ROI.
Video has become an increasingly important feature across social media platforms. As early as 2018, 54% of consumers noted that they wanted to see more video content from the brands they follow. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media platforms saw a significant uptick in activity, with Facebook and Instagram seeing a 40% increase in usage. Video lets customers see things for themselves instead of relying on anyone’s word. It makes them part of the action or gives them an insider look into how your business operates.
If you want to reach your customers on social media, videos are an excellent way to do it. They don't need large budgets or equipment. Most of the time, a smartphone video is usually enough to have an impact. With low-cost social media videos, you can significantly increase your marketing ROI.
Set Goals For Your Video Content
Social media videos typically perform best when treated as part of the total marketing umbrella. They aren't designed to stand in isolation. Instead, they should be a comprehensive part of the greater whole. Attribute goals to each of your videos so you can build upon your successes and track the performance of your videos.
Setting SMART goals—those that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-oriented—are a highly effective way to track how your videos are doing. Choose the key performance indicators, or KPIs, that fit your overall marketing goals. With that information, you can guide your future videos based on your specific goals, whether you're focused on increasing brand awareness, driving a particular action, or generating leads.
Planning goals and designing content around those specific KPIs can help you track your ROI. As you track ROI, you can adapt your plans to create more efficient marketing spend.
Optimize For the Platform That Reaches Your Audience
Focus on using the platforms your audience uses the most often. Social media is still frequently divided by generation, meaning:
- Older users are more likely to be on Facebook
- Younger users may use Instagram more frequently
To optimize for the platform that your audience is most likely to use, it's critical that you have a solid understanding of your target audience. That understanding of your target audience will also help ensure that your content will hold their interest. You will also drive relevant traffic to your social media pages and attract those most likely to become customers. By focusing on the platforms with the highest level of success, you'll get the best ROI for your efforts.
Plan Out Content In Advance
As with the other types of content you produce regularly, it's crucial to create a plan for your video content. You need to plan out your video topics in advance to release a consistent amount of content, which will give customers a better idea of exactly what to expect from you and when they need to visit you for additional content. Your plan can also help ensure that you accomplish your goals without overspending and keep you moving consistently toward your objectives.
How rehearsed your tone is should depend on what's most likely to reach your audience. Even if you want your videos to seem conversational and improvised, you should make them know what you want to accomplish.
Make Compelling, Quality Content
Never sacrifice quality just for the sake of releasing content. Being strategic and releasing videos that touch on current topics and use various formats will get the most attention—and help keep your content relevant and useful for your audience. You want content that will be compelling enough to draw your viewers in and make them want to see more of what you have to offer. Consider a behind-the-scenes look, providing insights into the quality of your work, or contributing content that can help consumers feel more connected to your brand.
You don't need a lot of money to create quality videos. Using editing software and cleaning up the content before releasing it can heighten quality without much cost or effort. There’s a wide selection of free or low-cost editing software that you can use to edit your videos quickly and easily yourself. That way, you won’t need to hire an expensive crew or worry about big productions.
Create An Authentic Brand Voice
Social media videos are an incredibly valuable marketing tool—and they're easily accessible for your business. With just a smartphone and some basic editing software, you can easily start producing videos that will help you increase your connection to your customers. Alternatively, you can work with your media partner to create high-quality social media videos that fit with the rest of your marketing materials.
