If you want to grow your audience online, start creating videos for social media.
Why? Because video is such a powerful way to connect with your audience. They get to see you and hear your voice, allowing them to feel like they know you on a deeper level. And as we all know, that’s the first step in building the important Know, Like, and Trust Factor.
Video is also great for boosting exposure and engagement, which is something all of us want in these days of ever-changing algorithms. But if you haven’t taken video content seriously, you might be wondering where to begin. Let me help with that!
Before you dive head first into creating all sorts of videos for social media, there are a few tips you’ll want to keep in mind. These six tips will help you produce quality content that resonates with your target audience every time.
Filming videos for social media is going to require some time and effort on your part. So, you want to make sure these videos are actually serving you by helping you get closer to your end goal in business. Consider what you’re working towards and how video can help you get there.
Are you wanting to simply generate more brand awareness? If so, you may want to film some behind-the-scenes content so people can get to know you better. Are you trying to boost your conversion rate by landing more email subscribers or paying customers? You’ll want to film videos that talk about the transformation your product/service delivers. When you know what your goals are, you can create videos on topics that will get you those desired results.
We all want to work smarter, not harder. So, if you’re filming a video that’s going to be used across multiple platforms, you’ll need to keep in mind that each platform has preferred specs. This way, you’ll be able to accommodate what each one requires, as opposed to filming the same video multiple times. Not productive!
On another note, TikTok and Instagram Reels are pretty popular content formats these days. It’s understandable that you may want to create a video that can be posted to both. If you do, make sure you film in your camera app or use a tool to remove the watermarks. Instagram won’t promote videos that have a TikTok watermark on it.
You cannot let a lack of fancy equipment stop you from creating videos for social media. These days, our smartphones have pretty amazing cameras that produce high-quality visuals. There’s nothing wrong with using them to film our content! At the end of the day, the message you’re sharing is really the most important aspect of your videos.
Once you’ve decided that video is going to be a crucial part of your content strategy moving forward, you may want to invest in better stuff. In this case, consider purchasing a quality camera, a microphone, and a ring light. They’ll definitely take your videos up a notch, but again, it’s not necessary when you’re just getting started.
P.S. I have a page dedicated to my favorite recording equipment. Check that out if you’re looking to upgrade!
Listen, we’re busy people. We don’t always have time to sit down and watch lengthy videos for social media platforms. Instead, we want to get the information we seek in the fastest way possible. That’s why you should keep your videos on the shorter side by getting straight to the point you’ve shown up to make. This way, people will be more inclined to watch the entire video without clicking off before it’s over. And as a bonus, your watch time will increase too.
The Animoto blog offered some helpful tips on getting the right length with your videos.
There’s a lot for us to check out on social media. If a video doesn’t peak our interest in the very beginning, we’ll be on to something else. Just think about how quickly you’re probably swiping through that TikTok For Your Page! You don’t want your videos to be the ones that people exit immediately because they’ve lost interest or gotten bored.
Make those first few seconds of your video the most captivating by using a powerful hook that will leave people wanting more. Oftentimes, a good way to start off a video is with a question you know would provoke an emotional response in your target audience.
With more platforms adding auto-generated captions, there’s no reason not to have accessible video content these days. We need to keep in mind that there may be deaf or hard of hearing people in our audience. They wouldn’t be able to enjoy the videos we’ve worked so hard to create if they didn’t have captions. Plus, sometimes people just watch videos with the sound off. Be mindful of their needs and preferences by taking the time to add and edit captions.