Alright, friends! Hands up if you’re currently creating video content for Twitter.
Odds are, most of you didn’t raise your hands for that one. And I hate to break it to you, but you’re really missing out if you aren’t sharing videos on your Twitter profile!
But the thing is, you’re definitely not alone. Twitter isn’t necessarily the first platform that comes to mind when you think about video content. You’re more likely to picture YouTube, Instagram Stories, or even Facebook Live. However, Twitter is actually a great place for video!
As you might already know, I’m pretty passionate about my #VideoReplyDay initiative on Twitter. I’ve made kind of a mission out of encouraging people to step outside their comfort zone and get creative with Twitter video.
And to push you to do the same, I want to share a few reasons why Twitter video will benefit your brand, plus a few ideas you can use to get started whether you’re in front of or behind the camera.
3 Reasons Why Twitter Video Will Benefit Your Brand
For many people, video content makes them a little nervous. And you might be feeling the same! Perhaps you’re feeling too shy to get in front of the camera or you’re worried about what others might think… However, if you realize the benefits Twitter video can have, you’ll be dying to get started.
1. Creative Videos Will Increase Brand Awareness
The best way to stand out on any platform is to get creative with your content and to provide value to your audience. And when you consider that, in 2018, Twitter had 330 million active monthly users, you have quite the crowd to compete with!
Well, video is a fantastic way to help you stand out on the platform. And guess what? You don’t have to be a professional videographer or an amazing editor to craft a video that looks great. As long as you’re delivering what your audience wants to see, you can really shine with the videos you publish.
Not only that, but users who view videos on Twitter are 50% more likely to be aware of an advertiser’s brand. Since we all want our brands to be seen and heard, it’s no surprise that more and more people are giving video a shot.
2. Video Content Allows You to Better Connect With Your Audience
One of the greatest things about video content is that your audience has the opportunity to see and hear you. While the written word is absolutely powerful, there’s something even more special when they feel like you’re talking directly to them.
And if we want to establish our brands, we have to focus on building the Know, Like, and Trust Factor. Video is an amazing way for people to get to know you and start liking you, thus building a trusting relationship over time.
3. Sharing Video Can Skyrocket Your Engagement Rate
Did you know that tweets with videos are six times more likely to be retweeted than tweets with photos and three times more likely to be retweeted than tweets with GIFs? If you’re wanting to boost your visibility and see more engagement on Twitter, video is well worth the effort.
After all, we want to shine on social media! So, if you want to see more likes, retweets, replies, and click-throughs, video just might be the ticket to making it happen. And before you know it, your Twitter profile will be the hottest around.
8 Ideas for Your Next Twitter Video
Now that you’re fired up and ready to create video content to share on Twitter, you’re probably wondering what in the world you should post! After all, you want to make sure you share something your audience will be interested in. So, what are some ideas you can implement? Here are eight you can try out:
It’s #VideoReplyDay! Take time to reply to tweets with a video like this.
Use the Twitter app on your phone > Go to your notifications > Reply to a tweet > Tap the images icon then the video camera icon >Tap the icon to make your camera point at you > Hold the button and talk. pic.twitter.com/bZE0PxHpvh
— Madalyn Sklar
” /> Speaker #SMMW19 (@MadalynSklar) January 15, 2019
1. Participate in #VideoReplyDay
In my opinion, this is truly the easiest way to get started with video content on Twitter. You don’t have to do any planning or put much thought into it beforehand. Nor does it need to be this perfectly-produced masterpiece! Instead, you just get to be you and provide value to your audience.
#VideoReplyDay works exactly as it sounds. When you’d normally reply to a tweet with a text response, I encourage you to do a video instead. This isn’t something that most people do, so you’re immediately going to stand out and be seen as different and creative. Your audience will love that!
To give it a go, choose one day a week to be your #VideoReplyDay (for me it’s Tuesdays). Then, using the Twitter mobile app, go through your Notifications and reply to your tweets with a video. It’s that easy!
You can also encourage your Twitter followers to send you questions throughout the day so you actually have to leave responses. It might sound intimidating at first, but it’s actually a lot of fun! Plus, it gets easier the more you practice.
2. Share Educational, High-Value Content
All of the visual learners in your audience will love educational content shared via video. You can create short videos that offer up valuable, actionable tips your audience can put to use right away. Educate them on a topic, teach them how to do something… The ideas are endless!
Just keep it on the shorter side (less than a minute) and make sure it’s captivating enough to hold a viewer’s attention until the very end. They’ll love getting new tips from you in this way and there’s a good chance you’ll see a spike in engagement as well.
3. Join the Conversation
Don’t be afraid to jump into the conversation that’s happening on Twitter. It’s a busy place and there’s a lot to talk about! You can upload a video sharing your thoughts on the latest hot topics, current events, and trends. It’s much more exciting than a simple text tweet!
Now on the menu: Calorie-Smart Recipes! Look for the light blue label when you choose your meals to select our lower-calorie offerings every week. First up: Presto Pesto Chicken
Order here: https://t.co/PWTMTlZlE8 pic.twitter.com/YNuMA6p9ab— HelloFresh US (@HelloFresh) January 14, 2019
4. Film a Tutorial Video for a Product or Service
Do you have a product that could use a how-to guide? Need to show your audience how to properly take advantage of your service? Upload a short video with the step-by-step process. It should help cut down on the amount of questions you receive from customers, plus they’ll be greatly appreciative.
As shown above, even brands like HelloFresh are doing this by showing their customers how simple it can be to prepare their meals. It makes their meal delivery service more enticing to potential customers and is a way to increase sales.
5. Upload a Testimonial From a Happy Customer
When it comes to promoting our offerings, it’s important that we share feedback from happy customers. Many times, this is what seals the deal and convinces them to make a purchase. Get your past clients to film a quick video about their experience with your product or service. Then, share it on Twitter! The best part? You won’t even have to get in front of the camera for this one.
6. Give People a Behind-the-Scenes Exclusive
What’s it like in your daily life? Are you working on something exciting? As humans, we are curious beings and we love getting a behind-the-scenes look into what others have going on. Share a snippet of your day or anything else exciting you have going on. People are able to see what a day in your shoes is like, plus it helps them connect with you.
Marketing pundits typically say conflicting things about content length.
” />”Attention spans are GONE! Create SHORT bite-size content!”
..So, what’s true?
” /> My NEW #ContentMarketingMemo on the topic is out today! https://t.co/aFJ68vVU8t pic.twitter.com/NKfaCrHEHO
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) January 14, 2019
7. Share Teasers for New Content & Offerings
If you’re looking for a way to get people excited about what you’re currently working on, share some teasers. You can upload a video snippet of your latest blog post or podcast or even share a peek at a module for your next online course.
In the tweet above, you can see that Julia McCoy shared a little teaser of her YouTube video when promoting it on Twitter. Watching that video leaves people wanting more, thus increasing the likelihood that they’ll click-through and watch the video in its entirety.
8. Repurpose Existing Video Content
If you’ve already produced video for platforms like YouTube or Facebook, why not repurpose them on Twitter? You can take short videos filmed for Facebook and cross-post them to your Twitter profile. And if you have a YouTube channel, take some snippets with valuable tips and create a brand new, short, engaging video from it. Then, share it for all of your Twitter followers to watch!
This is going to help you get the most mileage from the content you’ve already created. It’ll save you time and energy, while getting more eyes on your best work.
Are you using Twitter video? If not, will you start now? And if you are, how have you incorporated it into your strategy?