Updated on 3/4/24

After more than 20 years of blogging and writing email newsletters, I often feel like I have my content marketing strategy nearly perfected. I know what my audience wants, I connect with my readers and email subscribers regularly, and my organic search results are always right where I want them. 

But, I have a glaring omission in my social media strategy - video content. I've taken YouTube courses, paid the experts, and even purchased fancy equipment, but I've never been consistent with video marketing. (This might have something to do with despising seeing myself on camera.) 

However, video is an integral part of any social media marketing strategy. You can use it to engage and connect with your audience in a whole new way, and it can also be a great way to promote your products or services -- my Nonprofit Template Shop products would be ideal subjects for video, I know! 

So, what's holding me back? It's likely a combination of time and defining my priorities around marketing. If you've been putting off using video in your social media marketing strategy, hopefully, these tips and insights will help! 

Why Video Is Critical For Your Social Media Strategy

Video Is More Engaging ThanText

Much research shows that video is more engaging than text or static images. And it's more likely to be shared. A study by Brightcove found that people are 76% more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it. And HubSpot research shows that 54% of consumers want to see more video content from brands they follow.

It's also important to remember that engagement is a two-way street. Regardless of your platform, monitoring the feedback and responding promptly is essential. Answer questions that users leave as comments, and thank them for their feedback! These kinds of responses show your audience that you care and that you're listening.

Video Content Can Help You Reach A Bigger Audience

Today's algorithms are favoring video in a major way. In addition, the success of platforms like TikTok and the race for other platforms to keep up have pushed video content to the forefront of everyone's minds. And because many professional pages are slow to adopt video as their primary means of content, those who are quick to use the medium are often rewarded. 

For example, video content posted on Instagram will likely be featured in the recommended sections right now, even for those accounts with a smaller following. Likewise, Facebook video now has its own tab on the desktop version, and Meta is pulling out all the stops to ensure people stick around on the platform and delay switching over to competing apps. 

Video Appeals More to Mobile Users

As the number of mobile users continues to expand globally, from ordering dinner to accessing social media and working remotely, it's vital to create videos that people can easily view on a small screen. In fact, Meta reports that over half of its users watch videos on their mobile phones. By watching a video on their phone, a user can feel more connected to the product or service, resulting in a more personal experience and easier transition from viewing to conversion. This highlights the importance of using a YouTube thumbnail maker to stand out.

Video Helps Customers Understand Your Product or Service

According to HubSpot, 97% of marketing professionals claim that video can help potential customers understand your product or service. These videos can also help demonstrate your product or answer frequently asked questions. And if you're selling a physical product, video can be a great way to show it in action.

Four Must-Haves For Your Social Media Video Content

1. Record Professional-Quality Video

Your social media videos don't have to be Hollywood-quality, but they should be well-produced and look professional. That means using good-quality equipment and lighting and editing your videos for maximum impact. Hiring a professional video production company can ensure that your videos meet these standards. Still, for most, you can easily create videos on your own using video editing tools on your iPhone or Canva's video editing tools. 

2. Use Royalty-Free Music and SFX in Your Videos

Adding music and sound effects to your social media videos can help set the tone and make them more engaging. But it's important to use only royalty-free music and SFX in your videos so that you don't violate copyright laws.

Music and SFX can set the right tone for your video, making it more likely to engage viewers. They also help to mask any background noise that might be distracting.

While enhancing your social media videos, understanding how to download YouTube music legally is also crucial. While YouTube offers a vast library of music, it's essential to respect copyright laws and use only those tracks that are allowed for public use. Remember, the right music can elevate your video content and make it stand out in a crowded social media landscape. However, always ensure that you're adhering to legal guidelines to avoid any copyright infringements.

Need Resources for Music and SFX?

There exist a lot of online resources to license music and SFX. However, we find that it's best to use a legitimate and reputable site, such as Soundstripe, Premium Beat, and Epidemic Sound. These royalty free music sites offer high-quality pieces of music and sound effects that you can use in your social media videos without having to worry about infringing on any copyrights.

Subscription fees pay for any music licensing needed, so you can have unlimited access to all the music and SFX you'll ever need to create a stunning stock music library.

3. Always Suggest The Next Step

Your social media videos should always include a call to action or CTA. This next step suggestion might be as simple as asking your viewers to like, comment, or share your video, or it could be a more specific request, such as asking them to visit your website or sign up for your email list.

Before creating your video content, decide the ideal action your audience will take and how your content will lead them to the action.  

4. Keep Your Videos Short

Today's consumers have relatively short attention spans, so it's essential to keep your videos short and to the point. According to Meta, "the average length of a Facebook video is just under two minutes," and the average length of a YouTube video is around four minutes.

The ideal video length is often dependent on the platform, however. For example, Twitter found that videos less than 30 seconds long are the most retweeted.

Instead of focusing on hitting a specific time mark, make videos that have a clear hook at the beginning, provide value and substance on the topic, and conclude with a call to action that will offer the viewer the best next step.

Final Thoughts About Social Media Video

If you're new to using video as part of your content marketing strategy, it's never too late to dive in and start small. Begin with a weekly goal of posting one video that meets all the abovementioned criteria. 

Or, if you're already using video but not seeing the results you want, dive into your platform analytics to find out why. It's easy to do some A/B testing around video length, the video content or try using the same video on a different platform. 

Social media is here to stay, and those who choose to invest in honing their social media video skills now are likely to benefit from the platform the most. 

When you share valuable, relevant, and professional video content with royalty-free music and use your insights to deliver the content your audience wants, you'll position yourself as the best in your industry, and others will take notice! 

Tell me…are you regularly using video on your social media channels? How does it perform? What are your secrets!

Until next time,

Andrea

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