Video Content and Social Media – Five Tips for Using Video to Get Followers

Carl Taylor | October 14, 2019

You’re not getting everything that you could out of social media if you’re not using videos. Here are some tips for leveraging videos to build your following.

 

YouTube users watch 5 billion hours of video every single day.

82% of Twitter users say that they use the platform to watch videos.

And finally, Facebook boasts 8 billion video views per day.

The message?

People love watching video content and they’re using social media platforms to get their fix.

That raises the question of why you’re not using video on your social media profiles. People obviously want to see it so you’re missing an opportunity if you’re not using it in posts and ads.

 

What Are the Benefits of Video Content?

 

We’ve already mentioned the main benefit – people watch billions of hours of video content on social media every day.

However, that’s not the only benefit to using videos as part of your social media campaigns. Others include the following:

  • Mobile users love watching videos. In fact, 90% of your potential customers use their mobile phones and tablets to watch videos. This gives you an opportunity to grab people’s attention while they’re on the go. Someone may not want to read a large article on their phones. But they may be able to spare a couple of minutes to watch your video.
  • Videos can build trust for your brand. You can use them to put a face to the message that you’ve created. They’re also ideal for providing social proof that your product works. A video interview with an actual customer is often much more effective than a written case study.
  • How many times have you watched a funny clip on Facebook and shared it on your profile? You’ve just seen another benefit of videos – they’re easy to share.
  • With social media, people aren’t expecting television-quality footage. They’re looking for quality content that engages them and that they can share with their friends. The benefit here is that this means you can use video to your advantage even if you can’t invest in high production values.

Many will point to video as the future of social content.

We’d disagree.

Video is the present. The stats we shared at the top of the article demonstrates that. You need to start leveraging videos on social media to boost your brand and engage your customers.

These are five tips that will help you to do it effectively.

 

 

Tip #1 – Keep them Short and Simple

 

We mentioned that most consumers watch social media videos on mobile devices.

What’s the hallmark of good mobile content?

It’s digestible.

A long video may help you to put across all of the amazing benefits of your product or service. However, most people on social media aren’t going to spend 30 minutes of their lives on the video.

They generally want something short and simple that keeps them engaged.

Now, this changes a little if you’re creating videos for YouTube. That’s a platform that’s dedicated to video, which means people visit it for the sole purpose of watching content. YouTube’s algorithm even favours longer videos because they keep people on the platform for longer.

That’s where your more in-depth content needs to go.

Keep the videos bite-sized for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Tip #2 – The First Few Seconds Are the Most Important

 

Following on from the previous tip, the average video watch time on Facebook is 10 seconds.

That emphasises the importance of keeping your videos short.

However, it also shows you how crucial the first few seconds of the video are. If you can’t hook the viewer within the first few seconds, you’re going to lose them.

People have lower attention spans on social media than they do with other marketing platforms. They’re getting bombarded with so much information that it’s easy to click away and look at something else.

Make sure the first few seconds of your video give the viewer a reason to stay and watch the rest. The best way to do this is to deliver on the promise you make for the video right from the start.

Tip #3 – Tell a Story

 

People connect with stories.

It’s why we read books, watch movies, and reminisce about the adventures that we’ve shared with friends.

Stories engage the mind and place the message that underpins them into context.

That’s why it’s so crucial that your video tells a story. This extends beyond having a logical structure of beginning, middle, and end. A great social media video elicits emotion. It tugs on heartstrings or uses humour to engage the viewer.

For example, let’s say that your video is about a new medical device. As a business owner, you’re looking to sell the product. But a potential consumer doesn’t want to know about the features. They want to see how that product makes life better for the people who use it.

That’s the real story.

Sometimes, the story is a little too complex to share in a short video. However, this gives you an opportunity to create a video series. Each new video builds on the story you shared in the last. And at the same time, those videos move the viewer through your sales funnel.

By the time they contact you, they may be ready to make a purchase. At the very least, they’re so engaged by your content that they want to have a conversation.

Tip #4 – Build a CTA into the Video

 

Videos on social media are a great engagement tool.

But ultimately, you want the viewer to take an action. This could be anything from subscribing to your mailing list through to ordering a product.

Most aren’t going to take that action if you don’t build a call to it into the video.

The work that you do beyond the video proves effective here. For example, you may create a video that offers up a tip for something, such as how to succeed at search engine optimisation. The CTA for that could be a checklist document or piece of skyscraper content that goes into more detail.

That document goes onto a landing page that your video directs the viewer to. In exchange for some details, such as a name or email address, they get access to a piece of supporting content.

And you get a lead that you can plug into an email automation.

Automation Agency can help you to build the landing page for your CTA. We can also help you to create your email automation and segment your video audience to ensure they receive the right messages.

Send a task to our Concierge Service to get started.

Tip #5 – Always Include Subtitles

 

Did you know that 85% of the videos watched on Facebook get viewed with the sound off?

Many people will sneak a look at a video or two while they’re at work. Mobile users may check out a video while they’re commuting. These are situations where having sound blaring out of a speaker isn’t desirable.

Your videos need to have subtitles to account for this. You don’t want to have somebody miss the message that you’re conveying because you haven’t accounted for how they watch.

Incorporating subtitles is also important from an accessibility standpoint. Those with hearing impairments rely upon them to receive the message that your video conveys.

By adding subtitles, you’re making it easier for your consumers to watch your video however they choose to watch it.

That doesn’t mean that you should place no focus on sound quality. It’s still important that your video has a professional edge to it for those who do watch with the sound on.

Building Better Videos for Social Media

 

As we mentioned at the top of the article, videos on social media are not a future thing.

Businesses use them every day to engage potential clients. They’re a valuable asset in terms of moving prospects through your sales funnel. And if you build a good CTA into your video, you can use it to generate leads that you may not receive from text-based content.

Automation Agency can help you to set up several parts of your video lead generation funnel. If you need help with landing page creation or email automation, please send a task to our Concierge Service.

But perhaps you’re not a member of the service just yet.

If that’s the case, have a chat with our Right Fit Chatbot. It’ll help you to discover if Automation Agency is a good fit for your business.

About the author 

Carl Taylor

Carl Taylor is the Founder & CEO of Automation Agency. For the past 10 years Carl has been building businesses and marketing them online through the use of Sales Funnels, Email Marketing Automation, Landing Pages, and Wordpress Websites. Carl is also a #1 author and highly sought after speaker and consultant whose work has impacted thousands of businesses across various industries worldwide.

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