Video content is becoming increasingly popular, as indicated by statistics.
People have become accustomed to consuming quick content that enables them to swiftly scroll through their newsfeed and obtain information within mere seconds.
Rather than reading text, internet users tend to simply scan the words without going through them step by step.
The amount of time that Internet users in the US spend watching videos on smartphones is also increasing. However, Turkey and Saudi Arabia both hold the top spot, with 95% of their users watching videos on their devices.
Now is the moment to utilize all available resources and incorporate videos into your marketing strategy.
Studies indicate that there is a desire among internet users to have a greater amount of video content from the brands and companies they favor.
During the pandemic, live streams and broadcasts have emerged as the preferred and widely used communication formats, serving as the primary means to connect users, bloggers, and celebrities.
As a result of the popularity of life streaming, 57% of marketers are currently utilizing live videos on social networks as a means to obtain more customers and enhance click-through rates (CTR).
Where are Consumers Watching Social Media Videos?
If you assume that the majority of people are predominantly watching videos on Gen-Z-focused platforms such as TikTok and Instagram due to their increasing popularity in recent years, our poll results may actually surprise you.
When I inquired about the social media platform where consumers usually watch videos, the majority of respondents, accounting for 35%, mentioned YouTube.
Although YouTube and Facebook are widely recognized as the leading online platforms for video viewing, only 8% of respondents indicated that they primarily watch videos on Instagram, despite Instagram’s early adoption of features like Stories and live video.
It is also surprising to discover that 1 in 5 people, or 20% of respondents, predominantly utilize TikTok for watching videos. Even though this does not imply the need for a complete strategy shift to TikTok, it does indicate that the platform holds potential for content marketers in the future.
If you are concerned that this data is making you feel anxious about publishing videos on the wrong platforms, take a moment to relax. Keep in mind that this survey is merely an informal survey conducted with consumers. If we had surveyed a particular age group, individuals from a specific industry, or consumers from various regions, the outcomes could have leaned towards different platforms such as LinkedIn or Twitter.
Although this survey is small in scale, it serves as a reminder that a combination of traditional and modern video platforms, such as YouTube and TikTok, are widely popular among diverse audiences.
We conducted a survey with 310 social media marketers in the United States to determine the social media platforms they utilize, the formats they employ, and their intentions and expectations for 2022.
The top format marketers use on social media, as discovered in this study, is video content. Specifically, 54% of marketers prefer short-form videos, while 47% favor live videos/streaming. The effectiveness of this format is also recognized, with 85% of respondents considering short-form videos to be highly effective and 70% acknowledging the effectiveness of live videos/streaming.
Marketers have reported that video content has the highest levels of engagement and ROI on both Facebook and Instagram.
Social Media Video Marketing Strategy
The foundation of video marketing involves the integration of videos within your brand promotion.
The rising popularity of videos as a component of digital strategies comes as no surprise.
TechCrunch reports that individuals currently consume 1 billion hours of YouTube videos. However, the query arises regarding the integration of videos into your marketing strategy and the appropriate starting point.
Not only are TikTok and Instagram two of the most popular platforms for videos, but there are also others within the realm of social media video marketing.
With the popularity of video content, viewers have access to a wide range of video formats such as virtual reality and 360° videos, branding promotion clips, interactive videos, and more.
However, despite the effectiveness of videos in social media for business, there are still some marketers who lack a complete understanding of how to utilize this potent tool.
Specific types of videos are required for each social media platform.
If you are not getting the desired results from incorporating videos into your marketing campaign, it is advisable to reassess your strategy and identify areas for improvement in order to create a successful video marketing campaign.
You must consider the following advantages and disadvantages of video marketing:
Pros of Video Marketing
These are the advantages of video marketing:
Attention-Grabbing
Don’t overlook the inclusion of live videos and event streams.
By utilizing videos, you can maintain contact with your audience and establish a personal connection between yourself and the viewers.
Videos create an experience that closely resembles a personal interaction.
You have the option to discuss your brand’s history, disclose your future plans, host Q&A sessions about commonly asked questions, and engage in other activities.
Social Sharing
A key benefit of social media is the immediate ability to share a post.
Within a short period after posting a video, numerous reposts can occur, assisting a large number of potential customers in becoming familiar with your brand.
It is important to identify your target audience and ensure that your content is exposed to a diverse range of viewers when sharing, as this is one of the potential challenges.
The Variety of Content
When you have videos, you have the ability to display a variety of content.
Creating educational videos, advertisements, branding campaigns, and various other content.
At the promotional gift manufacturer, you have the option to enhance user attention by publishing activities both online and offline, as well as acquiring custom branded keychains, bottle openers, enamel pins, coasters, pens, stickers, and other items.
These items can be distributed to participants as complimentary gifts. They will aid in expanding your follower count and fostering more robust connections. Their usefulness extends to promoting your brand.
Cons of Video Marketing
These are the disadvantages of video marketing:
Time-Consuming
People are not interested in spending the whole day attached to their smartphones.
It is important to guarantee that your branding videos are concise for this reason.
Publishing videos up to 15-20 minutes on YouTube is acceptable, unlike social media platforms where this is not the case.
When you upload videos onto Instagram and TikTok, make sure that your clips do not exceed one minute in length.
Tips for Sharing Social Media Videos
For most platforms, zone in on snackable content.
Every day, the pace of the world is increasing. While some individuals choose to watch social media videos during their free time, others opt to view them during intervals between meetings, while waiting in line at the store, or while commuting on public transportation. Even if individuals have sufficient time to watch lengthy videos, the abundance of available content compels them to quickly scroll to consume more after their video commences.
Mastering the art of “snackable” or super short-form content is one social media video strategy to prioritize in 2021 due to its significance.
“Using snackable videos on social can actually drive more engagement than static images,” says Meisha Bochicchio, Content Marketing Manager at Wistia. “A recent study found that 60% of marketers saw more clicks with video posts compared with static images.”
Test different video formats, too.
Even though snackable content is an effective strategy to utilize in 2021, it is still possible to release longer videos that are interesting and beneficial to your audience.
While individuals may be unwilling to watch a two-hour commercial, they might be more inclined to view a lengthier live video Q&A session, an interview featuring a prominent figure, or a video that narrates a longer yet captivating story.
In addition to testing longer-form videos, you can also experiment with alternative formats like live streams, interactive videos, and shopping videos on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
When new video formats arise, it can be beneficial to evaluate their suitability for your brand and create a test accordingly.
To ensure effective analysis, ensure that you identify and monitor the appropriate metrics for success. For instance, if you are conducting a test on a lengthier video, examine the number of views and the percentage of viewers who stop watching to determine the duration they remain engaged.
Meet your video audiences where they are.
Just like any social media strategy, specific content may have better performance on certain social media platforms compared to others. While easily consumable and targeted towards consumers might excel on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok due to their vast consumer audiences, a B2B marketing video or a Q&A session featuring a corporate thought leader might have better traction on a professional-oriented network such as LinkedIn.
Thankfully, you are not required (and should not be required) to place your videos on all social media platforms in order to develop an effective marketing strategy. Nevertheless, it is important to examine the demographics of each primary network, determine which target audience is likely to interact with your content the most, and begin posting videos where it aligns with your brand and objectives.
