Gone are the days when social media depended on well-crafted text posts and images. The era of video content has taken over the internet and social media platforms are quick to adapt.
With changes like IG-TV and Reel on Instagram and Facebook Watch, it’s evident that videos are a new rage and here to stay. If you wish to create an impact online, then you will have to master this change.
Here are some tips and tricks for you to create better videos for your social media campaign:
Consistency Is The Key
The first rule of making it big on social media is consistent posting. Be it videos or any other form of content; the more you post, the more engagements you retain. Irrespective of the platform, regular posting is imperative.
For a video-dependent platform like Instagram and Youtube, it helps to keep your videos planned, shot, and ready for upload a week ahead of time. This system will ensure you never miss a date of posting.
Formats like Instagram Reel require you to post each day for best results. While on a platform like Youtube posting once a week is helpful. Furthermore, posting on the same day of the week helps build a habit with the users to consume your content regularly.
Play To Your Audiences
Merely posting without a plan will also do you no good. You must keep your content tailor-made for your audience. Understand the basics of your target audience and create videos on this data.
Consider factors like language, demographic, age group, gender, preferred platform, etc when you make a video. After you upload the content, study analytics on the platform to determine what content gets better reach. Use this as a basis to make more of what they enjoy.
Short Video Thrive On Social Media
As per a recent announcement from Instagram, the platform has moved away from being a photo-sharing application. They are a video-first platform focusing on short-form content.
Furthermore, the attention span of the internet generation is shirking short videos and taking over the internet. Platforms like Instagram Reels, Tiktok, and Youtube Shots are slowly becoming the go-to form of content.
Even on a platform like youtube, videos in the range of 15-20 minutes are an ideal match. Long-form content is limited to dedicated and intentional viewing platforms like Netflix.
The Start Is Critical
As attention spans get lower and choice for content grows, there is also a problem of keeping your audience hooked. If any form of content is not grasping enough, a user will quickly tune out and move to the next best thing.
This means the starting of any video should function as a hook. They should reel in the users and keep them involved to watch till the end. Irrespective of the social media platform focus on masting the introductions of your videos.
Stick To Format
Let’s assume you make an incredible piece of content for your Youtube channel. It only makes practical sense to further share this across channels. You wish to drive the most from each creation.
However, not all platforms function the same. You will need to consider the format and dimensions right when you edit video online or offline.
On Instagram alone, you can upload videos in 4:5, 16:9, 9:16, and 1:1 formats. Summary, while Youtube videos are best in the 16:9 ratio, Youtube Shots is all about the 9:16 format. Remain cognizant of the various sizes and ensure your content fits the platform for best results.
Add Elements To Your Video
In a sea of online videos fighting for the attention of a user, how do you enhance the engagement and retention of a user? The answer is skillful editing.
Use additional elements on your video to make your content more impactful. Adding text animations, images, transitions, sound effects, etc can help you add a punch to your videos and enhance the viewing experience.
However, keep in mind that you must only add these elements to add value to your video and not distract the users. Find the right balance for the best outcome.
Keep Crisp Light And Sound
While videos are all about filming, there are two elements that can help make them perfect.
Firstly, ensure you light your videos accurately. A poorly lit video makes it hard to watch, looks unprofessional, and reduces the reach among your audience. Understand some basic lighting tricks to extract the most from each frame.
Furthermore, good sound is the spine of your video. While an audience might excuse bad light or framing, lousy audio makes a video unwatchable. Use an additional sound recorder to record better speech.
Find the right balance of background music, sound design, and dialogues. Ensure the audio is normalized (the same level) and balanced (even on the right and left channels). Test the audio on various devices before you upload for better outcomes.
Obey Guidelines Always
The last thing you want from a video for them to violate the guidelines of a platform. Each and every platform has a certain set of rules and regulations that govern the content on it. Failing to meet these guidelines will blacklist your videos and dent your reach.
One of the most common errors in the use of unlicensed audio. Ensure all the music on your videos is legal for use and ethically sourced.
What Is Your CTA?
Unlike a billboard on the street or a television commercial – social media has the ability to create action. The users can quickly consume your videos and take actions like buying your product, subscribing to your channel, and much more.
That being said, these calls to action must remain integrated into your videos. At the end of each video promote the action you wish to derive from the users. Either add them as part of the script or use text to push them in the right direction.
In Closing
Lastly, the process of video creation does not end at upload. Once your content hits the web you must also follow through with promotions and analytics. Study their performance to understand what works for your audience and create more of it.
Creating video content is a constant loop of research, planning, shooting, promoting, and analysis.
