Attention is an increasingly scarce commodity, and capturing consumer awareness has become a challenge and a priority for brands. Social media platforms are now creative battlegrounds where businesses—small and large—compete to make their mark. Social media video marketing, in particular, has become a potent tool for turning eyeballs into earnings.
Posting videos on social media platforms offers unique opportunities for businesses to inform, engage, and persuade through visual storytelling and strategic messaging. Whether you’re exploring platforms like YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, learn actionable ways to help you navigate the world of social media video marketing.
What is video marketing?
Video marketing is the strategic use of video content to promote a brand, product, or service. From 30-second vertical videos on TikTok to long-form uploads on YouTube, videos can convey brand messages, showcase products, and engage potential customers. The medium allows for high levels of creativity and interactivity, making it a compelling choice for marketers.
Benefits of video marketing on social media
Incorporating video content into your broader social media marketing strategy offers several advantages. Businesses trying to broaden their marketing efforts should consider developing a video marketing strategy for the following reasons:
Customer engagement
Video content can attract more attention than text or images on social media platforms, leading to more engagement from social media users. Creating captivating and shareable videos can result in higher user interaction. Educational videos, such as tutorials and how-to content, for example, offer value to your target audience that can drive interest and attention over time.
Brand visibility
When you consistently post video content, you can boost your brand’s visibility across social media and support your business goals—whether that’s more website visitors or increased social selling. For instance, Facebook live videos can amplify your reach by encouraging real time interaction. These types of live videos create an immediate and direct connection with your audience, placing your brand front and center.
Authenticity
Customer testimonial videos and behind-the-scenes footage potentially build trust in your brand and humanize your business. Consider including customers and team members in your video creation process and focus on developing high-quality videos that resonate with viewers. Authentic, relatable video content can be invaluable to earning consumer trust.
Conversions
When executed well, explainer videos and product videos can convert prospects into customers. Posting these types of videos across your social media channels offers viewers a quick and clear understanding of your product or service.
SEO rankings
Video content can help boost your business’s search engine optimization (SEO) rankings. Google’s algorithm surfaces quality videos in search results, and shareable video content can increase the number of backlinks (external links) to your site. Brands can improve their SEO by creating keyword-optimized video content as part of their video marketing efforts.
Types of video marketing
- Explainer videos
- Customer testimonials
- How-to videos
- Product demonstrations
- Unboxing videos
- Live videos
- Behind-the-scenes videos
- Animated videos
- Event recap videos
- User-generated content
In social media video marketing, variety is critical to keeping your audience engaged. Here are some effective video content types to incorporate in your video marketing strategies:
Explainer videos
Explainer videos offer a straightforward way to convey your brand’s value proposition. They often use animations, graphics, and text to illustrate key points of differentiation. An explainer video for a smart thermostat might use graphics to depict how the device is the only one on the market that learns your schedule and adjusts the temperature automatically, saving money on energy bills.
Customer testimonials
Highlighting the voice of your customers can add credibility to your brand. A video interview with a satisfied customer can enhance your brand by providing valuable social proof. For example, you could feature a customer explaining how your noise-canceling headphones have improved their focus and productivity in a noisy office.
How-to videos
How-to or tutorial videos are excellent for providing value to customers wherever they are in the product lifecycle. A cookware brand, for instance, can post videos teaching viewers how to make specific recipes step by step. With how-to videos, you’re essentially providing added value for free. Developing an ongoing series also encourages more people to watch videos and engage with the brand regularly.
Product demonstrations
In contrast to explainer videos, which tout the features that make a product unique, product demo videos showcase how the product actually works. A video for a fitness tracker could showcase someone zeroing in on all the features they use during their workout. An engaging video can illustrate the versatility of your products, convincing shoppers to add it to their carts.
Unboxing videos
This type of social media marketing video generates excitement and anticipation. For example, a video could showcase the unboxing and initial setup of a high-end coffee maker, giving viewers an intimate glimpse into how the machine is packaged. Unboxing videos can highlight thoughtful details like custom packing paper, creative packaging design, high-end instruction manuals, or gifts included with the product.
Live videos
Using Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and other livestreaming platforms, you can interact with your audience in real time. Live Q&A sessions, for instance, allow for immediate interaction and can be a cornerstone of a successful video marketing strategy. For example, a sneaker brand could use Instagram Live to tease a planned limited-edition release, answering questions and building anticipation to drive pre-orders.
Behind-the-scenes videos
These videos are valuable for providing a glimpse into your company culture or production process. For example, showing behind-the-scenes video footage of how your handmade furniture is crafted can add an extra layer of authenticity.
Animated videos
Animated videos are highly customizable and an efficient way to convey information that would be cost-prohibitive to capture in person. For example, a coffee bean company could use an animated video to show how it sources beans from all over the world. This format simplifies complex information, encouraging viewers to make more informed purchases that can cut back on ecommerce returns.
Event recap videos
Showcasing highlights from a company event or industry conference can extend its reach. By uploading this as a YouTube video, you can potentially attract viewers who couldn’t attend the event. For example, a beauty brand might post highlights from a makeover event, encouraging viewers to attend the next in-store event.
User-generated content
Featuring user-generated content (UGC) videos from your customers can foster community and extend your reach. A video campaign can encourage users to upload videos of themselves using your products. For example, a camping gear retailer could invite customers to share videos of their outdoor adventures using the store’s latest tent models.
How to build a social media video marketing strategy
- Choose the right platform
- Define your target audience
- Determine budget and style
- Outline the content
- Include a call-to-action
- Produce and upload
- Measure success
Crafting a compelling social media video strategy requires careful planning and execution. Here’s how to navigate the complexities of creating and deploying engaging social videos, step-by-step:
1. Choose the right platform
Each social media platform has varying best practices for video. It’s crucial to understand where your target audience members spend their time. Instagram and TikTok are ideal for short, catchy videos, while YouTube offers a more suitable environment for more extended content—videos 10 minutes or longer.
2. Define your target audience
Your audience informs the type of content you’ll create. Social media analytics tools and Google Analytics can help you find demographic information about your online audience. Tailoring your video style to your audience increases the chance they’ll engage with your brand videos.
3. Determine budget and style
Before you start creating videos, decide on your budget and how you’ll allocate funds. For instance, consider video editing software. Adobe Premiere Pro might be suitable for higher-budget projects, while free video editing software works well for smaller budgets. The budget will also define the actual video style, whether it’s a high-quality explainer video you’ll pay a production company to produce or informal behind-the-scenes clips you’ll stitch together on your own.
4. Outline the content
Plan what content will go into the videos. Create a storyboard to guide your video planning process. This ensures a coherent brand story and helps you stay on track during production, making editing easier.
5. Include a call-to-action
Every effective video ad or piece of content should guide the viewer toward a specific action. Whether visiting your website or watching more YouTube videos from your channel, make the call to action (CTA) clear and compelling. A strong CTA boosts engagement and contributes to the success of a planned video campaign.
6. Produce and upload
A well-executed video editing and post-production process can add a professional touch to enhance the entire video experience. Ensure they are in a format that’s easy to upload to various video platforms, and remember to use royalty-free music to avoid copyright issues.
7. Measure success
After uploading your online videos, use analytics to measure video views, engagement, and other key performance indicators (KPIs). Google Analytics or platform-specific analytics tools can help you determine if your video marketing plan is successful. Understanding these metrics is crucial for refining future video marketing strategies.
Social media video marketing FAQ
What are the benefits of social media video marketing?
Social media videos can significantly boost brand awareness and engagement. Video ads on platforms like Instagram can reach a vast audience, making your marketing strategy more effective over time.
What equipment do I need to make marketing videos?
You can create videos with nothing more than a smartphone for casual, authentic content. A DSLR camera, microphone, and lighting equipment are best for more polished videos.
What should I focus on when starting with video marketing?
The key is to create videos that engage your target audience. Your focus should align with your brand message and goals.
Do I need to hire a crew for video marketing?
Whether you produce in-house or hire a crew depends on your budget and the style you’re aiming for. In-house video marketers can easily stitch together UGC-style footage into a compelling video, while a polished documentary-style ad might require outside expertise.
