Social media video marketing is one of the most effective ways to connect with customers and promote your brand. But it’s also one of the most challenging types of marketing to get right.
There are a lot of moving parts to social media video marketing: from creating attention-grabbing videos to distributing them across the right channels to monitoring and measuring your results.
It can be tough to know where to start or what best practices to follow. But don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll share the top social media video marketing tips and best practices for 2020 so you can get started on the right foot.
What is social media video marketing?
Social media video marketing is the process of creating and distributing engaging videos across your social media channels with the goal of promoting your brand, products, or services.
It’s a powerful way to connect with customers and create an emotional connection with your brand. And when done correctly, social media videos can drive serious results, like increases in website traffic, leads, and sales.
Why invest in social media video marketing?
Video is one of the most popular types of content on social media – and for good reason. People love watching videos because they’re entertaining, informative, and easy to consume. In fact, according to HubSpot research, 54% of consumers want more video content from brands. Not only that, but videos are also proven to be more effective at getting people to take action than other types of content. In one study, 84% of respondents said they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service after watching a brand’s video. With numbers like that, it’s no wonder that businesses are investing more in social media video marketing each year. In fact, according to Cisco, global internet traffic from videos will make up 82% of all internet traffic by 2021 . If you want to stay ahead of the curve and keep your audience engaged, you need to start incorporating videos into your social media strategy. What are some social media video best practices? Now that we’ve talked about why you should be using social media videos as part of your marketing strategy, let’s dive into some best practices for creating them: Keep it short and sweet: The average attention span is now just 8 seconds , so it’s important to make sure your videos are short and to the point. Otherwise, you risk losing viewers before they even get a chance to see what your video is about. We recommend keeping your videos under 2 minutes whenever possible. Hook viewers in from the beginning: Just like with any other type of content, you need to hook viewers in from the beginning if you want them to stick around until the end. One way to do this is by starting with a strong opening scene that grabs attention and makes people want to keep watching. Use subtitles: According to Facebook , 85% of Facebook users watch Videos without sound . So if you want your videos to be seen by as many people as possible, make sure they can be understood even without sound . This means adding subtitles or closed captions . Not only will this make your videos more accessible, but it will also help ensure that people actually watch them all the way through since they don’t haveto turn on the sound . Optimize for each platform: Each social media platform has its own distinct features and user base . This means that what works on one platform might not work as well on another . For example, Instagram users tend To prefer shorter , vertical videos , while YouTube users prefer longer , horizontal ones . Make sure you format your videos accordingly so they look their best on each platform . You should also customize your call-to-action for each platform since different platforms have different capabilities . For example , Facebook allows you To add clickable links in yourvideos while Instagram does not . Use relevant hashtags: Hashtags are a great way To make sure people who are interested in seeing your type Of content can easily find it . Do some research To figure out which hashtags are most relevant To your business And include them in both The title And description Ofyourvideo . Just don’t go overboard – using too many hashtags can come across as spammy And turn people off from watchingYourvideo altogether . Promote across multiple channels : Don’t just postyourvideo On one platformsocial And leave It At That – promote It across multiple channels ! This means posting OnYourwebsite Or blog , As Well As sharing On All Of Yoursocial Media AccountsAnd Email newsletters . You might even consider running ad campaigns To promoteYourvideos On sitesLikeYouTube Or Facebook . Just make sureYou’re not Over-postingAnd overwhelming people With too much content fromyouAt once – otherwiseThey’re likelyTo tune Out altogether