If you’re a business owner, you’ve likely noticed that one marketing trend is growing faster than ever. That trend? Video marketing.

Whether or not you realize it, video marketing has started to impact all aspects of our daily life. The average person spends around 2.5 hours on social media a day. Brands are using these platforms to incorporate video marketing content into the everyday life of the average consumer.

But if you are just dipping your toes into the waters of social media video creation, you likely have lots of questions, including:

Is video really that important for my marketing strategy?
How do I create quality social media videos?
How long should videos be?

As a team of video experts, we’re here to give you the information you need to succeed! Follow these tips to build a successful video marketing strategy that will help you grow your business.

Benefits of Marketing Videos

Most of us have been influenced by video marketing our entire lives. You likely grew up watching ads for products on television. However, as more and more consumers have moved away from watching cable television, the industry’s idea of marketing videos has changed.

These days, you can find branded content on almost all social media platforms. While some platforms, such as YouTube, still frequently run ads that look like the commercials you grew up with, modern video marketing strategies are getting more creative than ever! Sponsored posts with influencers, funny TikToks, and curated Instagram reels are just some of the ways that your can help capture the attention of your target audience.

But is it really worth all that effort? The short answer is yes!

Video ads have been shown to be an effective way to engage your audience’s attention. Here are just some of the benefits you can expect to gain when you establish your video ad strategy.

Rank Higher on Google – One of the best ways to find prospective customers is to have a website that ranks high on Google. Did you know that incorporating video content is a great way to help you reach that coveted first page? Studies have shown that websites that incorporate video content tend to have customers stay on the site for longer.
Personalize It – Creating videos is a great way to humanize your company, and help your potential customers get to know the heart behind an organization.
Grow Revenue – According to a study from the Aberdeen Group, businesses that used video content were able to grow their revenue 49% faster than those that did not!
Get Creative – One of the best parts about video marketing is that it can be as creative as you are! Want to showcase the versatility of your products and services? There is no better way to do that than with a video. Customers get to see in real-time how effective your products are.

4 Tips for Effective Content

So, we’ve got you sold! Video content is for you. But simply hitting “record” on your iPhone isn’t likely to yield the results you are hoping for. Here are some of our top tips for creating effective videos and high quality.

1) Catchy Title

A catchy title and well-curated end card can help capture the viewer’s attention and make them click on your online videos. When it comes to designing titles and end cards, ask yourself the following questions:

What is the problem I’m trying to solve for the customer?
Who is my target audience? What aesthetic is appealing to them?
What language is my target audience drawn to? Casual? Formal? Humourous?

2) Keep It Snappy

Attention spans are certainly not what they have been in the past. When it comes to capturing the attention of your consumer, you want to grab it right from the beginning. Keeping your content informative and snappy will keep viewers watching your video posts until the end.

3) Use Captions

Captions are useful for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, they help make your video accessible to a wider population. Beyond that, though, it can help customers keep watching videos even when they are in a situation where they can’t have the sound on their phone.

4) Quality Visuals and Audio

Of course, the most important factor when it comes time to create video content? Quality!

Having high-quality video and audio will help your content look and sound professional and appealing to a viewer.

Why Timing Matters

When making videos, it’s important to consider video length. Part of this has to do with the consumer’s willingness to watch videos, but video lengths also play a huge part when it comes to succeeding with the algorithm.

Different social media platforms have different optimal video lengths. When developing your marketing strategy, it is important to know video length best practices for each social media platform.

Video Length per Platform

Wondering what the optimal video length is for each social media platform? Here is a list of the best video length for the most popular social media apps.

YouTube

Youtube videos have reigned supreme over the social media world for over a decade now. And it is still going strong.

Youtube is particularly conducive to longer videos. Of course, that doesn’t mean there are no boundaries. The ideal youtube video length is 2-10 minutes. This will depend on your overall goal. If you are looking to build revenue through YouTube video ads, lean towards the longer side, while viral videos should be shorter.

Instagram

The ideal Instagram video length is about 15-60 seconds for a reel and only a minute long for their video feature. This works better for viral content and ads.

TikTok

TikTok is known for its shorter videos. When it comes to TikTok video length, we recommend sticking to 7-15 seconds only.

Facebook

Facebook videos may not seem as popular on the outside, but many people still watch them. Still, you’ll want to keep your video length at about 1 minute or under in order to increase engagement.

Consult With a Video Pro

Is the thought of creating video content stressing you out? Call on the pros at Stringline Pictures to help you develop a social media video strategy that will take your business to the next level. Contact us today to get started!