Top Tips for Using Video in Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
Social media marketing has become an integral part of every serious business in the 21st century. In fact, if you are not using it, you are probably losing money. An effective social media marketing plan of action is vital for the growth of your brand.
With that being said, it’s time to talk about something specific — using video in your social media marketing strategy. If you want to learn how to make the most of this marketing technique, please keep reading.
Why Use Videos?
There is nothing wrong with traditional marketing content such as text or images; however, in our experience, videos are far more memorable. Plus, consumers take less time to engage with video content. Last year, one of the biggest social platforms in the world — Facebook — started to promote longer videos in people’s feeds in order to keep them there based on how much time they spent watching every video.
Creating an ideal social media marketing video is an art which requires skill. Stopping someone from scrolling on social media and grabbing their attention is hard, but it is even harder when you have only a few seconds to do it. You need to draw users’ attention, deliver something valuable, and influence them.
How should you do that? Learn more below.
Use a captivating thumbnail
Most users speedily scroll through their feeds, making it hard for you to make them stop and focus on something for more than a few seconds. Although hard, the task isn’t impossible. In order to grab their attention and make them stop on your video, you need to use a captivating thumbnail.
For example, a banner with a question such as “Would you like to grow your business?” or a statement like “Grab this unique opportunity!” could work. Also, interesting pictures or emojis on banners can make people stop scrolling and watch your video.
Understand your audience
When someone starts watching your video, your job has only started. You about 10 seconds to draw their attention and show them that your video will be worth their time. When you think about how many distractions are surrounding a typical user, you will realize how hard this task is.
Thus, it’s of vital importance to understand your audience’s needs. Why have they stopped scrolling through their feed to watch your video? Are they trying to solve a problem? Are they going through something that they aren’t even aware of yet?
Forcing your product on people won’t work. You need to understand why someone is watching your video, as that will help create a good opening. Your goal should be to connect to your audience’s particular needs or issues.
Do that by using direct language to introduce the problem or pain they are experiencing; use “your company” or “you.” Asking them questions, creating a story that focuses on emotions, and walking them through the issue is what works best.
Also, make sure the audience doesn’t feel like they are wasting time. Repeat their issue to them and make them engage while you continue to lead them toward the solution.
Provide value
Whatever piece of content you create, the most important thing is to grab and hold your audience’s attention. That will give you enough time to state your value and explain how your service or product can help them overcome their difficulties. That’s especially true when it comes to videos.
Luckily, as we are visual creatures, we find videos highly engaging. But, how do you hold one’s attention once you grab it?
By providing value and always using subtitles. Don’t keep your secrets to success to yourself; share them with your audience. Once they get actionable advice from you, apply it, and see that it works, they will start trusting you. In order to gain trust and credibility, it is essential to provide as much value as possible.
Make a pitch
Your service or product pitch has to correlate with your video perfectly. Not affecting or interrupting your viewers’ thought process is crucial; they have to be ready for the pitch. So, you shouldn’t put it in the wrong place or time. An ideally placed pitch will ensure that you don’t lose their interest.
To keep them interested, pitch quickly and be precise. There is no need to share too much information or unrelated details. If there is some additional information that you wish to share, keep it for the ending stage. Here, just make sure to show your audience how your product or service can solve their problems. Don’t waste their time, walk them through an issue, and offer a practical solution.
Finalize everything by making a call to action
Once you have successfully influenced your audience, it would be a shame to leave them hanging. So, make sure that you inform them about the following steps. Add a link or a button that they can click on to learn more. If you have managed to engage them and provide enough value, they will proceed with the next step.
Therefore, before you end the video, tell your audience where the link or button for the next step is. That is the easy part — all you need to do is tell them where to click. By doing this, you are making your video seem real. Depending on the platform you are using, the link/button will be located in different places.
There are many ways to inform your audience about the following step: you can add a note, say the words, or use a hand gesture. Whatever you decide to use, just remember that instructions for the next step should be concise, simple, and effective.
Most users quickly stop paying attention, so by using your hand to point to a link or a button on their screen, you will make them re-focus and increase the chance that they will actually take the next step.
Finally, practice as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to experiment; anything that helps you draw your audience’s attention is good. Make sure that you provide as much value as possible, make your video original and catchy, tell them how you can help them, and then deliver your pitch. But, don’t forget that consumers need to be able to trust you before you ask them to do anything.
