How to boost your social engagement with video

In recent years, videos on social media have become the foundation of many businesses’ marketing strategies. A HubSpot report indicates 54% of consumers prefer to see videos from brands over other types of content. It’s fast becoming a must for strong engagement on social channels.

We live in a digital era where audiences seek content ‘on demand’, and if companies don’t produce easy-to-digest and snackable content, chances are, they’ll scroll right past. If you’re looking to increase your engagement metrics online, here’s three easy ways to do so using video content.

1. Upload videos natively
Many sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube have their own unique video platforms which allow you to upload a file (eg. a video you’ve recorded with your smartphone). These are referred to as native videos. In doing this, you create an image gallery on your social site that is easily accessible by people viewing your profile, you receive better reach and you can provide better insights and analytics on each video’s performance.

2. Thumbnails
When you upload a video, whether it is to Facebook or YouTube, a thumbnail image is automatically generated and most of the time, is either unflattering or doesn’t capture the audience’s attention. By creating custom thumbnails, you ensure that you control the image that shows before your video starts playing and allows for consistency with your branding – plus people are way more likely to click ‘play’.

3. Keep your videos short
If a video is more than 1:30 minutes long, I tend to scroll past. Keep your videos short, punchy and to the point. Hook your audience’s attention from the start and break your video down into three or four segments with diverse visuals and music that makes it easy for the viewer to digest and actually want to keep watching. Note that subtitles should be added too.

Video content is a powerful tool to showcase your brand and its identity. If you’re looking to incorporate video into your marketing strategy, get in touch with Elevate’s team of digital gurus to find out how you can increase your engagement metrics online and elevate your brand.