There’s no getting around it. Video is here and your brand has to commit to it to grow. It’s become a tool that marketers are turning to for quick wins. In fact, as many as 71% of marketers say that video helps them drive more conversion than any other form of content they produce.
But there’s a little more to how crucial video has become for business. One of the major issues that so many businesses and brands are facing on social media has to do with the limit organic reach that platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram usually bring with them.
Yes, social networking sites are home to a combined 3+ billion users – and that number is still somehow increasing on a regular basis. But for most businesses, they now have to pay for ads just to stay in touch with their followers and generate engagement. These pay-per-engagement (PPE) ads are valuable to a certain degree, but they can also quickly grow expensive – and eat into that return on investment that they were trying to create in the first place.
So how can you still grow your social media channels with this limited organic reach, you ask?
It’s simple. By leveraging video content.
Online video is a great way to take that limited organic reach and run with it in the best possible way. With the right type of video content, not only can you boost your brand’s engagement and visibility in a cost-effective way – you can also dramatically grow your followers.
Woorise is the easiest way to create lead generation landing pages, forms, quizzes, surveys, viral giveaways and popups to help you grow your business from a single platform. Explore templates
Types of videos
In this section, we’ll share 6 types of videos you can use to generate more engagement and drive more results for your business.
1. Live Videos
If you’re looking for a perfect opportunity to supercharge your social media engagement, look no farther than live videos. Part of the reason why this particular content format is so successful is that the users themselves absolutely love them. Studies have shown that consumers engage with live videos three times more than pre-recorded videos. Moreover, live videos will help you keep your audience engaged for longer, which in turn, gives you more time to deliver your message.
But more than that, there is a very logistical reason why live videos need to become one of the cornerstones of your social media engagement efforts. Unlike most other types of content that people need to “find” themselves, your followers will actually be notified when you start to stream, on live streaming platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
If you’re looking for a quick way to boost your engagement and grow your online community, live videos give you the power to do so.
Here’s a great example of a brand leveraging live videos. The folks at Benefit, host a series of live videos, called “Tipsy Tricks” every Thursday:
2. Educational Videos
Another great way to grow your social media engagement involves creating content around the types of conversations that your audience members are already having. If you’re paying attention to hashtags relevant to your industry on Twitter and see that people keep asking the same question over and over again, for example, why not devote some time to creating an educational video to definitively answer it?
You could show them how to get more out of a purchase they’ve just made, or help them understand a particular topic in your industry by going into detail about it and giving them your thoughts. This is a great way to boost your social media engagement not just because of the conversational aspect of it, but because you’re letting your audience dictate the conversation.
You’re not creating videos from the perspective of “here are the things I want you to be thinking about.” You’re letting people ask questions or bring up topics and you’re also showing that you’re actually paying attention to what matters to them the most.
A great example of this type of video content comes from Moz:
3. User-Generated Content
User-generated content is also a great way to boost your social media engagement, get more views on YouTube, and accomplish nearly every other goal you probably have in mind, too.
One of the most famous examples of a user-generated content campaign was one from GoPro, where the company solicited videos shot on GoPro cameras from users around the world. Entries poured in and the most impressive videos got significant prizes… but more importantly, GoPro had more engagement (and more attention) than they knew what to do with.
All of this works because people love content from users, not brands. Videos created by (and starring) average, everyday users get 10 times more views on YouTube than strictly branded content, for example.
Come up with a few potential user-generated content strategy ideas and see which one lines up with your audience in the best way. You could solicit videos of people using your product in the real-world, for example. Just try to find a creative way to inspire people to leverage their creativity to your advantage and you WILL be rewarded for it.
4. Contest Videos
As a marketer, one of your top priorities is always to provide as much value to someone’s life as you can. You’re not just trying to “sell” to people anymore. The fact that millions of people around the world now employ ad-blocking software – even on mobile devices – shows that people want to be seen as more than just a line item on a balance sheet somewhere.
Part of that value involves educating your audience, using techniques like the educational videos outlined above. But simply giving them that value-free of charge can also get the job done – and contest videos are a perfect type of OTT video content to use to that end. If you are looking to build your own OTT platform, contests and user-generated video content are great ways to spark engagement and acquisition. Consider partnering with an OTT platform development company to leverage these techniques at scale.
According to one recent study, this type of video “gamification” on social media is something that over 70% of big companies are already doing. People love the opportunity to win free stuff and there isn’t much they aren’t willing to do to get it. In addition to boosting your online engagement, contest videos are also a perfect chance to build your email list and inspire virality – both of which are perfect chances to increase your social media ROI as high as it can go.
A great example of this type of social media contest comes from Henry’s, a Canadian digital camera store. In celebration of national dog day, Henry’s asked the social media followers to submit a 60 seconds video explaining why their dog is tops.
Social media video contests are a great way to combine the power of user-generated video content with social media contests. To get started with this strategy, find something that your followers love to show and talk about, and ask them to submit a video for a chance to win a special prize. To take your contest videos to a global audience and maximize their impact, consider using tools like AI video translation. Translating user-generated videos into multiple languages can help your brand reach a broader audience while maintaining the engagement and authenticity that make these contests successful.
5. Product Reveals
Another part of your job as a marketer isn’t just to make people aware that you have a product that will soon be released – you want to get those people as excited about that launch day as you possibly can. Product reveals videos are a great way to do just that, all while also increasing your social media engagement, too.
You could start by pushing out a series of teasers promoting your product and the value it brings, all before devoting a full five-minute video to it in its entirety. Another recent study indicated that nearly 2/3rds of people are MORE interested in a product after seeing a video about it on a social media site like Facebook, making it the perfect type of content to boost your engagement on these types of channels.
You could even go for the classic “two birds, one stone” approach – don’t just film a product reveal, film a LIVE product reveal. That way, you can extend your engagement efforts even further than ever.
6. Video Blogs
Last but not least we have video blogs – something that is perfect for supercharging your social media engagement because of the almost unparalleled level of intimacy it brings to the table.
Even though social media is naturally immediate, it’s still easy for your users to think of you as little more than a brand name and a logo. If you really want people to start paying attention (and engage with the content you’re posting), you need to show them that you’re MORE than that. You need to pull back the curtain and reveal the hardworking men and women who have dedicated themselves to making the lives of those audience members better through unbeatable products and services.
Video blogs are how you do it, as they can show off your team members, your personality and your company culture – essentially all at once. One of the best examples of video blogs is Gary Vaynerchuk’s DailyVee series. In DailyVee episodes, Gary takes the audience behind the scenes and shares his day with his audience:
Where to share your videos
Having new video to share with the world is great. But where do you publish it? Here are 6 social platforms and 16 ways to share your video content:
Facebook In-feed
In-feed video is the most common way to share video content. You can also broaden your in-feed ad reach using paid ads.
Facebook Stories
While Facebook released their stories product later than other platforms, they’ve seen exponential growth in a shorter time frame.
With just over 150 million daily active users, Facebook Stories is the ideal platform for brands to be found and to share their video.
Facebook 360 Video
Unlike traditional video, Facebook 360 Video offers a much more immersive experience. Viewers are able to interact with your video and explore different angles by dragging their fingers on their screens or turning their mobile devices as your video plays.
While Facebook 360 Video is an attractive option, note that you’ll need to invest in a few new 360 camera equipment to record 360-degree videos. You can also use an online editing tool to rotate your Facebook video.
Facebook Carousel
The carousels allow you to promote up to 10 images or videos. This is only available as a paid service.
Facebook Cover Images
Facebook cover images went through an upgrade in 2017. The enhancement gave brands the ability to use their cover image real estate to showcase video. The great news is that this feature is free and Facebook provides a large surface area for brands to share a strong and engaging video with your audience.
Messenger Stories
Facebook Messenger Stories are 15-second videos and only available as a paid media option. While only 15 seconds long, they can be used to grab attention and drive traffic to long-form video and written content.
Instagram in-feed
Similar to Facebook, Instagram in-feed video comes in free and sponsored options.
Instagram Carousel
Instagram’s Carousel, like Facebook’s, allows you to promote images or videos within a single ad. You’re also able to showcase up to 10 pieces of content.
Instagram stories
Instagram Stories offer both organic and paid options. Organic videos run for 15 seconds and users can record as many stories as they like. Paid media is limited to 15-second slots along with the option for viewers to click-through and watch up to 120 seconds of video.
Twitter in-feed
Twitter video is optimised for video captured on mobile phones. While a mobile-first platform, you are still able to share your video recorded on other devices. Learn about Twitter’s video specs recommendations and best practices.
Twitter in-feed video can also be promoted using paid ads.
Snapchat Ads
Despite what most people think about Snapchat, the video social platform gets as much as 3 billion daily snaps. Snapchat also offers a set of 6 types of paid video options that you can use.
Snap Ads are designed to drive traffic to your app, app store page, AR Lens, video or website using a swipe.
Snapchat collection ads
Collection Ads are ideal for showing a series of products. Viewers are able to tap on the ad to make a purchase.
Snapchat story ads
Story Ads live are displayed in-between popular content and tailored according to viewer preferences. Viewers are also able to shop for products showcased in Story Ads.
Snapchat commercials
Commercials are 6-second, non-skippable videos that are placed within high-quality premium content. Viewers are able to swipe up for more information.
LinkedIn in-feed
LinkedIn video can be published as organic in-feed video or ads. What makes LinkedIn Ads unique is that they can run for up to 30 minutes.
Pinterest video pins
Pinterest offers brands the opportunity to pin videos on various topics. This helps create comprehensive collections of content that users can find and pin to their own boards.
Pinterest also offers promoted video.
Video sales funnel
Once a fringe accessory, video content is now a power-packed content marketing strategy that is recognized by prominent search engines and consumers as a medium providing relevant, essential information about your business brand and the products you provide.
Video continues to adapt to advances in technology and the accompanying changes in user trends. Viewers are able to absorb and retain information presented in videos far more effectively than text or photos. Video content is superior in telling your story and communicating your branding messages to the broadest targeted audiences. With the incredible rise in popularity and access to social media networks like Facebook and YouTube, there are more ways than ever to reach large segments of interested consumers.
In 2019 alone, online users in the United States spent nearly seven hours a week viewing videos on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. With upwards of 85% of online users in the U.S. watching videos on mobile devices, online video consumption will continue to rise as digital marketers look for the most impactful ways to take advantage of this rising trend.
One of the most effective ways to use the power of video is to customize content to consumers’ position in the sales funnel to meet them where they are in the decision-making process.
What is a Sales Funnel?
A sales funnel creates a path for consumers to guide them through the various stages of their purchasing decisions to turn them from prospects to leads and ultimately satisfied customers. Video content is customized to the needs of consumers at various points in the funnel, providing information that is most relevant to their concerns at that stage in the process. Curating marketing videos to meet potential customers where they are in the sales funnel helps improve conversion and bounce rates for your website.
Approaching marketing strategies using the sales funnel concept works just like a real funnel. The wide open top of the funnel is filled with large numbers of consumers that come to you with little or no prior knowledge of your business or brand. As potential customers work their way down the sales funnel, you provide them with more specific information that will show them what sets your business apart from your competition. The ultimate goal is to have as many people come out the thinnest end of the funnel armed with the information that they need to become valued customers.
Improved analytics technology and data gathering procedures allows marketers greater ability to pinpoint the specific needs of consumers and address concerns based on where they are in the marketing funnel at that time.
Sales funnel approach in video marketing
Using a sales funnel approach to video marketing develops a path for targeted consumers that are already in need and searching for the types of products and services you provide. Video content is produced based on where consumers are in the process of making a purchasing decision. This allows the content to address specific concerns and answer questions those at the various stages of the funnel need to continue along the path to becoming a customer.
Consumers at each stage of the marketing funnel offer varying perspectives based on prior knowledge and exposure to your brand, and the products and services that provide solutions to their problems and needs. The more specific you can get in addressing any concerns, the more likely they are to seek more information as they come closer to buying decisions.
The key to video marketing using a traditional sales funnel approach is to define consumers at each stage in the process and produce content that speaks to their needs and preferences. This will give you an edge over the competition by connecting with consumers at their level and giving your marketing strategies direction and more defined purposes.
The following examines consumers at each stage of the marketing funnel with examples of video content most effective at reaching large groups of interested and engaged viewers.
Videos at the top of the sales funnel
The top of the sales funnel is the point of entry for consumers in the purchasing decision process. It is the widest segment of the funnel where the largest numbers of potential customers are found. When mapping out a traditional sales funnel, consumers at the top of the funnel are presented with their first awareness of your brand. Viewers are in discovery mode and being introduced to your business and your services for the first time.
Consumers at the top of the funnel watch branded videos with a sense of curiosity and bit of skepticism. They want to be educated and have basic questions regarding your industry and business answered in an entertaining and engaging way. This is the first point of connection to your brand. You will not have another chance to make a good first impression with your video content. The goal of videos at this stage in the sales funnel expands awareness of your brand to the largest numbers of potential customers.
At the top of the sales funnel, videos target consumers with little or no previous exposure to your brand. The subject matter and topics for these videos should begin with general information that addresses a broad spectrum of their needs, concerns, and preferences. Videos at the top of the funnel are designed to reach the masses and funnel down those consumers that are most likely to be interested in your business.
- Commercials: Television commercials remain the classic examples of marketing content that expose mass audiences to products and services. Traditional TV commercials on broadcast networks are expensive and reach smaller viewership numbers than ever with streaming services and online video thinning out audiences. However, television ads still have large viewing numbers and now offer streaming and other digital advertising options for reaching consumers at the top of the sales funnel.
- Social Media: With billions of active users around the world, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are ideal outlets to reach massive groups of consumers with limited exposure to your business. The most entertaining and impactful content is shared by social media users, expanding your reach exponentially to consumers unfamiliar with your brand. Content can also be targeted to specific groups of consumers based on demographic markers such as age, location, and family income.
Videos at the middle of the sales funnel
At the middle stage of the sales funnel, consumers are not yet ready to become a customer — but they are willing to listen. They have experienced a basic level of exposure to your brand and are interested in learning more. They see potential in the solutions you have offered and want to hear more about what you can do for them. This is your chance to give them the most compelling reasons you are a better choice for them compared to the competition.
Mid-funnel, more specific questions and concerns need to be addressed to take them to the next level in the buying decision process. Offering promotional offers such as a free trial will entice them into giving you a try without having to make a commitment or investment.
Consumers in the middle of the funnel are beginning to pare down their needs and the ways you can provide solutions for them. Multiple videos can be produced at this stage that will address a broader range of topics that feeds viewer curiosity and presents your business as an industry leader and reliable resource. Marketing videos targeting those in the middle stage of the sales funnel are designed to educate and generate interest for potential customers through video production that highlights various aspects of your services that will leave them wanting more information and advance to the next stage.
- Product Videos: Video production is a highly effective medium at highlighting the features of your products and services to give consumers in the midst of the purchasing decision-making process an overview of the solutions you provide. Product videos show interested consumers what you are made of and why you are better than your competitors. Humor is effective at this stage to increase your relatability and put viewers more at ease about doing business with you. The purpose of product videos for consumers at the middle stage of the sales funnel is to make them confident you offer solutions that suit their needs, getting them to continue the conversation and move onto the next stage in the process.
- Branding Videos: Consumers at this stage are ready and often eager to be shown the reasons why your brand is worthy of their attention and interest. This is your chance to showcase those aspects and elements of your branded messaging that sets you apart from the competition. Deliver your specific message about the mission and objective of your business in the most authentic and entertaining way possible. Show the world what you do, how you do it, and what you can do for them.
Videos at the bottom of the sales funnel
It is decision time. You have presented all the information consumers will need. Now you need to close the deal. Consumers at the bottom of the marketing funnel are looking for a reason to do business with you and videos are the best way to do that. Show these targeted potential customers why your business offers the best solutions to their problems and needs. This is your opportunity to dive deep into the functions, features, and highlights of your products and services.
At this final stage, detailed questions and concerns need to be addressed in the most compelling ways that guide viewers to make an informed decision and to act on it.
These videos are the most important, and often the most difficult to produce. The final purchasing step is often the hardest and requires high quality video that is dynamic, entertaining, and engaging while providing all of the messaging elements to get and keep viewers informed. Think of these videos as your last chance to convert consumers into customers. They already have the bulk of the information they need to make a decision about your business. Video content at this point in the marketing funnel is designed to show them why it is in their best interests to choose you over the competitors.
- Case Studies: Showing consumers at the bottom of the marketing funnel a detailed account of a satisfied customer or client through a case study video is a great way to show the benefits of doing business with you. Case study videos are powerful marketing tools that let the experiences of others do the talking and convincing. Targeted consumers at this stage have the information they need to make a decision and showing the progress of your services from an actual case will give them the needed confidence and trust in your brand.
- Customer Testimonial Videos: Using satisfied customers to extolled the virtues of your business offer consumers at the bottom of the sales funnel hear how you provided solutions for people just like them with the same issues or needs. Customer testimonial videos allow potential customers to hear from people just like them share their experiences of success in solving the same problems they are coming to you to solve.
3 Misconceptions about producing social media videos
Misconception #1: You need to be an expert video editor
Don’t get us wrong. Being able to bring your brand’s video production fully in-house with a team of professional videographers and editors is never a bad thing.
When you’re filming a TV commercial or other major project, it’s beneficial to have a team of experts at the ready.
But, in the context of social media videos, this level of expertise isn’t always necessary.
As long as you have a video recording device — whether a smartphone or video camera — and the means to edit the footage, you’re all set to start creating and sharing social media videos.
Misconception #2: Video production is too expensive and time-consuming
Many of us associate the video production process with boom mics, expensive camera setups, lighting equipment, and large crews.
In all actuality, producing a video for social media can be as simple as recording with a smartphone you already have, editing the video from this same device, and uploading it to your brand’s social media platforms.
To make your videos look more cinematic, you can download an app like FiLMiC Pro that gives you many of the same capabilities of a video camera without the steep prices.
From one digital marketer to another, you can produce a high quality social media video with this app, a smartphone, tripod, and optional audio and lighting gear.
Misconception #3: Video formatting rules are all the same
Even though the term “social media videos” refers to any video on any social platform, it’s important to remember that each platform has its own regulations and guidelines about video formatting.
With a quick Google search, you can learn about the compatible file formats, aspect ratios, maximum video durations, and more. (You can also check out this resource from Sprout Social about the best practices for video lengths.)
If you plan to distribute a video ad on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, it’s important to know ahead of time that
- Facebook videos have to be less than 240 minutes long, and MP4 is the recommended file format.
- Instagram videos can be up to 60 seconds long, and MP4 is also the recommended file format.
- YouTube videos do not have a maximum video length, and MPEG-2 is the preferred file format.
To ensure that your videos appear on users’ screens in the right way, you can tweak the formatting of the video in an editing software like Final Cut Pro, Movavi or Adobe Premiere Pro and export the versions you need for each platform.
Paid vs organic social media videos
Now that we’ve addressed a few of the misconceptions about social media videos, let’s take a closer look at the two main ways to promote videos on social: paid and organic.
But first — some background context:
In early 2021, Apple’s iOS 14 update changed the way that marketers could target relevant audiences and track engagement analytics on Facebook. And needless to say, it had an immediate and detrimental impact on paid advertising.
The team at Facebook went so far as to publish this article and speak out against the update.
As someone with a hand in marketing and business operations, you know that every social media campaign needs a balance of paid and organic content.
If your brand is exclusively posting paid video ads, you’re likely spending more marketing dollars than necessary — especially since organic content can contribute to driving traffic to landing pages.
Since the iOS update was released, it’s become more difficult to find that balance because the reporting for paid content isn’t as accurate as it once was.
But as weeks and months go on, marketers are adapting to this obstacle and finding ways to fine-tune their content once again.
Influencer-created video ads
Influencer marketing has become a pillar in many brands’ paid social media strategies.
To put “many” into perspective, it’s expected that $15 billion will be invested in the influencer marketing industry by 2022.
The reason?
Social media influencers have a built-in audience of followers who regularly engage with the content they share.
When a brand’s target audience overlaps with an influencer’s followers, this can be advantageous for both sides of a brand-influencer partnership.
By partnering with an influencer on paid social media videos, you can effectively increase brand awareness, attract new leads, and improve engagement rates.
And from an influencer’s perspective, this partnership creates a new line of income via affiliate links and can also give their audiences the added benefit of a discount code. (In turn, this incentivizes users to visit your landing page and ultimately convert to new customers.)
Paid social media videos produced by influencers are effective marketing tools for a number of reasons — but primarily because users trust the endorsements of the influencers they admire and subscribe to.
If your brand already has an affiliate program or is in the process of establishing one, one of the first things that your team has to consider is what type of influencer you should partner with for social media videos.
Though there are four main tiers of social media influencers (i.e., mega, macro, micro, and nano), we’re going to focus on macro and micro influencers in this guide.
Micro Influencers vs. Macro Influencers vs. Real People
Partnering with macro influencers might seem like a no brainer at first — especially since they tend to have between 100,000 and one million social media followers.
But when you take a closer look at the cost versus benefit, you might find that this type of partnership doesn’t pay-off in the ways you hoped.
And here’s a few reasons why:
High Cost For Less Engagement
It’s not uncommon for marketing teams to spend $2,000 to $50,000 on a single paid social media video from a macro influencer.
At face value, this seems like a fool proof strategy: Brands are spending more money because influencers have more followers — so ROI is guaranteed right?
Well, not necessarily.
In influencer marketing, more followers does not always mean better ad campaign results.
Statistically speaking, audiences of this macro-scale engage 6.7 times less than micro audiences (i.e., 10,000 to 100,000 followers) with an influencer’s content.
In contrast to macro influencers, micro influencers appeal to niche audiences on a more personal level because — though they’re popular on social media — followers are better able to relate to them.
Because your intent is to drive traffic to your landing page, you could end up paying more for social media videos that don’t perform.
All Of Your Eggs Are In One Basket
Given the costs involved for one video, it’s not hard to imagine the steep prices for forming retainer agreements with macro influencers.
Even if your brand has the capacity to work with several macro influencers, it comes back to whether it would yield the results you’re looking for.
For startups and small businesses, you’re staking a social media campaigns success on one or two macro influencers instead of 5 to 10 micro influencers.
As the saying goes, you’re putting all of your eggs in one basket in the hopes that it will pay off.
By partnering with micro influencers, you’re diversifying the paid social media videos that endorse your brand and reaching audiences that are more inclined to engage with the content (and follow through to the landing page).
Real People Want To See Real People
Let’s take macro and micro influencers out of the equation for a moment — because brands have another option when it comes to outsourcing social media videos for advertising purposes.
Check out this 2019 campaign video by Glossier.
Instead of spotlighting high profile influencers, Glossier shaped its “Feeling Like” social media campaign around real customers.
As a major brand valued at more than $1.2 billion, Glossier had the bandwidth to work with any combination of small and large-scale influencers. And they intentionally chose not to.
Their approach was strategic because like macro influencers, major brands have a harder time appealing to their target audiences on a personal level.
By centering their social media videos around real people, Glossier made it easier for current and prospective customers to connect with them.
Conclusion
Video marketing is one of the proven ways you can increase your organic engagement and drive more results for your brand. It has been proven to generate higher conversions than any other form of content.
Why does this approach work particularly well on social media, you ask? Consider the fact that about 82% of Twitter users say that they actively watch video content on the platform on a regular basis. Or how about the fact that about 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook videos every single week?
Your users are craving more and more video content on social media all the time. If you can both fill that need and do so in a way that gives them something relatable about your business to attach themselves to, you come out all the better for it. They start to see the real people behind the brand who are just concerned with the best interests of their customers – and they start to want to learn more about your products and services, too.
It’s a win-win situation in the best possible way, and it’s the kind of thing that only the right type of video content can provide.
