Social media is a competitive world, and curating your posts so you reach the largest audience can take a lot of work. Even then, your perfectly crafted message may be lost in the shuffle. When you want to make an impact – and give yourself an advantage in the social-media algorithm – short-form video can be your best friend.
With the rise of TikTok, short-form videos have become a big part of our daily online lives. A well-constructed, clever video can go viral overnight, but even if you don’t hit that kind of jackpot on the first try, your chances of being seen in potential customers’ social feeds are exponentially better with video posts.
Short-Form Video 101
The first and most important thing to remember when putting together a short-form video for social media is to keep it just that: short. The ideal length of your video may be 30 seconds to get a brief message across, or two minutes for something like a tutorial or product unboxing. Overall, you’ll want to keep your short-form video to less than two minutes and 20 seconds. Certain platforms prefer different lengths (for instance, Instagram Reels only allow videos up to 60 seconds), so research your platform(s) before you start.
Think about how to reach your target audience on an emotional level. Do you want to inspire excitement, trust, or curiosity? Is your aim to motivate them, educate them, or get them interested in your product?
Be sure your messaging fits your brand. For example, if your company is geared toward physical fitness, you may want to have a more upbeat, active mood – including the music – in your video than if you were selling art and antiques.
A compelling short-form video isn’t enough without a compelling title and description. Use your SEO skills to make sure you’re maximizing your Google search ranking!
Finally, be sure to include a call to action. This may be a link to your website, your contact information, a special offer, or other way to help people connect with you and your product or service.
Getting Creative in Your Video Posts
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about some ways your company can keep its messaging fresh and unique:
Look to trending topics for inspiration. What is your target audience currently discussing? Is there a popular meme or a fun (and safe) social media challenge that might be relevant to your brand? Or is there an important cause on people’s minds that is close to your heart? Consider trending topics as a way to join that conversation while still keeping your branding consistent.
Got a great product? Try an unboxing video. Even the nicest professional photos in the world can’t compare to an actual person discussing and demonstrating your product in a short-form video.
Choose the right platform(s) for your audience and content. While Facebook Videos have a broad reach, they’re not currently as much of a go-to platform as TikTok (which is the current king of short-form videos and vital for reaching Gen Z); Instagram, which is heavily used by both younger and older generations; and YouTube Shorts, a recent feature that makes editing videos of up to 60 seconds easy on mobile.
Encourage user-generated content. If a customer wants to give a great testimonial, not only will they enjoy being in the spotlight on your brand’s social media, but you’ll also have some short-form video content that requires little to no work on your part. You can also create a brand “challenge” of your own (don’t forget a clever hashtag!) to help inspire your customers to share.
Take customers behind the scenes. A brief but friendly video introducing yourself and/or your employees helps people feel more connected to your company and brand.
Try a series of videos. Generating excitement and curiosity by building up to a big reveal is a classic marketing technique – and it works well with short-form videos. A series of teasers before a big unveiling keeps people engaged.
In Galveston or Houston? Call in the experts. Short-form video is relatively new to internet marketing, and can feel overwhelming. Have no fear! JanMar Agency provides Galveston County and Harris County with a full suite of marketing and branding services to make your short-form video campaign a success. Call (409) 502-8221 or book online for a free one-hour consultation.
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