7 Pro-Tips for Creating Engaging Social Media Videos That Drive More Traffic

Did you know that half of the social media users prefer videos over other types of content⁽ⁱ⁾.

It’s no secret that videos dominate the social media landscape in terms of impressions, engagement, and traffic.

Once, Instagram CEO, Adam Mosseri, said, “Video is driving a tremendous amount of growth online for all major platforms.”

Why? Because videos offer all the bells and whistles that entice viewers.

You can communicate with your audience while delivering your message by using appealing video elements like sound, visuals, and music.

And that’s why it has become the most popular marketing tool for any business.

In this blog post, we’ll decode the benefits of including videos on your social media platforms and some tips to create impactful videos for your social media.

Reasons to Use Videos on Social Media Platforms

A staggering 86% of companies use video as a marketing tool, and 92% of marketers say that it is a crucial component of their overall strategy⁽ⁱⁱ⁾.

Video content is becoming increasingly significant and social media marketing is one area where it is particularly pervasive.

Let’s look at some of the factors that make video content so popular on social media.

Grabs Your Viewers’ Attention

People engage 10x times more with videos in tweets⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾. Video grabs viewers’ interest for a longer period of time. That’s why it often performs best with most of the platforms.

Enhances SEO Ratings

Google gives search results with videos the edge over those without. Video also benefits other ranking factors that Google takes into account.

Appeals to Younger Audiences

50% of millennials and Gen Z claimed they “couldn’t exist” without video in their everyday lives^(iv). Millennials and GenZ are far more internet-connected than previous generations and have grown up with YouTube videos as their main entertainment and educational platform.

Boosts Conversion Rates

Video commercials increase the likelihood of making a purchase by 97%^(v). People prefer watching videos over reading lengthy blogs while seeking product recommendations or just gaining knowledge about a topic.

Now that we’ve touched upon the significance and advantages of video in social media, let’s discuss how to make your social media video content as effective as possible.

7 Pro-Tips for Creating Effective Video Content for Social Media

According to research, your visitors choose whether or not to keep watching your video in the social channel’s feed in just three seconds^(vi).

Therefore, you must make the first three seconds of your video count to avoid losing your target audience’s attention.

The number of individuals who watch the first three seconds of your video will determine how well your video performs.

And that’s why it’s important to create engaging videos for your social media platforms.

Let’s look at seven pro-tips to create effective video content for your social media platforms.

1. Start With a Plan

Have a strategy in place for your social media videos before you start writing any content. This needs to cover topics like budgeting, task delegation, idea generation, audience research, competition analysis, and content planning. All of them will assist you in creating powerful videos that will greatly increase the success of your campaign.

2. Begin With a Powerful Hook

Your video’s opening seconds are critical since users will rapidly move on if they are not engaging. A powerful hook is the best approach to capture viewers’ interest. A compelling hook teases the subject of your video. You can choose to open with a provocative query or key learning.

3. Use Storytelling

To communicate more effectively with your audience, use storytelling. Tell them an intriguing story if you really want to win them over and make them remember your brand. Be original and distinctive since no one wants to watch or share a generic advertisement.

4. Keep It Short and Direct

People like to watch short and crisp videos, owing to the metaphorical ‘goldfish attention span’. Make sure your videos are short, easy to understand, and informative all at once. The goal of this phase is to cut out all the unnecessary information and keep only the most relevant and interesting bits. In a short amount of time, videos should grab viewers’ attention, convey the right message, and inspire action.

5. Include CTAs

Include call-to-action (CTA) buttons in the video. This is a call for the people who see your video to do something specific thereafter. Effective CTAs make sure that the message is obvious by using terms like ‘download now’.

6. Add Text or Subtitles

People usually watch videos while multitasking or traveling. Adding subtitles will help the viewer understand what you’re saying. It will also enable you to keep your viewers’ attention even when the sound is off so they won’t miss what’s happening.

7. Optimize for Various Channels

When it comes to social media images, its size plays an important role. Keep the dimension, orientation, video length restriction, and other crucial specifications of each channel in mind. Implement these prerequisites while creating and posting your video on social media.

Conclusion

If a picture is worth a thousand, consider a video worth at least a million words.

Video strengthens your online presence, and helps you develop meaningful, long-lasting relationships with your customers. It gives your brand a more human touch and increases conversions. That’s why video is now a powerful sales and marketing tool.

The popularity of video is only going to grow as digital-first experiences take center stage. It provides you with a better opportunity to distinguish yourself from the competition and connect with more people.

Here’s another pro tip for you: the more honest and direct your ideas will be, the more effective and engaging videos you’ll produce.

Wish to Create Engaging Videos for Your Social Media Platform? Talk to Us!

Statistics References:

⁽ⁱ⁾ Sprout Social
⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ Wyzowl
⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ Twitter- Business
^(iv) MWT Global
^(v) Instapage
^(vi) Marketing Essentials Lab