How to Use Social Media Video for Digital Marketing: Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices
If you’re looking to take your digital marketing efforts up a notch or two, social media video may be the key. Not only are videos more engaging for customers than traditional text and image posts, but they also offer opportunities for branding and lead generation that other content formats just can’t match. In this article, we’ll give you tips on how to create social media videos that get results, as well as some best practices to follow. We’ll also discuss using SFX and royalty-free music in your videos, so you can create high-quality projects without breaking the bank. So let’s get started!
Keep Your Videos Short and To The Point
When it comes to social media video, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, videos should be short and to the point – customers have short attention spans, so you’ll want to make sure your message is clear and concise. Social media users’ time is at a premium, and they often scroll quickly until something grabs their attention. Make sure your video won’t take up too much of their time.
Make Sure Your Videos are Visually Appealing
Secondly, make sure your videos are visually appealing – use bright colours, attractive visuals, and engaging music to keep viewers interested. If your video looks like garbage (cheap, poorly lit, bad audio, etc.), then customers will notice immediately and likely move on quickly. You don’t need to spend lots of cash to create a professional-looking video, but it should look like you’ve put some effort into it.
Make the First 10-15 Seconds Count!
This cannot be stressed enough: you must make sure the first few seconds of your video are engaging. This is known as a “hook,” and it’s essential for getting viewers to stick around long enough to hear your message. If you can hook your audience in the first few seconds, you’re more likely to keep them engaged for the whole video. So what makes a good hook? This will vary depending on your business and target audience, but some ideas include:
- Starting with a question
- Using humour
- Making a bold statement
- Showing off a unique product or service
Whatever you do, make sure your hook is attention-grabbing and relevant to your target audience.
Include a Call to Action
Lastly, make sure your videos have a call to action (CTA). A CTA is a statement or question to tell your viewers what you want them to do after watching your video, whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for your newsletter, or making a purchase. Including a CTA is a great way to increase leads and conversions from your social media video campaigns.
Focus on the Story You’re Telling
While all of the tips here are important, none of them will matter if your video doesn’t have a strong story. What’s the point of your video? What are you trying to say? Your story should be clear, concise, and engaging, and it should focus on your customer’s needs and wants. Keep in mind that customers are always looking for solutions to their problems, so make sure your video provides value and addresses their pain points.
Use SFX and Royalty-Free Music To Enhance Your Videos
Adding SFX (sound effects) and royalty-free music to your videos can take them from “meh” to great. SFX can add impactful punctuation to key moments in your video and make transitions more interesting, while a well-chosen royalty-free song can set the tone and make your visuals more engaging. Just make sure you choose SFX and music that fits the overall style and tone of your video – don’t go for a rock song if you’re trying to sell yoga mats, for example.
Resources for Royalty-Free Music and SFX
There are a lot of resources you can find for royalty free music and SFX. You’ll see that it’s best to use a website that is both legitimate and reputable, such as Soundstripe, Premium Beat, and Epidemic Sound. These sites offer high-quality music and SFX that can be used in your social media videos without having to worry about any possible legal issues or copyright infringement. Low monthly subscription fees cover any music licensing needed, so you can have unlimited access to all the music and SFX you’ll ever need to produce a truly stunning stock music library to have at your fingertips.
A Majority of Social Media Users Prefer Video Content to Text or Images
According to a recent study, over 60% of social media users said they would rather watch a video than read a text post, and nearly 80% said they would rather watch a video than look at an image. This is likely because videos are more engaging and easier to consume than other types of content. Videos also offer opportunities to show off your brand personality in a way that text or images can’t.
Videos are Great for SEO
According to Moz, having a minimum of one video on your site can help your page rank up to 50% higher in SERPs (search engine results page). This is likely because videos provide an opportunity to stuff your site full of keywords and other search engine optimization (SEO) tactics. In addition, videos keep people on your page longer, which also helps with SEO – the more time a potential customer spends on your page, the more likely it is that they’ll convert into a lead or customer.
The Bottom Line
Digital marketing is always changing and evolving, and social media video is one of the latest trends that is ever-growing. Keep your videos short, focus on telling a story, include a CTA, and make sure they’re visually appealing. By following the tips and best practices in this article, you can surely create social media videos that get results. And don’t forget, a little SFX and royalty-free music can go a long way in making your videos more engaging, successful, and professional.
