ThinkOTB Agency

5 ways to make great social media video content

July 9, 2021

Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that social media is one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s belt. In fact, the average internet user spends 145 minutes per day on social media sites. With that screen time, it’s no wonder that carefully crafted video marketing is so effective in turning scrolls into sales! But how can marketers turn a good concept into great social media video content? Our marketing agency’s motion graphic designer, Lucy James, can help. She shares her top 5 must-dos when creating engaging social videos. Check them out below…

1 – Stop them in their scroll

When we’re rhythmically scrolling through our social feeds, it’s not easy for a piece of content to pique our interest. Luckily for marketers, most social media platforms now have an auto-play feature. By playing the brand’s video automatically as the target scrolls over it, auto-play is a powerful tool in distracting audiences away from the next scroll.

There’s only a second before those eyes might move on though. So, to drive reach and views it’s crucial you make those first few seconds of a video irresistible. Some well-animated vector art or a punchy message might be just what it takes to make someone stop in their tracks and watch the full video.

Just don’t forget to squeeze your brand name and logo into those first few seconds too. Consumers are 23% more likely to remember a brand if their name appears in the opening of a video.

2 – Design with no sound

Although a video shouldn’t be completely silent, it’s important to create content which is as engaging when muted as it is with the sound on. Many of us check social media in cafes, on our lunch break or sneakily at our desks (not us of course!). Not everyone wants to be playing loud audio for others to hear.

In fact, 69% of people watch video without sound in public places. According to the same study, 80% are more likely to watch an entire video if captions are available.

Adding closed captions and making your video as visual as possible are the best ways to make the most out of soundless content. Don’t just have someone speaking to the camera for 20 seconds!

3 – Create for social

Just as you would for any other piece of marketing content, if your social media video marketing is going to span a range of channels, you need to create a video for each specific channel.

Whether you publish on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok or any other social channel, each platform has different video sizing criteria which must be met. Channel makes a huge difference to the length of content you publish too. YouTube generates most engagement when videos are 10 minutes plus. Snapchat scrollers like short, snappy videos between 3 and 5 seconds! You can read more about optimum video lengths by channel here.

4 – Be eye-catching

People are twice as likely to share video content than any other type of digital content. That reach extends even further if the video is high quality and interesting. So while ‘interesting’ can be anything that’s informative, solves a pain point, or share new facts; interesting could also by funny, surprising, a twist on current news… just keep it consistent with your brand’s tone.

Choose high quality footage and engaging motion graphic movement to draw your audience in. Why not add something unusual or abstract to stand out from the competition? Maybe the captions don’t match up to what the narrator is saying, and they start arguing!

What’s more, while you shouldn’t rely on audio, a good music track and relatable narrator are always a bonus for appealing to those of us who do watch videos with sound.

5 – Brand it

If you’ve managed to stop your audience mid-scroll, the last thing you want is for them to not know it was your brand that they engaged with. Make the most of the opportunity by topping and tailing your video with your logo or branding.

As social platforms evolve, video marketing best practice will to adapt too. But, these basic principles will remain the same. If you’re looking for more advice on taking your social marketing to the next level, our award-winning team of experts are happy to help. Get in touch with the team to talk about your next campaign.