The combination of social media and video marketing is the most powerful way to reach potential customers.
In the mid 2000s, numerous entertainment executives discovered something astonishing about online video. It was not long after YouTube launched. Social media wasn’t popular yet, but digital marketing was. They realized there would never again be a time in human history when it would be easier or more cost-effective to reach a television audience.
Years later, the cycle they experienced on desktops is repeating itself with mobile devices. The difference this time around is the immediacy. Roughly half of all mobile device users discover video on mobile devices, watch long-form video (five minutes or more) on mobile devices, and consider their phone or tablet as the next iteration of a personal television set. Instead of dozens or hundreds of channels, now it has millions.
Venga Empanadas // Social Media Video from Lemonlight Media on Vimeo.
Reach a Larger Audience Than Ever Before
The combination of social media and video marketing is the most powerful way to reach potential customers. Over 80 percent of the entire U.S. population is now on some form of social media and over 500 million people are watching videos every single day on Facebook alone. That means your audience is huge – you can reach not only more people than you ever could before, but you can reach them all across the globe at any time!
And yes, bigger is better, but the magic of having such a large audience at your fingertips is the ability to target only the exact people you want to. Social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn let you target your exact customer persona. Target by age, location, job title, income, interests, relationship status, and more – the possibilities are endless! This helps you target only the people who are more likely to purchase from you, saving you time and valuable resources (read: money) on your digital marketing efforts.
If that weren’t enough, social media is the perfect place to target videos across every stage of the buyer’s journey. Attract new visitors through paid social media advertising. Engage your audience by providing riveting and fun content to those who have shown an interest in your brand. Nurture prospects by hitting them with quizzes and video case studies to convince them to buy. Delight those who have already purchased from you by adding extra value post-purchase.
Frozen Bean Recipe Video A // Lemonlight from Lemonlight Media on Vimeo.
Video Is the Most Engaging Content
If you’re active on any social platform, you’ve seen the prevalence of video firsthand. More and more platforms are prioritizing them over other types of content because of their ability to engage and convert. Video is the most engaging Facebook format and reaches the largest audience. It’s also the preferred marketing tool for businesses of all sizes.
Social is an especially great place to host video content – a one-minute video has the ability to communicate over 1.8 million words and all the emotions that go along with it. Video is emotional, interactive, and can do so much more than the written word in a much shorter time. That’s why it’s crucial to post video content on your social pages. If you’re not, you’re missing out on tons of likes, shares, comments, and reactions, organic engagement that spreads your brand presence further than you can imagine.
1st Family Dental – Social Media A – Edit 4 from Lemonlight Media on Vimeo.
Social Video Content Best Practices
What are you waiting for? Video content is where it’s at and, lucky for you, it’s one of the easiest types of video to make. Not sure how to get started? Here are a few best practices that’ll help you get your social video content off the ground.
- Keep social videos short. Because viewership drops dramatically after the first eight seconds, it’s crucial to communicate your message as quickly as possible. Keep social videos to 15-30 seconds long.
- Make sure your video works with and without sound. The majority of social videos are watched muted, so you want to grab your viewer’s attention without relying solely on sound or dialogue.
- Keep it interesting! Film different angles, different people, different locations, and include graphics and animations to keep the viewer engaged.
- Testimonials and reviews perform great on social media. There’s no better social proof than letting satisfied customers tell their story. It’s more relatable and ups your credibility.
- Experiment with live video. This is tricky – live video is often lower quality, choppy, or awkward if not filmed correctly, but it can also humanize your brand and engage your audience more than a non-live video. Test it out!
- Keep your brand messaging consistent. Don’t stray far from your brand voice. Whatever story you’re telling, keep your brand guidelines, logos, colors, and tone of voice in line with your other marketing collateral.
- Have fun! There’s nothing worse than an insincere, inauthentic, boring video posted online just for the sake of saying you did it. Have fun with your video and think about what your audience would most love to see. Then, give it to them!
Cheryl Saban Designs – Social Media A Edit 1 from Lemonlight Media on Vimeo.
There is no better way to find new customers and establish long-term relationships with your target audience than through social content videos. Give us the word and we’ll help you get started, whether you need a full-on video production, or just need some social content pointers. As a full-service video production and marketing company, Lemonlight wants to help your social ad engage your viewers and keep your brand top of mind.