Social media has become one of the best platforms for marketing and branding oneself online. Much of life has shifted online in the past few years. This has become especially pronounced since 2020 as businesses started operating online in the lockdowns.
Digital marketing has now become the way of the world. Therefore, one of the best strategies to flourish online is a strong social media strategy – with millions of users logging in daily, this is the best platform to get the word across to potential customers.
The backbone of an excellent social media strategy is good video editing. Videos perform better on social media when compared to posts and images. On average, Facebook videos receive 135% more organic reach than posts or pictures. However, amateur videos will not do the job. You have to use the best online video editor to add finesse to your videos.
Besides, platforms have been leaning more towards video for the good part of the last decade. While building a video-first social media strategy may sound challenging, these tips can help.
1. Set a purpose for the video
Having a mental plan is essential for content creation. Start by listing out every video idea, and then eliminate the ones that don’t seem viable. This way, you will arrive at a realistic plan which will be pretty achievable. However, it is also important to remember that plans aren’t set in stone. You can always make alterations later, based on what the situation requires.
2. Know your target audience
While planning your videos is essential, you must first know who your target audience is. You may then make a plan that pertains to their interests. Making generic videos will not achieve the target of getting potential customers interested in your brand and products. Hundreds of brands are creating videos on social media. To impact your target audience strategically, you must know their definitive interests.
3. Handy tips for filming
Once the actual task of filming videos is at hand, there are a few things to remember:
- Always shoot more video than you think you will need. It is okay if you have extra content later. However, if you are short of content, you will have to reshoot – which can be troublesome and cannot be fixed even by the best online video editors. Also, fix mistakes while shooting. Post-editing is for enhancing and not fixing.
- Use an external mic for better sound quality and use a tripod or stand to keep your phone steady. Also, use your phone horizontally to shoot videos.
These basic tips will ensure the raw material for your video content is of satisfactory quality and ready for efficient post-editing.
4. Handy tips for video processing
Technical issues are common while editing massive amounts of video content. However, you can always reduce the number of issues. For example, have the video editing program open and nothing else to reduce the load on your computer system.
5. Optimize your videos accurately
You cannot post the same videos everywhere, as the formats differ for various social media platforms. For example, the video you add to an Instagram Story will fit differently when you add it as a post. The format is different again for IGTV. Vertical videos work better for IGTV, Reels, and Stories. However, for posting on your Feed, you have to shoot horizontally. Keeping these in mind and remembering the aspect ratios will help you create videos that look well-thought-out and professional.
6. Use complementary colors
The key to a successful social media strategy is to grab the viewer’s attention. There are hundreds of videos online to scroll through. Therefore, to catch the viewer’s attention, you must ensure your video attracts their instinctive aesthetic senses. One of the easiest ways to do this is using a complementary color scheme. Red and green work well together (moreover, with Christmas arriving, these are the colors of the season). Blue and yellow are complements too.
7. Focus on the thumbnail
Given how quickly consumers scroll through social media, you have only a few seconds to get noticed. This is why an attention-grabbing thumbnail is essential. Including emojis or a high-definition, intriguing frame from the video can make people stop scrolling and watch your video. To reel in viewers, include a thought-provoking line in the thumbnail that gives them an idea of what your video is about. For example, if your video is about entrepreneurship, make it an intriguing question about self-starting a business.
8. Don’t force your product or service
It can be pretty annoying when someone clicks on a video as it piqued their curiosity, only to find it to be simply peddling a product or service. This will create a negative image of your brand in the consumer’s mind. The most you can (or should) do is plug some information about your brand at the end, link your website, and maybe briefly mention the product or service you are advertising. The focus, however, should always be on the creative content. As this Forbes article points out, it is better to understand why your audience clicked on your video and respect their time by offering a concrete solution or next step to their problem, rather than forcing your product on them.
9. Keep it short
No one wants to watch a long and tedious video – no matter how detailed and comprehensive – for a single problem. Keep it short and deliver the message crisply. You can end the video with a call to action and add links to your website to ensure customers can easily find your products.
10. Use a powerful system
Most people recommend using a desktop for video editing, as you need a sturdy graphics card, CPU, and RAM for better performance. If you are using a laptop, ensure it is connected to the power source so that your performance is not compromised due to a power shortage. As mentioned earlier, avoid multitasking and focus on one program at a time.
11. Always use subtitles
Videos with subtitles are more accessible for people with hearing or visual disabilities. Also, people are constantly scrolling social media with the audio turned off, for instance, on public transport. Subtitles ensure that your audience fully understands what is going on in your videos. According to Facebook’s internal tests, viewers watch videos with closed captions 12% longer, on average, than videos that don’t. Therefore, subtitles increase the scope of potential viewers and ensure more people remain engaged with your brand and content.
Conclusion
The introduction of Instagram Reels and Facebook Video Ads can help take your business strategy to the next level. By keeping the various aspect ratios in mind, using premium video editing tools, and remembering a few handy tips, you can maximize the gains of your social media strategy and aim to get more conversions.
