Video content has skyrocketed in popularity. Videos are more likely to catch the attention of people browsing the web, especially when stuck at home during a pandemic. At the end of 2021 TikTok became the most popular domain, beating both Google and Facebook. Along with TikTok being a top video platform, there are also Instagram reels, Facebook stories and classic YouTube videos. With all of these well-known options, creating video content is a vital component of any social media marketing strategy. It helps people quickly understand your product or service in an engaging way and it is an integral part of the customer’s journey with any brand. In this article, we share 10 creative video ideas to inspire your video marketing efforts.
1. Interview Or Q&A
Interview videos are an excellent way to answer questions from your audience. They help convey insightful information about your business and expertise. You can have a discussion with industry professionals, members of your team, influencers or customers. You can even gather questions for an interview from a Q&A with your followers. This way you know they’ll be more likely to tune in to get their answers.
This informal format of social media video is usually best to do live in order to connect with your audience in real-time.
2. Tutorial Video
Tutorials are also known as walkthroughs or how-to videos. When you need to learn something new, what do you do? You most likely look up a video to help, and you’re not alone. Tutorials were the highest topic trend on YouTube of 2021.
This type of video content can be a fantastic way to explain exactly how to use a product or service to help your business grow. If you’re not sure where to begin, ask your audience what they want to learn about. Make sure to keep your tutorials long enough to be educational but short enough to keep your viewers engaged.
3. Behind The Scenes
If one of your main goals is to connect with your audience, make a behind-the-scenes (BTS) video. Showing everyone the people who work at your company truly humanizes your brand. Most of your customers want to see your company culture to get to know you better. BTS videos build trust and strong connections with your audience.
You can give your audience an office tour or let them get to know your employees. Show them new products and what it takes to manufacture them. Nike recently shared the process of Serena Williams finding a design crew and how they came together to create a collection of activewear with Serena’s vision. People love seeing how you work behind the scenes and learning about your creative process.
Create videos that show what you do behind the scenes to humanize your brand.
Show your personality in your social media marketing strategy. A glimpse into the workday of your company can help your audience relate to your business which will build a lasting connection.
4. Live Videos
Almost every social media platform offers live streaming features that help you share videos in real-time. This format is especially helpful in broadcasting virtual events such as performances, conversations and announcements. This can lead to a more personal relationship with your followers since live videos have a high engagement rate. For example, if you do a Q&A your viewers will be excited to participate and be heard while learning more about your brand.
Connecting with your audience in this transparent way will keep them coming back for more. All it takes is one exciting video and promoting it beforehand so people know when to join.
5. Feature Your Products
In a 2021 study, Statista found that “35 percent of respondents stated that their purchasing decisions were influenced by social media ads; among respondents born between 1998 and 2006 (Generation Z), the share stood at 75 percent.” Featuring your product on social media can have a significant increase on website traffic and sales.
Video is an excellent way to highlight your product. It’s attention-grabbing and comes across as more personal. Instead of only showing a picture, you can tell a story with video content and can show off more of your brand personality. Product videos are also a great way to share more information in a short amount of time. Adding this content to your video marketing strategy can truly improve business success.
6. User-Generated Videos
Created by people outside of your brand, user-generated content (UGC) is an efficient way to get your business name out there, especially if you have a branded hashtag. UGC brings authenticity to your brand that inevitably leads to gaining the trust of your audience. This video content can also greatly influence the buyer’s journey. According to Stackla, “79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions.” UGC can be more relatable to people and is visual proof that your product is worth buying.
Here are a few ways you can find and inspire UGC:
- Create a brand hashtag.
- Read product reviews.
- Search for mentions or tags of your company.
- Create a daily photo/video challenge.
The video technology company GoPro uses UGC for a lot of their branding. They even have GoPro Awards and a photo of the day challenge that motivates their customers to make content every day! Having customers create content is a huge win-win. You get to shine the spotlight on your fans while also encouraging more people to join in on the fun, leading to more UGC!
One last tip: always ask permission before sharing content. When you ask the person who made content about your brand for their consent, it shows that you appreciate their post and avoids any copyright issues. You should also credit the original creator so their work can be recognized and so other followers will know it was made outside of your business – this will possibly inspire them to make their own posts.
7. Reviews
Review videos are a great way to show off your products. A common example is unboxing videos. Content creators or influencers will record themselves opening a box of your products and share their thoughts. These videos are particularly popular with kids. By making review videos, you will reach a larger audience as people research products similar to yours. They also provide authenticity that consumers want to see.
Show off your brand by having fun with review videos! If you choose to work with an influencer, make sure they are the right fit for your brand. Research their content and followers to see how they would represent your company.
When developing your social media video strategy, review videos should be added to the lineup. They create excitement for seeing your product, so make sure to take the time to make attractive packaging. You also want to keep the video short. If the review is too long, people will not only lose interest in watching, but they may also lose interest in your product.
8. Contest/Giveaway Videos
Contests and giveaways are a sure way to increase engagement with your followers and gain more leads. Everyone loves to win free stuff and it’s an easy way for your fans to participate. It’s also fantastic for building a positive brand image. Creating videos to promote your giveaway can make it even more engaging.
Giveaways increase follower engagement on your social media posts.
To start, you’ll want to choose an objective. Something like increasing your following on social media or promoting a new product. Then, decide on a prize! Pick something that will stir excitement and is related to your brand. For example, if you run a hotel, you can give away a free stay, or if you’re a retailer giveaway appealing merchandise. Once that is all planned out, decide on the rules. You can have viewers like, share and/or comment on your video to enter and make sure to have an end date so people know when the contest is over, and when winners will be announced. After randomly selecting a winner or a few winners, you can also create a video to announce who the lucky ones are!
If executed properly, social media giveaways can help your brand grow rapidly and build a strong relationship with your followers. Incorporating video content in your contests will create an extra boost of engagement.
9. Announcement Videos
There’s no better way to launch a new product or big news about your business than with a social media video. If your company has big news, announcing it via a tweet isn’t going to cut it and a wordy Facebook post won’t have the same impact as an exciting video. People don’t always have the energy to read through a message. According to WordStream, “Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text.” Your viewers are more likely to remember your announcement if you create a video.
Keep your followers interested by creating a short and fun announcement video with a clear message. Get supporters excited about what’s to come with a skit, testimonial or an animated text video. It’s a powerful way to market your brand as many people can share your announcement on every social media platform, so get the word out in a visually pleasing way!
10. Explainer Videos
Explainer videos are informative marketing videos used to explain your expertise on all things related to your business. They could be about a product, service or something interesting you want your audience to learn about. The point is to clearly explain something to viewers.
A good example is this video from Spotify. They explained their service along with why you should use it and how to use it, all while keeping you engaged with fun visuals and text. This type of video content should have a clear concept so that the audience understands the message quickly and it catches their eye. Explainers can leave a lasting impression of your brand to viewers.
Video Content Tips
Now that we’ve gone over some creative video ideas, we’ll finish up with a few tips to consider when creating engaging video content:
- Use high-quality footage: Blurry videos and images can instantly turn a customer off. People expect high-quality content, especially since almost everyone has a smartphone capable of taking excellent videos.
- Keep it short: Attention spans run low on social media, so it’s best to keep your message short. Even though each social media platform has different maximum times for video length, we recommend keeping your social media video between 15 seconds minimum to two minutes maximum. Keep in mind that some platforms, like Instagram, will only play videos if they’re under 60 seconds.
- Grab their attention: If the first few seconds of your video don’t catch the viewers attention, they will quickly move on. You can try to start off with an enticing question or an interesting fact. Whichever way you decide to start it off, just make sure your video is eye-catching with a strong hook.
- Add captions or text: This tip is a necessity not only for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also for people who engage with the volume off. Be sure to keep your font consistent throughout the video.
- Be creative: There are tons of apps and programs that make it simple to make a unique social media video for your brand. Make your video content visually pleasing and have fun with it!
- Inspire: Make your message memorable. Fans desire content that is positive, inspirational and informative. This is a sure way to connect with your audience, which is what social media is all about.
Video marketing is a powerful tool. Through this visual format, followers can learn about your business in less than 30 seconds and can help you reach a larger audience. You can create a strong bond with them by showing the story behind your brand.
Investing in video creation within your marketing strategy will help drive more engagement and gain more brand awareness. The need for video content will continue to grow, and there is no better time to take advantage.
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