If you’ve scrolled any social media platform in the last few years, you’ve likely noticed an uptick on the use of video in a plethora ways. This isn’t super surprising since vision is our most dominant sense and one we use to make many important decisions in the world. The real question is, how can you make your video count in the vast and quickly growing world of social media?

Some businesses are using video to create brand awareness and some are using video to demonstrate a process or product. Some videos are made to show company culture and some are simply for engagement and can be super silly! No matter the reason, there is a time and place for using video. Here are a just a few rules and words of wisdom on where and how to use video in your social media marketing strategies.

1. Pick your platform and use it wisely. If Facebook is where you want to rock some video content, use native videos as they tend to perform up to 10x better than a Youtube/Vimeo link. Twitter however is more about conversations so instead of creating a brand new video just for Twitter, use existing content (maybe a video you’ve posted on FaceBook or Instagram already) to enhance a conversation surrounding a trending hashtag in order to get in front of not just your current followers but new eyes as well.
2. Placing video on your social media landing pages is a must. Sure, landing pages are a great place to grab people’s attention but, more importantly, these pages can get people to click through and actually buy your products. Engaging your audience immediately when they land on your page will not only help them learn about your company but 79% of people say that a brand’s video effected their buying decision. 
3. Make the first 10 seconds of your video the best and most engaging. If your audience is not caught within the first 10 seconds, you’ll likely lose up to ⅓ of your viewers as they continue to scroll. Click the video on the right (or right here) for a great example of this. Using intense music, powerful imagery and tough topics, Heineken used their first 10 seconds wisely to pull you in and make you want to understand more of how these people could possibly be brought together, despite their differences. You can make the most amazing video ever but if you can’t keep someone engaged enough right away you have lost a viewer and wasted valuable time, energy and money in the process.
4. Keep it short…and snappy! No matter what platform you are using video in, be aware that most folks are scrolling quickly and probably won’t stop for a 4 minute run-down of how great your brand is. You have to keep your message bite-sized, easy to consume and interesting enough for them to come back for more. According to Hubspot research, here are some suggested video run times per platform. Instagram : 30 seconds, Twitter : 45 seconds, Facebook : 60 seconds, Youtube/Vimeo : 2 minutes

Ok, now that you have all this info, time is of the essence. Let’s get you started on the perfect video for any and all of your social media platforms. Contact One Floor Up today to get started!