When it comes to social media, the horizons are forever expanding in terms of what classifies as good content. With millions of users across multiple social media platforms, the demand for easily consumable and fast paced content has skyrocketed. A blog post by Later reports that daily online video consumption from 2016 to 2019 has had a major increase of 59%, that’s 6 hours and 48 minutes a day of video watching by today’s media users (Jillian Warren, 2021). As if that’s not high enough, these stats are pre-pandemic so we are bound to see a further increase again by 2022. By leaving videos out of your social media content creation, you run the risk of falling out of the digital loop and decreasing your reach. At the end of the day greater return is facilitated by greater reach. If you’re not yet convinced, these 5 reasons will open your eyes to the value of video content:
1. ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION!!!
When scrolling, video content screams for attention! Whether it features click-bait titles or intriguing thumbnails, videos facilitate an easier way of interacting with content. They present information in a condensed and digestible manner. The fast pace of our new online world will leave you behind if you can’t grab the attention of potential customers and consumers. Instagram is a perfect example of a platform improving itself to stay relevant. Once upon a time Instagram only allowed users to post photos, then as the demand grew, they updated to make sure their platform didn’t get left in the proverbial dust. Instagram now has ‘Reels’ which is purely for video content creation, the platform adapted and you should too.
2. #trending
You can always create original content, but by using videos you can also quickly jump onto trends that circulate the internet. Platforms such as TikTok are constantly churning out simple viral video content. Since most of these videos are amateurishly made, so there is every opportunity to put your own spin on whatever viral video is trending at the time. By making the most of trending topics you can take full advantage of the social conversation and steer it in your own direction. Video content made in this way also indicates that you can keep up with the times and understand your audience. Which leads to my next reason…
3. It’s what the people want!
Video content has proven to be the favoured way of engagement for social media users. Later blog discovered that tweets with videos receive a higher level of engagement by 10x, and that 54% of customers wanted the brands they support to produce video content (Jillian Warren, 2021). Given this, it would be a shame and a wasted opportunity for you not to branch out and create some video content! Plus, once you’ve created your initial piece of content, it can be chopped and changed for use across all your social media platforms. Let’s not forget about sharing, sending videos around to your friends seems to be common practice at the moment, due to this your video content could end up reaching those outside your immediate audience. Remember: greater reach means greater return.
4. Don’t be shy, personify!
Without giving all the secrets away, videos allow for consumers to potentially see a new side of your business. By utilising video content as a way to connect with your customers, a new level of familiarity is created the feeling of a more human connection is generated. A post featuring only text explaining who you or your business are can leave consumers feeling disconnected. Worst case they may not even take the time to read what you have to say. However, by creating a short entertaining video this relationship can change and give the feeling of a transparency between customers and you.
5. Breaking news! This just in, video content at the forefront of popular media.
Short videos are the perfect way to relay information. I don’t know about you, but when searching for relevant news I am much more likely to watch a quick video than read through potentially multiple articles in order to get all the important info. Quick content is king at the moment, users are much happier to be have access to video content as a way to keep updated and in the loop. This approach appeals more to a younger audience and has a better chance of leaving a lasting impact or creating a memorable moment for consumers.
All in all, yes written content and text will always be essential to content creation. But why not open yourself up for new opportunities and have a little bit of fun creating video content? By doing so your socials are destined to have a more friendly and engaging feel. If you have some questions about how you can incorporate video as a part of your marketing strategy, get in touch with our team and let’s chat!