This is a post by one of our Guest Bloggers.
Nowadays, when you open Facebook and scroll down your news feed you’ll find an absolute plethora of videos.
‘Tag a friend who eats like this’…cue ‘funny’ video of an eating competition.
Or, ‘That feeling you get on Friday at 5pm’…cue excited man cartwheeling out of the office.
Ok, so some might make you laugh or relate to you in a way that triggers you to tag a friend. However, most of them don’t, do they?
It can be pretty frustrating sifting through endless videos, so, how on earth do brands make theirs stand out amongst all the noise?
It’s no easy task especially now that most businesses are seeing the value of video and creating them left right and centre. If you want your video to stand out, it really has to strike a chord with your audience.
It is therefore important that you come up with a creative concept that stands out. To help, we’ve put together a roundup of tips on how to create an engaging video for your marketing campaigns.
How to Create an Engaging Video
For a video to grab attention, it is important to be engaging. Most videos that you see on these social media sites fail on this account and that is where most marketing campaigns based on these videos too, fail.
An engaging video has some inherent qualities and here are some tips that will help create an engaging video.
Think shareability
When sitting down to plan a video, ‘shareability’ should be a key buzzword. This is, afterall, where the power is – the more shares, the more reach, the more reach, the more chances of it going viral.
This thought process needs to be present when throwing around ideas on video content.
Would you share your video?
Be honest. If not, then it’s back to the drawing board. It’s important to keep shareability in mind right from the beginning to avoid being left with a finished product that has limited sharing potential.
When planning with your team, think about videos that you’ve shared in the past. Go back through your profiles and rewatch them.
Are they funny? Emotional? Shocking?
Chances are, you’ll have the same taste as your target audience so think about what will make them tick.
Demonstrate your brand culture
In this digital age, faceless corporate brands are no longer dominating. Today, it’s all about personality and showing transparency.
So, what better way to do this than a video on social media. People love a good glimpse behind the scenes as it shows a more open side to your business.
This can take the form of anything interesting from a ‘how to’ video tutorial led by one of your business founders or an exclusive look at a new product that’s about to launch.
Videos like this make your business seem a lot more human and offer a great way to portray your brand culture.
Don’t focus on making this perfect like some flawless film trailer – people will see straight through that. Be authentic and real.
Upload the outtakes and make mistakes – show that your video isn’t a scripted masterpiece but a real insight into the daily runnings of your operation.
Create a series
This is a great way to hook your audience in and act as a subconscious reminder of your presence. Think now off the top of your head of a brand video you keep seeing on social media – there are plenty that come to mind, right?
Now, this isn’t to say you should be annoying and bombard your audience with relentless videos.
No, this is about creating interesting content that offers your followers some value.
For example, personal trainer and fitness guru, Kayla Itnsines posts short workout tutorials on Facebook and Instagram.
The videos provide her followers with useful tips and fitness routines designed to promote her service and encourage people to sign up to her plan.
This style of video can work really well for brands and individuals as it not only boosts their online visibility, it also sets them apart as a thought leader in their field.
Consider social media best practices
Yes, this one might not be immediately obvious when creating a video but if you want it to stand out it’s vital. If you’re familiar with social media, you’ll know that simply uploading your video link across all platforms won’t generate the engagement you want.
Every platform is completely different meaning they should be approached differently. Keep this in mind when developing your content.
For example, videos shared on Facebook are fun, lighthearted and highly shareable. With Instagram it’s all about quality and ensuring the standard of your videos meet the standard of your images.
Social media best practices are also important when you come to physically post your video.
If you want it to get the attention it deserves then really consider how you format the post and the language that you use.
For example, LinkedIn is business orientated and lends itself to a B2B style of language. Instagram on the other hand is all about storytelling and creating aspirational content.
Be sure to consider each platform carefully so your video achieves the best reach possible. To help, here’s a useful infographic on social media best practices with a breakdown on how to post effectively on each platform.
To sum up
As with creating any form of content, it’s vital that you start with stepping into your audience’s shoes.
What is going to make them stop in their tracks and watch your video?
Given the competition out there, it has to be pretty special. This is by no means impossible and is quite achievable if you take the time to really think about your audience.
This should relate to every aspect of the process when making your video. From coming up with the initial story or, concept to choosing the platforms you share it on. By always keeping your audience in mind, it will be hard not to get a share.
About the Author
Ryan is a Digital Marketing Specialist at the Bradford based Digital Agency Harrison Mann. Being in the digital marketing field for 7 years now, he enjoys keeping up to date with the latest in all things digital and search.