While video content has always been a powerful way to connect with your audience and express your brand identity, it has become increasingly popular over the last few years and is now absolutely essential. The ascension of TikTok and the reconfiguration of video-centric algorithms on every platform has changed the way that people expect to interact with their favorite brands to the point where not having video content may actually hurt you.
If your digital marketing presence could use a pick-me-up, creating fresh video content might be just the thing, but doing video content the right way requires resources and a sound strategy. Before we take a deep dive, here are a few quick statistics on why video content is so crucial to your overall marketing strategy:
- Nine out of ten businesses already use video content for marketing in 2024.
- Short-form video has the highest ROI of any social media marketing strategy.
- 73% of consumers say that they prefer short-form video content to learn about products or services.
What is video content good for?
Why is it absolutely necessary to create quality video content for any business? Video content is unique for many reasons, but the most important ones are that it can convey complex messages and that it can do so in an engaging way.
Whether you’re trying to relay a lot of information, evoke powerful emotions, or tell compelling stories, video content is the way to do so in a way that your audience will enjoy and, therefore, absorb. Here are a few more reasons why video content is king:
- It moves the needle for engagement and conversions. No discussion around video content should begin without acknowledging the overwhelmingly positive results that most brands and marketers get from their video content. Not only does video marketing work but, according to that same Wyzowl study cited earlier, 85% of marketers plan to maintain or increase their video spend in the future — meaning there is still potential for more value.
- It ranks highly on social media feeds and can even help with SEO. Because search algorithms see video as a rich format, having video assets on pages and blogs can boost rank and provide value to your customers.
- More and more people are beginning to value authenticity — especially in spaces increasingly dominated by large, faceless corporations. Depending on your industry, video content can give your brand a massive leg up by positioning you as real people and allowing you to connect with your audience in a way that larger companies can’t.
Video content is not just an interesting new avenue for your business to show your audience who you are and why they should care, but it is also an essential part of any business’s digital marketing presence.
Whether you fancy yourself cutting-edge or old-school, the ability to connect deeply with your vital customers in a way that delights them and moves the needle for your business is too valuable to pass up. To put it bluntly, no matter your industry, if you’re not making video content, you’re likely leaving customers and money on the table.
How to create short-form video content that is right for your brand
Wondering how to create content for a video? If you’re interested in creating short-form video content that will engage your audience and encourage them to interact with you online, you’ll need a plan first. Before Baal & Spots creates actionable social media strategies, we like to start by asking questions about your organization and what you would like to get out of your video content/overall social efforts.
- Why are you here? And the answer can’t just be “everyone is doing it.” Think deeply about the purpose of leveling up on social media. Are you trying to reach people outside of your local market? Convert more customers online? These answers should inform not just all of your video content but all the content you post on your site or social.
- What types of content styles are right for your brand? Your style of content will depend upon who you’re trying to reach and what type of engagement you’re trying to encourage. Coming up with content styles is essential if you plan on consistently posting, as starting from scratch every month can fatigue even the most dedicated marketers.
- Are you utilizing influencer marketing? Trusted influencers can extend your audience reach far beyond who you would reach on your own, but influencer marketing can be expensive and time-consuming.
- What are your internal production capabilities? Shooting short-form videos is as easy as it has ever been, and the commitment to shooting a couple of short videos a week can be the difference between your content thriving and stagnating in the long term.
- Are you planning on leveraging paid ads? Facebook and Instagram ads can allow you to target audiences with increased specificity, but you shouldn’t venture into paid territory without a plan that you know will drive results. Continue reading about the benefits of Facebook ads.
Social media strategies aren’t worth much unless they’re informed by your specific goals and audience. Your video content should align with and strengthen your brand identity and inspire meaningful interactions with potential clients or customers.
Once you have a strong sense of who you are and who your audience is, and you’re ready to begin shooting videos (or having someone else shoot them for you), you need to ask yourself what types of videos you are going to make. What are some examples of popular types of video content for social media?
Types of video content for social media
While there are definitely right ways and wrong ways to do video content for your brand, one of the most important things about video content is its versatility. Getting creative and experimenting with different styles of content is important if you want to arrive at content that your audience will respond to, and is one reason why partnering with creatives for your digital marketing can result in such great results.
Here are some types of content that you shouldn’t overlook, no matter what your organization is trying to accomplish on social media.
Story-driven content
Okay, this one is a bit of an umbrella, but it can also be looked at as a North Star for social media strategy. No matter what type of videos you’re making, if you’re making story-driven content, your audience is more likely to interact with it.
Product demonstrations or features
Have a product that you’re excited about? Great! Chances are your audience will be excited about it too. Products are an ideal foundation for many brands searching for compelling video content.
Trends, trends, trends
Planning ahead is absolutely essential to succeeding on social media—almost as important as being able to pivot. Trends pop up on social media a thousand times a day, and you need to have the bandwidth and flexibility to jump on them.
Client testimonials
Reviews are the lifeblood of any business, and filmed testimonials can give these essential pieces of content even more credibility.
Feature the team
One thing that separates you from your competitors is that you’re you. Never forget that, and don’t miss opportunities to share your beautiful team with your audience. Team member spotlights, Q&As, or insights that only they can provide are all on the table.
Once you have identified the types of content your video content marketing strategy should feature, make sure to vary your videos. Keeping things fresh on your feed can make sure your content stays relevant, and your audience stays engaged.
Continue reading: Is blogging still relevant?
The do’s and don’ts of video content marketing
In general, if you’re creating videos that are based on your business and its intersection with your audience, you’re doing a good job — but here are some quick do’s and don’ts for doing video content marketing the right way.
| DO | DON’T |
| Be entertaining! | Over-utilize AI video tools. |
| Optimize your content for mobile devices. | Forget to provide value. Overly promotional or disinteresting videos will turn your audience against you. |
| Keep your video content brief (15 seconds to a minute). | Let your videos run long (over 2 minutes). |
| Incorporate logos and other branded elements into your content. | Post videos with unclear image quality or poor sound. |
| Analyze metrics to make sure that your videos are performing as desired. | Post sporadically or inconsistently. Make sure to keep a consistent schedule to keep momentum. |
The more intentional, story-driven, and human you can make your content, the better.
Should your brand be on TikTok?
The conversation surrounding TikTok has shifted over the last couple of years. What used to be discredited as ‘that dancing app for kids’ has become a social media juggernaut — and if your brand isn’t currently on TikTok, we’ll tell you now: you should be. Here are some quick statistics about TikTok’s popularity:
- TikTok has over 1 billion active users.
- 23% of the world’s internet users use TikTok.
- TikTok has more active users than X, Reddit, Pinterest, and Snapchat despite being much newer.
- Monthly U.S. TikTok users have passed 150 million — half of America’s population.
- Americans 18 and over spend an estimated 56 minutes per day on the app.
Despite TikTok’s unprecedented growth and diverse audience, not all brands have taken advantage of the opportunity to reach this massive, essential audience. If you’ve found yourself wondering, “Should my brand be on TikTok?” you’re far from alone.
While some businesses will benefit more from being on TikTok than others, if you’ve got a product, chances are there is unrealized value in the world’s most popular app, especially if you’re already shooting video content for your business.
Create video content that engages and informs with Baal & Spots
If your overall content marketing plan doesn’t heavily feature video content, you’re likely leaving opportunities on the table. Compelling, strategic video content is one of the most powerful ways that businesses can connect with their audience and drive results, but you may need to experiment with formats, content types, and platforms before you reach your full potential.
Creating ideas that can elevate your brand’s presence on social media can be a tall order for businesses whose days are already full of their own operations. This is why partnering with a digital marketing agency to level up your digital marketing efforts is often so essential.
Whether you’re looking for compelling video content, brand work, or website management services, Baal & Spots can help. If you’re looking to take your digital presence to the next level, let’s talk.
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