Video is one of the most effective marketing methods available, capable of reaching a wider audience and creating a lasting impression. Sites like YouTube and Vimeo offer brands a chance to upload their masterpieces in their entirety, but there are other platforms for your video, such as social media.

How effective is video on social media? Very – if done in a professional and eye-catching way. Here are a few reasons why.

It grabs attention

Video grabs attention, and while this is a vital attribute for any marketing strategy, it is absolutely essential on social media, where your audience’s feeds are flooded with content – most of which they scroll past without a second thought. More than any other type of post, video has the best chance to pause the scrolling and capture the viewer’s attention, at least for long enough to know if they want to watch further.

People can look at regular adverts without much thought, but watching a video requires the viewer to immerse themselves, sometimes even blocking out external distractions through the use of headphones.

Encourages engagement

Another reason that video is so effective on social media is that it encourages audience engagement. All social media content is there to be commented on, with people tagging their friends and giving you feedback on your video and you replying in turn. This opens up a direct line of communication between you and your target audience. 

Video on social media starts a dialogue around the content more organically than it does when used in other channels.

Tends to generate more shares

Videos on social media are so effective because they’re so easy to share – usually it only takes a couple of clicks. Videos on social media tend to get more shares than other kinds of content, and videos are also more likely to be shared through social media than videos that appear in other channels, such as your brand website.

Because viewers are inundated with mostly forgettable content, they will look to actively share a video that has caught their attention and made an impression on them.

Gives people an insight into your brand in a way that text or image posts can’t

Video allows you to showcase your brand identity in a less rigid and more expressive way. Your branding should shine through in any kind of video you make, but if you really just want to let people know who you are and what you do, you can make a brand video that announces you to your audience.

These kinds of videos work especially well on social media if your brand ethos extends beyond just business, such as making all your products sustainably or donating a percentage of profits to worthy causes.

How to make a video hit the mark on social media

As you can see, social media is one of the most effective platforms to market your videos, but it must bring value to the viewer and make an impression on them in order for you to see any of the above benefits. This means no cheap thrills – commit yourself to making something of quality that gets shared for the right reasons.

Only a sleek, professional video will capture your audience’s attention, and the best way to ensure this is to enlist the help of professional videographers. Whilst you may already have some great ideas for what you want to make, an expert’s touch can make that vision a reality. If you need help creating or editing your brand’s video for use on social media, please get in touch and see how we can help.