Social media is essential to share your brand story and grow your engagement. A good video requires interesting topics and flawless execution. If you are trying to grow your brand and increase the engagement of your social media account, the following tips can help.
1. Introduce Interesting Topics
A good video starts with a good story. Do research, find something interesting to discuss, and create a storyline. Where do you find exciting topics? Old Google trending topics can help, but you should create stories that resonate with your audience. If you want something more relevant to your personal brand, a social video app can help you discover new places and interesting people.
2. Start with a Good Hook
The first few seconds of your video can determine if the viewer is going to see it or continue scrolling. If you don’t catch the viewer's attention in those few seconds, all your effort is in vain. Thus, invest time in creating a good hook. It should tease what your video is about, for example, a good question or an enticing offer.
3. Don’t Be Shy and Put Yourself Out There
Showing your face in the video can be a turning point in your social media strategy. It is one of the simplest ways to strengthen the relationship with your audience. Seeing you can create more trust with your audience and encourage engagement. It is nice to watch an interesting video, but seeing the person behind them, gives it a personal touch.
Besides, images with people perform better in terms of engagement in social media. You can repurpose your old videos and twist them by appearing yourself. For example, doing an Instagram live to demonstrate a new product or simply doing an explanatory video.
4. Add Subtitles and Overlay Text
Don’t underestimate the power of text aids. Text and subtitles allow viewers to engage even without sound. While this is obviously a benefit for hard-of-hearing people, it is also convenient for people that like to watch videos on the subway or train. Many platforms can generate automatic captions, for example, Facebook and IGTV, but others, like TikTok, require you to add captions manually.
Most social video apps have easy-to-use text editing tools. When you add them manually, remember to use the same font and color to be consistent with your branding.
What Makes a Good Social Video?
We all have fallen into the trap of watching awful homemade videos with poor lighting, no argument, or flow. The truth is, anybody can shoot a good video that will draw the viewers' attention. You only need to keep in mind the following four elements:
Structure:
The best social media videos have a good introduction, an interesting mid-section, and a catchy end that prompts you to take action. Without a good structure and storyline, people won’t want to watch it till the end. Organize your video into three clear sections to be concise and compelling.
To know if your video has a good structure, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does it have a good hook?
- Does it relate to the viewer’s interests?
- Does it have a logical flow?
- Does it have a call to action at the end?
Make adjustments until the video has a good flow and a great story.
Quality
A good quality video should mix images and graphics to make it easy to understand the story and the message. The video should have proper lighting. The camera should move to give the footage dynamism. Don’t forget to check the sound quality too.
Versatility
The story should be adapted to any platform. Working smartly means your two-minute YouTube video can be adapted to a 15 seconds Instagram reel. Create once, and adapt it endlessly.
Positioning
How can you ensure your video will stand out from the competition? Research what your competitors are doing to find out what works and doesn’t. Focus on what makes your message unique. Don’t copy others; you can take ideas for your own content.
FAQs
What videos work best on social media?
A broad list may include Explainer videos and tutorials, announcements or reveals, event videos, Q&A, and product demo videos.
What equipment do you need to make social media videos?
The essential equipment includes a smartphone with a good quality camera, a DSLR camera, a tripod, and portable lightboxes. Include an external microphone because smartphones are not always optimal and an external hard drive. Don’t forget your editing software.
What should you avoid when making a video?
When shooting a video, pay attention to your surroundings. Avoid loud background noises or poor backlighting. A tripod will prevent a shaky device, but you should also try not to move too quickly. Check that your background is organized and not messy. And lastly, find the right time to shoot so you don’t interfere with other people.
