Social Media: How to take advantage of video for growth
Lauren Beeching
Video on social media is having a significant moment right now.
In a recent Instagram Live, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri shared that video is "driving an immense amount of growth online for all major platforms" and stated that video would be a key focus area for Instagram over the coming months.
The takeaway: If you want to grow online, it's time to start creating video content.
Video Gets More Exposure (and Engagement!)
If you've logged in to any social media platform recently, you might have noticed video content within the first 10 seconds.
This is because video content typically performs best with most algorithms. After all, it captures a viewer's attention for longer.
Which explains why videos on Instagram generate more engagement than any other content type -- Tweets with video see 10x more engagement.
Social media platforms also boost new features to encourage adoption -- many of which are video related.
Instagram, for example, is still heavily promoting Instagram Reels, making it one of the best growth hacks on the app right now.
Meanwhile, Pinterest Video Pins are displayed in a scrollable banner at the top of Pinterest mobile app search results -- prime real estate for catching the eye of new audiences and holding their attention for longer than a static image Pin would.
It's Growing in Popularity Across All Channels
There's no question, and social media users love video.
In 2018, a study showed that 54% of consumers wanted to see more video content from the brands or businesses they support.
Since then, video has grown in popularity across every channel -- from Facebook to LinkedIn. In 2019, users spent a weekly average of 6 hours and 48 minutes watching online videos, a 59% increase from 2016.
And that's before we consider the impact of the pandemic on our video consumption habits.
Consumers expect brands to deliver engaging, entertaining content on social media more than ever before, and video is one of the most effective formats to do so.
Video Typically Has a Longer Shelf Life
Not only does video content get more engagement than other content types, it usually sticks around for longer.
A TikTok video, for example, can be surfaced in users' For You Pages for weeks, even months, after it's first published.
This is because video content typically generates more interactions and shares, which means it stays in the ecosystem for longer.
It Appeals to a Gen Z Audience
Gen Z is much more connected to the internet than other generations and has grown up with YouTube as a primary source of entertainment and education.
In fact, according to a YouTube survey, 50% of millennials and Gen Z generations said they "couldn't live" without video in their daily lives.
This explains why TikTok, a short-form video app, has proved to be so successful with Gen Z users. Over 35% of TikTok's 800M+ users fall into this demographic, with most viral TikTok stars aged 18-24.
Video Can Be Repurposed Across Multiple Platforms
Producing quality video content may be more time consuming than taking a photograph, but once complete, you can use it to reach different audiences across multiple platforms.
Translation: Greater reach = a greater return on investment.
This is one trend we've seen lots of influencers and brands doing successfully on TikTok and Instagram Reels, as both platforms have the same 9:16 format and similar intent.
Similarly, 16:9 videos can be easily shared across IGTV, Facebook, and YouTube -- with each of these platforms being suited to slightly longer-form content.
Consider repurposing your video content. For example, short videos for Instagram Stories can convert well as Pinterest Video Pins. Instagram Feed videos are often the perfect format for Facebook, and Instagram Live broadcasts can now be automatically shared to IGTV.
The opportunities are endless!
It's a More Personable Way to Engage with Your Audience
More than ever before, consumers want to know more about the brands and creators they follow -- and video is one of the most effective ways to do this.
Showcasing the faces of your brand through video content can humanize your business and help create a deeper, more emotional connection between you and your community.
Plus, it's a great way to unpack your product offering in a personable way, which can be more relatable (and persuasive) than a series of static images.
Video is a Powerful Sales Tool
If a picture can tell a thousand words, a video is worth at least a million. This is just one reason why video is such a powerful sales tool.
Pinterest users are 2.6x more likely to purchase after viewing the brand's video on the platform. 93% of marketers said they landed a new customer thanks to a video on social media.
Video allows brands to showcase products dynamically, adding valuable context almost impossible to achieve through a single photo.
Video is only set to rise in popularity as digital-first experiences take centre stage.
And even with all of these benefits, video is still shared less frequently than static image posts -- giving you a greater chance of standing out from the crowd and reaching a wider audience.
If you're not creating video content for your brand yet, there's never been a better time to get started.
The good news is, your video content strategy doesn't need to be overwhelming or expensive -- often, the most straightforward, most authentic concepts can work best.