Every social network has become more video-centric with time, changing the way we consume and distribute content. With the overwhelming amount of information on social networks, the life of content on social media is very short, as most people only glance at images or texts in passing.
Therefore, as a content creator, you should know the art of captivating your target audience, and you can do that by creating exceptional video content. Videos are not only more visually appealing, but they also drive more engagement. You can establish or grow your brand by implementing the following practices for creating engaging social media videos.
Tips for Creating Engaging Social Media Videos
Social media is undeniably the most valuable marketing channel, which is why around 43% of American brands use it to grow their businesses in 2024. However, many fail to capture the general public’s attention because they don’t post the right content.
According to Dex Hunter-Torricke, a former Communications Executive at SpaceX and Facebook, more than 80% of the online traffic today is from videos. Therefore, an effective video marketing strategy is essential for brands to grow their digital presence.
Anyone can create videos, but only a few understand that engaging video content requires a blend of research, planning, determination, creativity, and an understanding of your target audience. Here are some helpful tips for creating engaging social media videos.
1. Understand Your Audience
‘Know your audience’ – This advice is quite repetitive, and by now, you might have heard or read it quite a few times, but it is the secret formula to long-term success. Before marketing your brand, ask yourself: Who are you creating the content for? And what type of social media videos does your audience prefer? You can only create engaging video content by understanding the preferences and interests of your customers.
For example, Nike is one of the top social media brands because they have completely understood their customers. Instead of directly promoting their products on Instagram, Nike posts videos of celebrated athletes using and endorsing their shoes, drawing millions of sports fans to their accounts.
2. Determine Your Video Marketing Goals
The next step is to identify your video marketing objectives. What do you wish to achieve with your social media videos? Do you plan to grow your brand, educate or entertain your audience, or do you want to promote your products? Setting clear goals in the beginning will not only help you create an effective marketing strategy, but it will also bring out your team’s creativity.
A few important suggestions! Instead of overwhelming yourself with numerous goals, set a few realistic objectives. For example, if you are only starting out, focus on increasing your brand awareness, but if you have a significant online presence, figure out creative ways to establish a sustainable income with your social media videos.
You can look at the success stories of prominent social media influencers and adopt their strategies. For example, MrBeast, a famous YouTube influencer, has managed to gain over 250 million subscribers by creating viral video content. He has variable goals, but his main focus is on constant growth. Therefore, he has developed a unique style to maintain his popularity.
3. Understand the Requirements of Different Social Media Platforms
You should have a basic understanding of various social media platforms to create the right type of videos. LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) support different types of videos with varying lengths.
Where Instagram is famous for its live streams, stories, and reels, YouTube is mainly known for its long-form videos. Other than varying lengths, each platform contains different types of content for a target demographic. For example, TikTok is more famous among celebrities and the younger generation and mainly has videos with trending music and sounds, such as dancing challenges, makeovers, lip-syncing videos, and more. Whereas, businesses mostly upload videos on LinkedIn to promote their brand.
So, if you are starting your content creation journey, note the following features of each platform to create targeted and captivating social media videos.
YouTube
Video Length Limitations
- Generally up to 15 minutes
- Longer than 15 minutes for verified accounts
Type of Videos
- Tutorials
- Vlogs
- Reviews
- Unboxing videos
- Livestreams
- ASMR
Video Length Limitations
- Up to 60 seconds for Instagram stories
- Up to 90 seconds for Instagram reels
- Up to 10-minute videos for regular users
- Up to 60-min videos for verified accounts
Type of Videos
- Live videos
- Product reviews
- Extracts from long-form videos
- Collaborative videos
- Animated clips
Video Length Limitations
- Up to 240 minutes on Facebook Feed
- Up to 120 seconds on Facebook Stories
Type of Videos
- Livestreams
- Instructional videos
- Comedy videos
- Behind the scenes of Facebook content creator.
TikTok
Video Length Limitations
- Up to 60 seconds for videos created on TikTok
- Up to 3 minutes for videos uploaded on TikTok
Type of Videos
- Dance performances
- Lip-syncing videos
- TikTok challenges
- Song covers
- Makeover videos
X
Video Length Limitations
- Up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds
Type of Videos
- Movies’ teasers and trailers
- Time lapses
- Animated clips
- News clips
Video Length Limitations
- 15 minutes from desktop
- 10 minutes from a mobile app
Type of Videos
- News
- Business updates
- Company culture
- Behind the scenes
- Q&As
- Interviews
4. Come Up with Video Ideas (Tell a Story)
Let’s be honest! We all love videos with a proper message or storyline. Whether you are a new brand looking to capture your audience’s attention or a teacher running an educational channel on YouTube, you can make your videos more appealing by being creative, relatable, and authentic.
After determining your goals and understanding different platforms, select the most suitable video type for your brand. You can create entertaining, educational, instructional, or descriptive videos, but to gain the attention of your target audience, you’ll need to craft a compelling story. Brainstorm different ideas and write a script that resonates with your viewers.
Airbnb has a strong social media presence due to its great storytelling. The company ignites its followers’ wanderlust by posting short Instagram reels of beautiful cabins, beach houses, cottages, treehouses, and more at exotic vacation spots. You can take inspiration from their approach to create an emotional link with your audience.
However, social media videos are usually pretty short. So, create content that engages your customers within the first few seconds, which takes us to the next best tip.
5. Create a Strong Hook
‘Get a hundred million views on every video!’ This feat is not entirely impossible if you know how to hook your viewers. A strong hook can stop your audience from scrolling.
Many top content creators use this tactic to get their viewers to keep watching them. They perfectly understand that the performance of their social media videos highly depends on their hook. So, how do you come up with a perfect hook?
There is no fixed formula for it. Anything that manages to grab and sustain the attention of your audience is excellent. You just have to make your viewers believe that the rest of your video content is valuable. Keep in mind that your hook should be short and it should be truthful. Wild and inaccurate claims will never help you grow your followers.
6. Use Captions
Want to reach a wider audience? Make your social media videos more accessible by using captions. Depending on the social media platform, you can use closed or open captions to gain more viewers. If you are creating videos on YouTube, you can make your content more inclusive by including closed captions (CC) in multiple languages.
For example, many K-pop groups like BTS, Blackpink, and EXO have an impressive global audience because they use captions in their music videos. So, you should also follow this practice, especially if you want International viewers.
It is not difficult to add captions, as several platforms, like YouTube, TikTok, and more, provide built-in editing tools. However, it can be quite time-consuming. Hence, you can use closed captioning services to optimize your time and generate more engagements.
7. Use the Best SEO Practices
Use the best SEO practices for greater visibility, such as an attractive and high-quality thumbnail, timestamps, a strong CTA, and optimizing your social media video’s metadata. This includes adding optimal keywords in your video title, description, and file name.
Instead of adding random keywords, use an authentic online tool like SEMrush to conduct your research. Remember to pick less competitive terms with high search volume. If you are creating content on YouTube, include a unique and optimized description in each video. The platform supports up to 5,000 characters in the video description, so take advantage of this and use relevant keywords at the start to stand out among a sea of content creators.
Start Your Content Creation Journey
There you have it! You now know the secret to creating engaging social media videos. So, start your content creation journey by following our best practices for social media video creation. The steps are simple, but if you have the budget, you can outsource a few services, like content production for increased efficiency. So, what are you waiting for? Create an impactful video marketing strategy today and go viral!
