Why Video Content is the future of marketing in Social Media World?

Social media video content determines the way Digital Marketing will look in the future

The digital-only world was more of a concept from sci-fi movies not so long ago. Hardly could we imagine that telecommunication will ever be able to fully replace life interaction. Or that we shall do all the shopping, including groceries, using our mobile devices. However, technologies have been changing our world slowly and gradually throughout the years, until in 2020 we were quite roughly forced to enter a digital-only reality.

Numerous businesses instantly saw online presence as the key survival feature. In other words, once consumers abandoned streets and malls and moved online, so did the businesses. This was also the moment when the concept of social media went through a major transformation.

From a place where people share photos and videos of their children and pets, social media has slowly but surely evolved into a nifty platform where local businesses could easily target their online ads and reach out to their auditorium. Since 2020 has forced all the business world to move online and search for customers there, social media became a powerful marketplace, equally suitable for local and international businesses of all industries.

Why video content?

Essentially, digital marketing became a crucial industry and quality, engaging selling content – its main tool. Soon enough marketers realized that it is video content that draws the most attention, engages prosperous customers, and inspires them for the following interaction. And this is how Video content in social media became the future of digital marketing.

This phenomenon is pretty understandable. Since people got tired of the overwhelming gruesome information flow from TV and other mass media sources, they started filling their free time browsing social media.

Soon enough social media content has replaced fundamental sources of information for millions of people. This tendency became mostly clear in regions where local governments and official media were accused of disinformation about the numbers and statistics considering COVID-19.

And since social media became the most credible source of information for so many people, it has instantly turned into a prosperous sales market. The prevalence of the video content significance is pretty logical in this case as many people started to turn on YouTube channels and live streams just like they used to do with TV before – for the background soundtrack. And as far as so many people were forced to stay and work home due to the lockdown, the amount of such views has simply skyrocketed in 2020. And even now, when the restrictions are lifted in many regions, lots of users continue to prefer online video content to television.

Let`s have a general overview of the principles of social media video content creation, its efficiency, and probable perspectives in the observable future. “Video Content is the future of marketing“

Social Media Videos – Everything goes! Wait, not really

Wouldn`t it be great if there was some certain pattern or step=by-step guide to creating an efficient commercial video for social media? There is a solid chance that such guidelines will be shaped soon enough just like SEO principles applied to text content.

However, there are some pretty clear patterns based on general consumers` psychology and the experience of existing video marketing strategies, that allow us to speculate about what works for social media video content and what doesn`t.

Short and clear

Remember how we were told that we have only a couple of seconds to draw a customer`s attention and make him click on an online ad? Well, it is almost the same for video content. Due to the constant information flow, the attention span of an average user is getting shorter. It means that even the most colorful and dynamic video may become boring in a matter of just several seconds.

Because of this fact, most social media platforms restrict the video content duration and offer an option to add longer videos to separate sections, where users can browse them if they are interested.

According to the overall impression, a perfect selling video for social media lasts not more than 30 seconds. This timespan is pretty enough to keep a user`s attention and briefly give all the necessary information without overloading a viewer with details.

Valuable content

With the growing competition between brands and businesses, the value of the content becomes a crucial engagement factor. Entertainment and education are the qualities that win viewers’ attention and encourage them to subscribe or research a brand online.

When a brand provides valuable information, it raises credibility in customers` eyes. And entertaining content is most likely to become viral due to numerous shares.

Unique content

Although it is always useful to observe and adopt a competitor`s successful techniques, this principle may lead to a failure regarding social media video content. The idea is pretty simple – once a customer sees several analogs of the same product, he will make the choice randomly without any affiliation to the brand. It will also minimize the chances for the second purchase because, again, a customer won`t see the difference between similar offers and will choose randomly.

Not only it minimizes the chances of your brand to success based on the quality of your Video Content, but this strategy also devalues it, making all the production investment a waste of time and money.

The impact of Social media Video Content

All the said above are some basic observations of the efficiency of social media video content. However, the impact of such content on the development and image of the brand cannot be overrated. In case you manage to create successful content, it may skyrocket the business. Faulty videos may devalue or even destroy a business reputation. Even mediocre content that seems to pass unnoticed, makes an impact as it ends up in a waste of time and money and points out the overall inefficiency of the digital marketing strategy.

However, there are certain practices and principles common to modern social media video content.

A strategy is a key

Being the blueprint of the whole content, a clear and realistic strategy is the key to the success of any advertising campaign. However, social media is a pretty specific marketplace. Except for the presentation of the product and services, any brand has to create its certain image here.

People judge brands just like other users as long as they see them on social media. That is why it is important to create a certain atmosphere that will be appealing to the target auditorium. By setting realistic and adjustable goals, following pre-determined guidelines, and speaking directly to prosperous customers, a brand can represent itself on social media as a living being, to who a customer may relate an address for a solution.

Competitor becomes an assistant

Social media is an extremely sensitive marketplace. People react instantly to almost every move, claim, and piece of content. Numerous businesses have skyrocketed due to creating video content that became viral and drew attention. At the same time, there are lots of examples of when prosperous brands crashed and burned exactly at the moment they have arrived on social media platforms. And this has also happened due to their content and interrogation with other viewers.

It is important to determine your competitors and carefully study their performance on social media to be able to adopt successful moves and avoid faulty ones.

Collect data

Even if come campaign or video on social media seemed to pass unnoticed, it may be a useful source of information. Make sure to track the data carefully. Determine what kind of auditorium is usually interested in your content and ignored the latest video. It will give you valuable information that will help to avoid this kind of resource waste in the future.

Unmute yourself

Since so many people scroll through social media content while being in the office or on public transportation, they prefer the mute regime. In this case, you lose one of the most powerful tools of video content – sound. Upbeat music won`t create the mood and the soothing narrator`s voice won`t draw attention.

It is important to avoid these situations by putting the most value of your video content into…video. You may either make it expressive to eliminate the need for words at all or make sure to duplicate the message through bright and engaging banners as the video goes.

Picking topics and themes that will work

We have already discussed how educational and entertaining content is the key to the success of your social media videos. Now let`s take a closer look at how to find engaging and efficient topics that will draw customers` attention.

Important dates

Creating specific video content that is relevant to certain historic events or national holidays are the ultimate way to draw users` attention and engage them in conversation. Whether you make a brief “day in history” video that somehow relates to your product or service or remind users of a Mother`s day and offer a great present solution, these kinds of videos are the most valued among social media users.

Keep the track of events

Another topic that will always be relevant is current events. Since so many people are replacing mass media with online accounts today, your awareness about current events and the ability to offer relevant solutions will certainly bring value to your video content in the eyes of prosperous customers.

Researches and statistics

Every piece of information looks more credible, once you add a “%” sign to it. Not just the fact that some matter was seriously researched will make your product more legit in the consumers` eyes, but it will create a sense that they are not alone with their problem or need and someone is working hard to offer a solution for them.

Specific topics

Every industry and business has a specific circle of prosperous customers with their needs and interests. And although it is very important to talk about trendy and relevant topics, once you create video content that addresses directly to your auditorium, it obtained a whole new level of value.

Study your target auditorium, their demographics, social background, education, and income level, and create videos that answer possible issues and challenges which are most specific for those people. Not only this process will help you learn the most about your prosperous customers and adjust marketing strategies according to their behavior and reactions. This is the way to demonstrate that, unlike competitors, you offer a product or service designed exclusively for the potential customer, which is a significant credibility factor.

The world is changing at a crazy pace and so do trends among the online community. Video content that was pretty acceptable and viral only several months ago may cause irritation and a negative response today. That is why a perfect recipe for successful social media video content will never exist. The standards, trends, and ethical norms will continue changing, bringing a new concept to life and eliminating others. However, the fate of social media video content is pretty clear today. It is the foundation of future digital marketing strategies.