Video Marketing: Social Media Best Practices
Video marketing continues to be a leading source of content. One video can turn a personal or business brand into a viral sensation overnight. Videos allow you to demonstrate products, introduce services, and show personality beyond any other form of content. Video content is broadcast in a variety of formats such as live action, animation, live streaming, time lapse, and webinars. Across social media platforms, video marketing is used to educate, engage, and entertain viewers.
If you’re struggling to make your video content resonate with viewers or just want to learn more, keep reading to discover a few best practices for video marketing.
Developing a Video Strategy
Before jumping into any video marketing campaign or creating content, it’s essential to build a foundation by developing a video strategy. This strategy guides your process to deliver simple and engaging video content for the target audience. Your video strategy should be documented to provide a repeatable process for yourself and your team.
Here’s how to build a video strategy that you can make your own.
- Set specific achievable goals
- Explore & analyze your target audience
- Select social media platforms
- Define metrics across platforms
- Determine video types
- Production plan
- Call-to-action
Strategy in action:
| Set achievable goals: | ||
| Increase website traffic by 5% Get 1,000 views on 2+ videos within a month Obtain 5 new subscribers every two weeks for the next three (3) months |
||
| Explore & analyze your target audience: | Select social media platforms: | Define metrics across platforms: |
| Age : 35-65 Marital Status: Not Married Income: $50K – $75K |
Facebook YouTube |
Number of comments Number of shares Number of views |
| Determine video types: | Production plan: | Call-to-action: |
| Inform – Testimonials Entertain – Skits Educate – Tutorials Engage – Tips & Tricks |
Script Props or scene Budget (if applicable) Length |
Book a call Receive a custom demo Free trial Sign up |
Selecting a Social Media Platform
When selecting platforms for your videos, it’s important to understand how each will work for your personal or business brand. The table below gives a high-level overview of the most popular video platforms.
| Platform | Best For: |
| Link clicks, events, discovery, connections | |
| Awareness, lead generation, niche markets | |
| Link clicks, event registration, conversations, networking | |
| Link clicks, searches, visual connection | |
| Link clicks, engagement, real-time interactions | |
| YouTube | Video search, resources, longer videos, vlogging |
Social Media Video Best Practices
For all platforms be sure to:
- Track metrics (likes, comments, views)
- Encourage viewers to come back for new content
- Share links to your content on all relative platforms
- Ensure your page name and video titles represent your brand
- Publish on a regular schedule
- Make content as inclusive as possible
While it’s easy to assume all platforms have the same best practices, there are nuances with each that will help improve your video success.
Facebook Best Practices
- Consider mobile responsive as 2+ billion people watch on their mobile devices
- Use sound and captions or subtitles for a greater understanding of content
- Avoid getting flagged by asking viewers to like, tag, or share
Instagram Best Practices
- Highlight your personality with authentic content to retain audience engagement
- Be consistent, so viewers know what they can expect
- Use a mix of Stories, feed videos (replaced IGTV), Reels, and Live
LinkedIn Best Practices
- Optimize your setup to capture attention from the beginning
- Deliver essential information upfront to leave an impression early on
- Keep video length between 30-90 seconds
Pinterest Best Practices
- Start with a strong opening and make it actionable
- Use text overlay to help tell your story
- Select a strong cover image to capture viewer interest with a single look
Twitter Best Practices
- Use visual cues such as a logo for brand recollection to resonate with viewers
- Make products the initial focus
- Accompanying copy should be concise and implementable
YouTube Best Practices
- Design unique thumbnails to encourage clicks
- Include target keywords in the title to match target audience search intentions
- Choose categories that direct viewers toward your videos
Video marketing is one of the fastest growing sectors within the marketing world due to the massive growth and demand for online video content. That’s why our Video Design certificate program includes a class dedicated to video marketing strategy. You will learn how to understand and execute a successful video marketing campaign, how to stay on brand with your messages, and analyze the engagement of your audience. Set up a time to speak with a Student Advisor and learn more about how our classes can help you reach your goals.