The power of short videos for social marketing
While many would automatically think of YouTube when talking about videos, it’s not the only platform that hosts video content. The instant the first movie trailer was shared on Instagram, it was only a short while until businesses and organizations started to utilize the power of short videos for social marketing.
Since then, there has been a demand for creative and innovative brand videos. Today, short video content is streamed to consumers on a variety of social platforms: Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and even LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+.
But what makes short videos a powerful marketing medium? The appeal of short videos for social marketing is based on their “easy-to-digest” quality. Videos that are a minute or less long fit the hectic lives of consumers. They suit the brief attention spans of online users. And they play well on the need of people to take in content fast and easy. Since most online users also watch videos on their mobile devices while they are on the go, shorter content is better.
Advantages of Short Videos for Social Marketing
1. Short videos show viewers how to do something.
A short clip is like a how-to video, miniature style. Demonstrating to viewers how to execute something (ex. fix a problem or use a product) is the most efficient and straightforward way to implement short video content.
Case in point: BuzzFeedTasty has a staggering number of Instagram followers – 14.4 million to be exact – thanks to its short videos of mouth-watering dishes. These short clips generate traffic to the BuzzFeedTasty website and app through a link in its account bio.
2. Short videos highlight skills and talents.
A marketer or entrepreneur can use short videos to showcase skills and talents relevant to the brand. For instance, a chef can show off not just his cooking expertise, but also his knife skills through short clips. And given that the videos are fast and engaging, viewers would have a hard time stopping at just one clip.
By highlighting his skills and adding a call-to-action to the videos, the chef isn’t just providing entertainment. He also brings awareness to his business. For most people, “to see is to believe” is their hard truth. A brand can make its mark by showing the viewers through the short clips how it can help them now or in the long run.
3. Short videos boost events and celebrations.
When an event or celebration is fast approaching, it’s likely that businesses and organizations in the industry will keep an eye out for relevant content to use and share. Ingenious brands take advantage of the season, occasion or celebration by sharing short video content that’s set up for social distribution.
Besides resonating with their followers, using relevant short-form video content makes the brand updated with what’s happening in the industry. As such, marketers should always think about the content they can produce for the next industry event.
4. Short videos present new products or services.
Marketers don’t need to be excessively promotional in presenting new products or services. Instead, they can make it fun by appealing to the target market’s interest and curiosity. For instance, a brand marketer creates a video reveal of the brand’s newest product. This isn’t just exciting and imaginative, but it also attracts the side of people that desires to be one of the first to know about stuff.
5. Short videos give viewers behind-the-scenes (BTS) access.
A short video is an exciting path to let followers see the people behind the brand and to show how things go behind closed doors. Lots of businesses often give their followers BTS access to their brand through short videos and photos. Some share BTS clips of backstage shenanigans during a company event. Others post BTS videos of how products are made or how services are dished up.
Whether it’s a short tour of the office or snippets of an ongoing party, showing the fun side of the business could be more effective than just prompting viewers to buy this and that.
Using short videos for social marketing is the solution for the short attention spans of online users.