There’s no denying that short-form videos have been very popular among online users who wish to increase their engagement and dabble in video marketing strategies; however, to start producing them one must understand what they are, how to use them and what their benefits are.
First, it is important to mention that defining a short-form video can be tricky seeing that social media platforms have their own definition of “short”. For example, a Youtube shorts video can range from 15 to 60 seconds while a short-form video on Facebook can be up to 3 minutes long; meanwhile Google defines short-form videos as videos that can be up to 10 minutes long.
Second, how can you use them in your marketing plan? Below are the best practices that you can adopt.
1. Plan your videos ahead of time
Knowing what to say is great but knowing how to say it is even better. Before producing your short-form videos, identify your objective, select your target audience, set the desired tone, and have a good story prepared. It would also be great to include a call to action in case you want your followers to purchase a certain product or visit a website.
2. Edit your content
To stand on social media networks, you will need to use specific editing methods that will optimize your short videos for your page. While using transitions is one way to spark your audience’s interests, using large graphics can make it easier for your followers to notice all the elements of your video.
In addition, knowing the dimensions and resolutions required on each platform is also necessary to publish the perfect short-form video.
3. Jump on trends
It’s not difficult to find online trends nowadays seeing that a new one is likely to emerge every day. Thus, as soon as you find a trending dance challenge on TikTok or an editing style that’s going viral, make sure to hop on the bandwagon and create your short-form video right away.
The more you’re in touch with the latest trends, the more your audience will want to engage with your content.
4. Create high-quality content
You’ve probably stumbled upon a few blurry videos in the past that made you want to click the exit button right away and you definitely don’t want to recreate the same scenario with your followers. This is why you should consider investing in a professional camera or even a smartphone with a good camera to get high-quality visuals; also, you should focus on reducing and minimizing distracting background noise for a clearer audio quality.
5. Don’t over promote in your videos
Short-video content’s main purpose is to entertain your audience in a quick and simple way, which is why you shouldn’t use this type of content to only promote a new product or service. However, if you’re collaborating with a brand that wants you to promote their products using short-form videos, you should strive to do it in an amusing yet appealing manner.
6. Be genuine
Don’t underestimate users’ ability to sense when an influencer is forcibly creating content either to increase a brand’s sales or add new posts to their feed. To make sure you connect with viewers, it is important to show them your real personality and share your honest opinion while also giving them a behind the scenes glimpse of the video production process.
All in all, short-form videos are a great way for both influencers and companies to entertain their audiences while also getting them to trust their brand. In addition, it should also be pointed out that this type of videos can improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) as they keep users scrolling for longer periods of time while also yielding high conversion rates. With that said, now it’s up to you to use short-form videos wisely!