Video for Social Media

Video is heralded as one of the top types of content you can post on social media. Video, when done right, increases engagement, reach and has a higher chance of going viral because of that. Video can say more than a single image or text post, so it’s no wonder that it is becoming more and more important to the everyday marketer’s strategy.

Types of Video

Interactive

Interactive video gives users the chance to participate in the narrative. With clickthrough options that give you as the viewer the option to choose your own path (think build-your-own adventure novels) these gamified videos are highly engaging, actionable, and great for demonstrating products, services, or events. Deloitte’s “Will You Fit Into Deloitte” video is a broad recruitment video that helps a viewer understand if they are suited to the company, and is an example of how interactive video can be used.

360 Degree

360 degree videos are getting their own type of fame on Facebook right now. These videos allow users to click around and explore a 360 degree view of whatever the video is about. From exploring the ocean to promote preserving coral reefs, to realtors hosting 360 degree tours of different available properties, 360 degree video can do more with less time than video has previously allowed. A great example is The Economist’s 360 degree tour of the Palau coral reefs.

Product Demo

If your business has a tangible product to sell, product demos can not only function as another type of user manual, but can also make the product more attractive to a larger audience when the viewers see it in use. This IKEA video demonstrates how to install and assemble their Maskros lamp.

Narrative

Narrative video tells a story, and usually tries to trigger an emotional response. This type of video is usually seen in commercials, used to persuade customers that a certain product or service can do what the commercial shows, for example this love story told by an Extra Gum commercial:

Live

Periscope, Facebook Live, SnapStories, Instagram Live; the list goes on and on. Live video is becoming a standard for content creation. One of the most enticing parts of live video for social media is that it is inherently social. Rather than crafting a video to perfection you are inviting the audience to see a firsthand look into what you are doing. Great from streaming events, speeches, announcements and more, live video is what many are calling the biggest content marketing trend of 2017.

Bonus: Viral Video

Going viral is a goal for any brand looking to make a splash with their content, but there is no way to predict what the next big viral sensation will be. In 2016 there were the Apple music ads with Taylor Swift and Drake, Pokemon Go and the Chewbacca Mom video. Each of these is vastly different than the others, so how can you guarantee your content will go viral? The short answer is that you can’t, but you can work to create unique and engaging content that will connect with a larger audience and increase the reach of your post. So how will your business use video for social media?

 Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/