How to Use Video to Spice up Your Social Media

In part thanks to the continued lockdowns which the COVID-19 pandemic has caused round the world, social media use has sky-rocketed within the past few years. Many people reach for social media for amusement, their daily news, and for a way to connect to the broader world. And video content – above text, still images and all other formats – is the king of content.

Of course, Tiktok dominated the news in 2020. Global use of the platform increased nearly 36% from December 2019 to July 2020. This was a wake-up call for social media giants – like Instagram – who realised just what proportion people love short video format. This resulted in Instagram’s owners, Facebook, introducing similar features with its Instagram Reels platform.

But wait. We’ve been ready to post videos to Facebook and Instagram for ages, right?

Yes, of course. What Reels and TikTok do differently is present shorter, snappier, more amusing videos, increasing our appetite for this format beyond all expectations. Users adore it, lots of videos are going viral (with incredible reach and impressions) and engagement has reached new heights. There’s little doubt, the short video format is having a moment and it’s not ending anytime soon.

So, how can small and traditional businesses benefit from this and build content their followers will love, without spending an excessive amount of time and money?

Below are 3 suggestions for video content that’s simple but effective. It is best to make them for Instagram Reels or TikTok (because that’s where most viewers are now) but if you’d rather share videos on Facebook or YouTube, the same rules apply. For those platforms, simply film your video on your phone as normal then edit it to the proper length and dimensions for your channel.  Next, add any filters or text overlays using InShot (a handy free app found on the App Store/Play Store). Then save and post it to whichever platform your audience is on.

Don’t overthink it, don’t worry about it being perfect, and just remember if it seems crap, you’ll delete it and check out again.

Three Ideas for Quality Video Content

Explainer Videos

Explain a way to do something, how something is produced or grown, or another interesting element of your business that followers on social media (or customers) have previously shown curiosity about. An example may be…

• ‘How do we hand-fill our donuts’
• ‘Our favourite 3 ways to style a sarong’ or
• ‘What’s the difference between sourdough and yeasted bread?’

Meet the Team Videos

If you’ve got over 2 or 3 people working for your business, brainstorm a small number of questions and film each team member answering them. The most effective questions are going to be associated with your business, such as…

• What’s your favourite of our products?
• Who is the funniest team member?
• If you were one of our products, which one would you be?

Behind the Scenes

People are genuinely fascinated by the processes behind their favourite services and products. Filming a team member preparing a product or performing some other intriguing element of their jobs is fascinating to people that love your brand. Even more so if it’s that repetitive, hypnotic appeal of an occurrence occurring over and over, which individuals tend to like.

How to Create Reels

You don’t need fancy equipment, only a good smartphone and the time to watch one of many quick Reels tutorials you’ll find online. They explain the best way to film, filter, add music and edit your videos easily.

Simply plan and practice roughly what you’re planning to say (you have max 60 secs based on the above suggestions.  Go outside or somewhere with good light and a pleasant background, then use the steps within the tutorial video to film and post your video to Reels.

There is a box to tick if you wish to share a preview of your Reels video onto your normal Instagram feed, and a spot to input a brief caption and a title for your video. Use both of those, ensuring you include keywords and hashtags.  And that’s it!  You’re ready to rock and ‘Reel’…