Sure, Kenny Bania was reacting to Seinfeld’s joke about Ovaltine, but “gold” is how we feel about adding video content to social media posts.
But, look, first things first, an admission — we’re not the greatest at using video across our social media networks. (By the by, you should connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. It’s good for you. It’s good for us!)
Consider it a “cobbler’s children have not shoes” situation. We’re working on it.
How important is video, really?
“Very” appears to be the answer — the friendly folks over at Hubspot report that marketers saw higher ROI with posts using video than non-video content no matter if you’re selling directly to consumers or are a B2B player.
According to Don’t Panic London, 40% of all consumers are Generation Z, and they spend approximately 3.4 hours a day watching videos online. (Don’t ask us how they have time to do that, they just do.)
The first step is to solidify the strategy by answering these questions:
- Who is the target audience?
- How old are they?
- Where do they live?
- Why would they watch a video about your product or service?
- How does your audience usually get their information?
The answers to those questions will inform what types of videos you produce and where you put them.
Then, and this becomes a sticking point for many folks, using video consistently is crucial. It’s often the biggest hurdle that you’ll find.
What video should go where?
Short and quick videos (60 seconds or shorter) are best for Facebook Stories, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. Instagram IGTV, YouTube, Facebook posts, and LinkedIn are where you’ll want to put anything over 60 seconds.
Consistency is everything
I mean, every trainer will tell you this too. A gym membership is one thing. Going to the gym is another.
The same is true here. The post and ghost game won’t do you any good. People will forget about your account and move on.
Instagram recommends five to seven Reels per week, and Reels are the name of the game because they typically reach a broader audience than a traditional post. Kill two birds with one stone and include a preview of your reel in your account feed, or you can be an overachiever and do a separate piece of content for each one — your call.
TikTok is probably the hottest social media network going right now. Their team suggests that posting one to three times a day is the best way to engage and grow your audience. One of the great things about TikTok video content is that they’re short. Aim for six to 15 seconds.
To grow your audience while connecting and convincing potential customers, find a trend and jump on it. Make sure to add a select number of hashtags that pertain to your line of work and go for it.
The tough pill to swallow with YouTube is that there are 37+ million channels.
Here are the questions to answer before starting a YouTube channel:
- Do you have a distinct point of view?
- How many channels are there that talk about what you want to talk about?
- What exactly are you offering, and will people care?
And, remember, you don’t have to make a Martin Scorsese 17-hour feature film. Unless you are looking to go way deep into a topic, aim for something less than 15 minutes.
Plan. Plan. Plan. Execute
That’s a start.
Remember, though, it all starts with a plan. Define your target audience, plan out a strategy, know your subject matter, set out a goal, establish your vibe, and write down the key points you want to cover for EVERY. SINGLE. VIDEO. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.
Need a little help? We’re here.
