Rachelle Raymaro https://knowledgewap.com 6m 1,533 #videocontent
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Creating engaging video content for social media can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By following a few simple tips, you can create videos that capture and hold your audience’s attention. In this article, we’ll share some of our best tips for creating effective social media videos. Keep reading to learn more!
What You Need to Know Before Creating Engaging Video Content
Engaging videos are any videos that gain your audience’s attention within two seconds by either visually grabbing them or piquing their curiosity enough to where they’re motivated to watch more. Their purpose is for your audience to be entertained or educated by what you have to say in 2-5 minutes, with the possibility for them to continue watching if they find your content relevant and/or interesting.
Video is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways in which people receive their information, education, and entertainment. It’s because of this that video content has become an integral part of nearly every marketing strategy. This brings us to the next point:
The majority of businesses are now turning to YouTube as their platform for producing engaging videos. They’ve found it to be incredibly effective when it comes to reaching, engaging with, and influencing their audience because it provides them with the opportunity for direct communication.
Since video content itself is so effective at entertaining or educating your audience, you need to ask yourself how you can make yours stand out among the rest. Keep it simple by sticking with these three key elements:
- Be entertaining.
- Be educational.
- Be relevant to your target audience.
Tips In Creating Engaging Social Media Videos
Now that you know the basics of creating engaging social media videos, it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty details. Here are our top tips for making your videos irresistible to watch:
Tip #01: Keep it Short and Clear
One of the most important tips for making compelling social media videos is to keep them short. Most people won’t watch a long video, so make sure your content is concise and to the point. Try to keep your videos under two minutes, if possible.
Tip #02: Make your videos visually appealing
How you present your content can make all the difference when it comes to how easily your audience will be drawn in. A simple thing you can do is use graphics or animated graphics to emphasize your message or create visual media that is more impactful than just the words.
Tip #03: Educate and Inspire
Educating and inspiring your audience with interesting, relevant information is another key element of any compelling video content. The best thing you can do is be creative with how you capture someone’s attention by addressing an issue they may not be aware of or by educating them on something new. You also want to make sure that everything you’re saying has some sort of takeaway or inspiration that will motivate your audience to take some form of action.
Tip #04: Be Authentic
One of the quickest ways to lose your audience’s attention is by not being authentic in your content. People can tell when you’re trying too hard or when you’re just reading off a script, so make sure to let your personality shine through. This means being yourself and speaking from the heart – don’t be afraid to get creative with how you share your message.
Tip #05: Use Social Media Platforms Wisely
Each social media platform has its strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to use them wisely when creating video content. For example, Facebook is great for longer videos that aim to educate or inspire your audience, Twitter is great for sharing quick, fun videos and getting the word out about a new product launch or campaign. So do some research to find which platforms are best suited for your message before you begin creating content.
Tip #06: Tell a Story
People are drawn to stories, so make sure you tell a story with your social media videos. This could be a story about your brand, or a story that relates to your audience’s interests. By weaving a story into your videos, you’ll keep viewers engaged and interested in what you have to say.
Tip #07: Add Humor
Adding humor to your social media videos can be a great way to engage viewers. People love to laugh, so make sure you inject some humor into your videos for maximum impact. Just make sure the humor is appropriate for your target audience and doesn’t offend anyone.
Tip #08: Use Engaging Titles
The title of your video is just as important as the content itself. Make sure you use an engaging title that captures people’s attention and makes them want to watch the video. By using an attention-grabbing title, you’ll be more likely to hold your viewers’ attention from start to finish.
Best Practices for Creating an Engaging Video
There are many ways to keep an audience interested in your content regardless of how long or short it may be. With good scripting, strategic use of graphics and sound effects, as well as editing skills, you can have a captivating social media video that draws attention from viewers even if they don’t have much time to spare.
The first step in creating a good video is making sure you have a story you want to tell. The vast majority of videos being done today are going to be promotional, so this will not be difficult for many brands. Remember that the goal of your video should be to get people interested in what you’re promoting, and then take them somewhere where they can find out more about it. This doesn’t mean that every single social media video has to end with an obvious call-to-action telling people what they need to do next; a subtle one or two-word hint at the end can go a long way without seeming too pushy or annoying.
Voiceovers are extremely popular and effective in social media videos because it allows the voice and tone of your brand to come through. When doing a voiceover, try recording yourself talking naturally about your product or service so you have an idea for your intonation and phrasing. Make sure that the audio is well-recorded without too much background noise, as this can become distracting.
The script itself is important, but even more, so is knowing what not to include that might cost you, viewers. Oftentimes people will want to put jokes into their scripts, which doesn’t always work if the video’s going to be short and isn’t funny enough for a longer one. Try not to overdo it with special effects either, as they tend to add more time and budget than necessary.
Finally, it’s important to remember that online audiences today are accustomed to high-quality content at their fingertips; this means that Viral-worthy videos often consist of well-done production values such as smooth image quality and sharp editing skills. Social media videos should look professional while still keeping things short, sweet, and straightforward.
Things You Need When Creating Social Media Videos
Creating social media videos can be complicated. The following list contains everything you need to know about creating quality social media videos.
High-quality camera: HD 720p or HD 1080p is generally considered high quality, and anything below that (480p, etc.) starts to look grainy and loses video quality
Lighting: too little light and the viewer can’t see; too much light and you risk blowing out the picture (making it completely white). Try using 3 lights; one as a key light (or “the main”, usually on the left) where most of your video will take place, one as a fill (usually on the right), and one as a backlight
Background music: adding a song to your video can be a great way to convey emotions. The first thing you want to do is find an appropriate song for your video, but make sure it’s royalty free or you’ll have some issues with YouTube later on
Video editing tool: pick a video editing platform that is appropriate for your needs. Thankfully, there are tons of available video editors online that will let you create stunning videos even without experience.
Microphone: once the video is up and running, you need to add sound. There are several cheap microphones out there, but be sure they can handle loud noises (like people talking over each other, etc.) if you’re recording a video with people rather than just an instrumental track
Intro/outro: while some videos may not seem to need these, they can add some variety, and certain viewers will expect them in a video of your type (for example, people who watch fashion vlogs almost always have a consistent intro and outro attached to their videos)
Thumbnails: make sure your thumbnail is eye-catching; it’s what the viewer sees first. If the thumbnail doesn’t catch your attention, why would you click on it? If you aren’t creative enough to make something original for the thumbnails, you can use a tool available online.
So now you know the basics of how to create engaging video content for social media. Use these tips in your next campaign and see an increase in engagement across all platforms!
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