In case you didn’t notice, video content is taking over the Facebook battlefield.
Audiences watch one hundred million hours of video every day on the social media site.
And this is why 46 percent of marketers plan to add Facebook video to their content strategy in the coming year.
If you are one of them, you’re on the right track.
As Facebook goes all in with video, this type of content sees a 135 percent increase in organic reach compared with photo posts.
However, you need to be smart in how you adapt your content to this particular social media site. And know how your viewers will watch videos.
In addition, the platform has new features which you can leverage to increase reach even more.
In this article, I’ll break down which elements you should have when producing a video for Facebook.
Including these elements will help you resonate with the social network’s audience.
Remember, in the current overcrowded social feed, you want all eyes to focus on you! Let’s begin!
There are different types of marketing videos, but in my experience, the following work best on Facebook.
Live Video
Live video seems to show an unbeatable performance, with consumption jumping 80 percent from 2015 to 2016.
What’s more, 82 percent of customers would rather watch live videos from a brand than read blogs or view social media updates.
Engagement is also higher.
On average, people spend three times longer watching live videos compared to videos which are no longer live.
This format allows you to establish a closer and more authentic relationship with your audience. And that surely has a positive impact on brand reputation.
The thing is, streaming live is not so easy for a brand.
You’re probably not a born and raised YouTuber. So do some research first to define your brand’s persona for live streaming.
Product presentations, Q&As, and seminars are some good content which you can share live with your fans.
Another idea is inviting them to join a meeting where you discuss something important, a new product for example.
Check out how this magazine invited its audience to be part of a debate:
Company Story Videos
Video showcasing a company story gives you the chance to have a closer relationship with your audience.
When done right, it can show viewers who your brand is and what it stands for.
Employees and managers can speak about company values and why you do what you do to establish a precious bond with leads.
Everyone wants to feel that they are part of something big, so tell your company’s story in a way that shows the bigger picture.
Educational Videos
People watch videos for entertainment, inspiration or to learn something new.
You can harness this with educational and how-to videos, which provide valuable information to your audience.
By creating a relevant video for them, they’re more likely to engage with your future content.
Your brand can position itself as an expert in the field and a selfless educator.
Explainer Videos
An explainer video introduces your product and explains how it fits into your target audience’s life.
These are great for increasing brand awareness and conveying your message in a few seconds.
You can also turn them into a Facebook ad, making these videos even more beneficial.
Check out how you can introduce a new app in just 50 seconds:
Average Video Duration
The length of your video depends on the message you want to convey.
In general, it should be short because social media audiences are an impatient bunch.
By keeping it under two minutes, you’ll keep the message dynamic and simple and make it much more enjoyable for the viewer.
According to Facebook, mobile videos offer better results if they last 15 seconds or less.
Think about when and where your audience will watch your video and how you can tailor your message to mobile audiences.
Successful Audio-visual Tricks
An important piece of advice: always start strong.
Remember, your content will not only play automatically, but it will do so with the sound off.
That leaves you with only the use of visuals and a few seconds before the user scrolls past your content.
So you need to leverage those precious seconds to grab your audience’s attention.
Be sure to use rich visuals with plenty of action to lure viewers.
It’s also the right moment to use unconventional camera angles and fancy editing like slow motion or time-lapse sequences.
In addition, you can experiment with other visual tricks as Hubspot did.
They tested several features, and found that some of these increase the number of views:
- Viewers respond better to human faces.
- Title bars grab attention.
- Subtitles help viewers understand the video even on silent mode (95 percent of people watch videos without sound).
- Using “Best with Sound On” animations encourages viewers to benefit from sound where necessary.
- Engagement rose by using questions as a call-to-action.
Let’s watch how they did it:
Optimizing Video for Better Reach and Engagement
Creating a killer video is a basic requirement for a successful social video strategy.
Unfortunately, it’s not enough.
You need people to discover it on the news feed among family and friends content.
And luckily, Facebook ads can help you get that initial boost.
You can choose your audience and measure their response to your content.
Don’t be afraid to turn the wheel if your initial strategy didn’t work as you expected.
Try different variations in your videos and assess whether they change the results.
These are some of the Facebook metrics to look at:
- Three-second video views
- Cost per three-second video views
- Ten-second video views
- Cost per ten-second video views
- Amount spent
- Video watches at 25, 50, 75, 95, and 100 percent
If you cross these metrics over to your audience’s demographic makeup, you’ll learn how each video performs against different audience segments.
Look at and listen to what your data is telling you. And be inquisitive when it comes to identifying what works.
The New Trend: Story Videos
Because story videos area new feature on Facebook, not everyone knows how to leverage them.
Stories are short user-generated photo and video posts that can be viewed up to two times and will disappear after 24 hours.
This feature is there to compete with Snapchat and encourages users to share original material rather than third-party content.
Story videos work well to create anticipation for your next post.
A content series engages the audience and leaves them wanting more.
(If in doubt, ask Netflix. Lately, they’ve been betraying their original on-demand concept by releasing weekly episodes).
As an example, you can leverage story videos by releasing a series of short clips leading up to a product reveal.
Alternately, reserve Facebook’s Timeline for less spontaneous productions.
An educational or explainer video is the kind of robust content better-suited for this type of publication.
A Facebook Video Works
Gain insight into your audience based on your current image and text posts.
Using this data, think of a Facebook video that can convey your brand message in the shortest time possible.
Then, measure your results and don’t be afraid to correct your path to success.
Be sure to share with us when you garner thousands of views!
Photo by Sam McGhee on Unsplash