When and how to use video to drive your brand’s social goals

Editor's Note: This post was originally created by Lithium before Spredfast and Lithium merged and became Khoros.

It’s been two years since CEO Mark Zuckerberg said “In five years, most of [Facebook] will be video” at the company’s community town hall.

This prediction appears to be quickly becoming a reality with Facebook now serving 8 billion video views per day. ¹ In fact, the increase in social media video viewing across all platforms has grown exponentially over the past few years. In the U.S., video watchers consume an average of 1 hour, 16 minutes of video each day.?²

If 1/3 of all online activity is spent watching video ³, shouldn’t you be spending at least 1/3 of your time planning your social media video marketing strategy? Not convinced yet? Consider these video statistics:

• 46% of users take some action after viewing a video ad, according to Online publishers association.⁴
• 92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others.⁵
• Enjoyment of video ads increases purchase intent by 97% and brand association by 139% according to Unruly.⁶

Studies show that video ads can have a 32% lift in brand awareness, even if the video was viewed less than three seconds.⁷ Consider mobile ads for your next branding campaign, which can effectively boost your brand more than desktop advertising.⁸

Don’t rely on video views as your only success metric. Follow this important Content Marketing Institute recommendation. Include “a call to action that directs viewers to take the next step on your designated path, as well as by creating a landing page that will guide their journey toward conversion.” ⁹

Keep in mind video length when developing branding videos. According to Jun Group, social media videos that are 15 seconds or shorter are shared 37% more often than those that last between 30 seconds and 1 minute.¹⁰

Video ads can have a 32% lift in brand awareness, even if viewed less than three seconds.

With the launch of Facebook Live in 2016, live streaming has gone mainstream. The pioneers have already built trust and credibility, generated sales, and inspired their audiences with this hot trend in social media. Are you one of them? If you haven’t yet embraced live streaming, it’s not too late. An excellent way to jump into live video is to identify your top FAQs and answer them in a weekly series of Facebook Live or Instagram Story videos.¹²

Ephemeral videos and photos are the latest trends to support fostering authentic conversations rather than broadcasting promotional messages. Now that Instagram and WhatsApp are in the ethereal video game, it’s time to add “Snapchat-style” posts to your marketing plan. New to these tools? Try partnering with an influencer to co-create content at a special event like a product launch or trade show. Be sure to communicate your calls to action to your partner such as directing their fans to your website or following your brand.

The majority of users report that seeing a how-to video helps them in their decision process.¹³ From in-depth how to social media videos to quick live descriptions, explainer videos can help customers understand how to get more out of your products or services.

Customers trust user-generated content (UGC) over branded content. When brands leverage content from their community, they improve their relevance and authenticity. Use your superfans to tell the story of not only how they use your products but how your product benefits their business or makes their life easier.

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