Just like almost every digital tool or gadget, video has evolved through time. Over recent years it feels like the evolution of technology has increased in speed. The way we consume media has changed and video engagement is spearheading the charge. Being able to stream movies and TV shows, capture and upload imagery straight to your social channels within seconds, and produce high-quality content using cost-effective tools is making video production accessible to the masses.

However, simply creating and publishing a video is not enough to guarantee engagement. Marketers need to take additional steps to ensure that their videos are seen, shared, and ultimately lead to conversions.

But how do you tap into this ever-changing and growing medium?

Find what works for you

There are lots of different video formats to choose from and they all suit different needs. Each of these formats will help increase video engagement. You need to figure out the message you are trying to get across and how you’d like it to be seen.

There’s always a place for big-budget long-form content, but probably not on social media short form content. This works best for places where people are happy to spend more time viewing content, such as events, websites and YouTube. For social video engagement, you only have seconds to grab your consumers’ attention. According to Facebook’s latest marketing stats, people spend 1.7 seconds on average on a piece of content on mobile compared to 2.5 seconds on desktop. So the first few seconds are the most important

With this in mind, it’s important to think about what will keep a person watching your video. Is it the music? Is it the production quality? Or is it the person on screen?

Focus on Your Target Audience

Before you even begin creating your video, you need to have a clear understanding of your target audience. Who are they, what are their pain points, and what type of content do they consume? Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can tailor your video content to meet their specific needs.

For example, if your target audience is made up of busy professionals, you may want to create short, snappy videos that can be watched during a coffee break. Alternatively, if your target audience is made up of young people, you may want to focus on creating entertaining and shareable content that resonates with their values.

By understanding your target audience and creating content that speaks to their needs and interests, you can increase the likelihood of engagement and ultimately drive more conversions.

Create great content for Better Video Engagement

Most videos are viewed without sound until you click on them to activate the audio. 83% of mobile viewers will choose to watch without the sound. This means the visuals are imperative to get and keep people’s attention.

When thinking about your content this is just one consideration but there are many more. Those that cover all areas of the production process. These can include scripting, actors, locations, subtitles and animation.

This doesn’t mean you need to produce a big-budget masterpiece. Think YouTube, not Hollywood.

Nowadays, it’s all about being authentic and forming that trusted connection between your company and consumer. This doesn’t mean to stop the big-budget productions, but do give some thought to whether it’s needed or not.

Post to the right places

It feels like there is a new popular social media platform coming out every year. It’s helpful to understand what works best with the ones that are currently available.

Video content has previously been viewed horizontally, through the likes of cinemas, TVs and laptops. The progression of the mobile phone and the fast-paced nature of the world has changed this. You’ll see a lot more vertical videos being produced. This means as a consumer we don’t need to rotate our devices to experience the true format of the content.

But horizontal is here to stay, with 75% of viewers preferring to watch video that way. This means platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook are in no rush to adapt to the new ways of distribution.

Use Calls-to-Action

Finally, to increase video engagement, you need to include clear calls-to-action (CTAs) in your video content. A call-to-action is a prompt that encourages your viewers to take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or visiting your website.

Effective CTAs are clear, concise, and relevant to the content of your video. For example, if you’re creating a video to promote a new product, your CTA might be to encourage viewers to visit your website to learn more or make a purchase.

By including clear CTAs in your video content, you can increase engagement and drive more conversions.

Conclusion

Creating engaging video content requires a combination of understanding your target audience, optimizing your video for social media, and including clear CTAs. By following these three steps, you can increase the likelihood of engagement and ultimately drive more conversions for your business. As the popularity of video content for social media platforms grows and evolves, it’s important to remember to find what works best for you and your company. It may take a little trial and error, but once you’ve found your content sweet spot you will reap the rewards of having a video social strategy.

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