When you think of social media, you probably think of written content. You’re probably thinking of things like Twitter posts or Facebook statuses. Maybe at a push, you’re thinking of Instagram images.
But the reality is that video is also a big aspect of social media and it absolutely should be a part of your own strategy.
Why Video is Critical
In case you’re not sold on this idea, consider that video is much more engaging than other forms of social media. That’s at least partly because video assaults all the senses. It contains movement, imagery, music and gesticulations and all this makes it far more captivating, far more persuasive and potentially much more emotionally stimulating. This is everything you need to sell to someone and it makes social media a considerably more powerful tool for selling and persuading – or just getting someone to care about and be interested in your brand.
At the same time, video helps to elevate your status. Video is something that not anyone can create and that often requires specialist equipment, editing tools and more. Video with high production values looks like something that a bigger company with more resources must have made and that in turn makes it very effective at elevating your brand, your authority and your trust.
How to Get Started
The best way to get started with video marketing is with YouTube, which in some ways is similar to a form of social media. At the same time though, you can also be successful by using live video on platforms like Facebook, by uploading very short videos to Instagram etc., or by using videos through other social media channels. Even paid Facebook Ads let you incorporate video!
To get started creating video, then conventional wisdom is that you will need a good quality camera, some basic lighting equipment, a sound recording device etc.
All this is true to an extent, but it isn’t strictly necessary if you’re shy to go on camera or don’t know how to create that kind of content. In fact, a ‘video’ can be much more of a podcast with a static image and you talking over the top. Or it can be a slideshow with no talking at all! There are lots of ways to create video and the only thing you absolutely need is some basic editing software.
