Digital marketers are focusing on creating excellent social media videos these days.

Do you know why?

Because Facebook and Snapchat have exceeded 8 billion daily video views and YouTube 1 billion users are watching hundreds of thousands of hours of online video daily.
Most amazingly, this video trend is predicted to grow further and there are a plenty of statistics to back that up.

According to some marketing experts, 74% of all online traffic in 2017 came from online videos and there are a number of digital marketing agencies that are already embracing this amazing form of content distribution medium.

A study conducted by Web Marketing Video Council suggests that 61% of businesses are using video as a powerful marketing tool. So, it’s clear that businesses are adopting this rising trend and recognizing its growing potential.

Okay, so now you are convinced with these interesting statistics, but don’t know how to create a social video to strengthen your digital marketing efforts.

Don’t worry, this handy guide will help you create a social video that doesn’t cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. All you need is four essential components and you will end up with a compelling piece of visual content.

Further Read: How Visual Content Drives Traffic to Your Website?

So, let’s have a look at the four key essentials you need to create a perfect social video.

1. Keep it Short

A survey conducted by Animoto, approximately two-thirds of customers prefer to watch videos under 60 seconds.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to keep your social video short – between 30 and 90 seconds long. Modern consumers have short attention spans and they will lose their interest if the video is too long. Keep it short to keep your viewers engaged.

Follow these tips to make sure your video has a potential to capture audience’s attention.

· Keep the Word Count to a Minimum

Obviously, you don’t want your viewers to be reading the whole time, instead of watching the video. The time of viewers is precious. Therefore, try to convey your message with as few of words as possible. If you are repurposing a blog post into social video, you can cut it down to keep the word count to a minimum.

· Use Number Lists

Using number lists is a great idea to keep viewers engaged and make your content easy-to-digest.

· Pace Speed Test

Make sure the text doesn’t go by too slow or too slow. To get the right pacing, read the text loud and make sure readers can leisurely pick it up. But make sure it is not too slow, otherwise you might lose your reader’s’ attention.

2. Optimize it for Every Platform and Device

It is important to figure out which channel you will share your video either on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram and on which devices your viewers will watch it like mobile devices, tablets, laptops. The key here is to deliver the best experience across every platform and device.

Use these simple tips to optimize your social videos for different devices and channels.

· Mobile-First Approach

Today, more and more users are watching social videos on their smartphones. On Facebook, 65% of videos views take place on mobile devices. So, create and optimize your videos for mobile devices.

· Convey the Message in Silent Mode

Most users watch videos on mobile devices with the sound off. 85% of Facebook videos are watched in silent mode. The major reason of watching videos without sound is that people are watch videos in public settings like riding on public transport, killing time in a waiting room, or even procrastinating at work.

· Use Standard Aspect Ratio

A square ratio 1:1 is perfect as it is compatible on almost every social media platform. Box shaped videos account for 78% more social media feed space than landscape videos 16:9.

3. Add Descriptive Subtitles

As silent videos are rising, you need to add descriptive text to make them interactive and meaningful. Here are some tips to deal with your silent viewers.

Add Captions

Include subtitles so that people can understand your video without listening to it. Facebook declares that adding subtitles in a video increases average watch time by 12%.

Add a Description

It is essential to provide your users with a clear context before they click on your video. In short, it gives them a reason to click on a video or not. This description can be a quote, reaction, teaser or a short summary.

Add a Voice Over to Your Video

Your video description is so important when it needs to be played with the sound on. You can mention it in the instructions in your video description to have the sound on if it is important.

https://www.facebook.com/nike/videos/10154919213913445/?hc_ref=ARQLADUBy0KDI9afjZtQn7M7TLlKTuy7Ih1PMzXDiM50KJTI5fnEojZeHmVh3ASzOos

4. Add a Compelling CTA

Don’t assume your viewers will take a desired action, guide them to do so. Add a clear CTA in your videos. Many digital marketers make this biggest mistake of not adding a CTA at the end of their social videos.

Adding a CTA encourages viewers to take the next step, no matter if it is a landing page, newsletter subscription, eBook download, request a quote or product purchase.
Marketers can create compelling CTAs by using these simple tricks:

· Use Actionable Words

The sole reason of a CTA is to get your audience to take the desired action after watching your visual content. You audience should clearly know what to do and what they are going to get once they’ve click on it. Use actionable words such as find, explore, discover that encourage audience to do what you want.

· Add a Clear USP

If you really want audience to take a certain action, you need to offer something valuable they didn’t see anywhere else. A compelling CTA with a unique value proposition can do wonders. Tell them what benefits they will get.

· Avoid Jargons

Clarity is key to effectively convey your message. Forget the jargons, don’t try to use intricate terminologies to sound smart. Use simple and clear words.

· Avoid Using Excessive CTAs

It is advised to stick to one CTA so that the message is clear. Adding too many CTAs makes it difficult for your audience to click, they will get overwhelmed and fail to take a certain action.

Key Takeaways

Videos are important promotional tool for your overall marketing strategy. It can increase customer engagement and drive more conversions on your website. Consider the above mentioned key ingredients of a social video and you are all set to give your digital marketing efforts a boost.