Video might have killed the radio star but it’s done the opposite for brands on social media, becoming a conduit for growth — according to WordStream, social media videos generate 12 times more shares than text and images combined.

Video has become so prevalent, that 54% of consumers say they want to see brands sharing more video content. With this much power, it seems like a no-brainer for companies to add video content to their social media strategies. But like all great things, creating a video takes time (and skill).

Over the years we’ve seen countless ways to integrate social media videos — from boomerangs and stopmotions to fully produced storylines. Reinforcing that you don’t need make a WestJet inspired tearjerker to be trailblazer in the space. Before you finalize your strategy, consider integrating these social media videos.

Instagram stories, Facebook stories and livestreams

Instagram stories, Facebook stories and livestreams are the easiest types of social media videos. You can host polls, ask questions, repost customer’s reviews, and much more. Livestreams give you a direct line of communication between you and your customer, giving your brand a more authentic and trustworthy image. A great example of a company using their Instagram stories to their advantage is Kylie Cosmetics. Their Instagram stories include behind the scenes, sneak peaks to products, Kylie discussing the products, and interactive elements like polls for customers to engage with.

Cinemagraphs

Cinemagraphs started popping up on Instagram a few years ago. A cinemagraph is a combination of still photography and videography. They are simple yet captivating videos that look like a photo however they incorporate subtle movement. For example in this cinemagraph, our moving element was the computer screen. If there is an element of your brand that you feel can’t be demonstrated fully in a still photo, but is not complex enough for an entire video, then a cinemagraph is a great option! It can convey your message within a few seconds; ideal when the attention span for most social media users is whopping 8 seconds.

Testimonial Videos

Testimonial videos are a great way to show your audience that people are LOVING your product or service. With testimonial videos you are showcasing how your brand solved a problem for your customer. Some questions we recommend asking your customer when doing a testimonial video are:

• How did you discover our product/ service?
• What problems were you looking at solving when you came across our product/ service?
• How long have you been using our product/ service?
• Why did you choose our product/ service over our competitors?
• What do you like most about our product/ service?
• Why do you recommend our product/ service?

These kinds of videos encourage people to try your product or service after hearing the great things past customers have had to say about it. These videos are definitely an essential tool for businesses to use when it comes to video marketing.

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