There is a simple rule on social media: Video is king!
The reason:
Videos keep users on the platforms longer – it’s no surprise that social media platforms like to display good video content.
However, many marketers and teams are a bit overwhelmed by the numerous options, requirements and rules for social media videos.
Do you sometimes feel like that too? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!
Steps for social media videos
In this article we provide you with the most important know-how for your social media videos. You will learn how to optimize your video marketing strategy on the various social media platforms and get:
- Information about the platforms and their rules.
- Tips for gripping storytelling.
- A guide on how to make your social media video go viral.
#1: Create snackable content with your social media videos
The rule of thumb for social media videos is: the spice is in brevity!
Users love social media videos because they are quick and easy to consume – like little snacks.
- Typically social media videos between 20 and 90 seconds lang.
- They provide information and entertainment Content that is consumed quickly.
- Videos in social media therefore belong to the so-called Snackable Content.
Exceptions prove the rule: Not every social media video is characterized by brevity. The longest video posted on YouTube to date was an impressive 596.5 hours (almost 25 days) long – and is therefore definitely NOT a snack anymore.
The length of your social media video also depends on the format you choose. Your options here are endless.
Think about what suits your brand identity or product best: explainer videos, interviews, reviews, how-to videos, live videos, introductions, short films, teasers…
#2: Follow the rules of social media platforms
In your video strategy, think carefully about which content fits which platform. For example
- Videos on Instagram tend to be more promotional.
- On TikTok, the focus is on good storytelling, rather than the brand or information about a product to sell.
- At LinkedIn everything is focused on B2B, which is why decision-relevant information and thought leadership are important topics.
Here is the most important information about range and the technical requirements of the platforms.
TikTok
TikTok has established itself as a leading platform for short-form video content, with an advertising reach that 1.58 billion users over 18 years old reached. The platform is particularly popular for its dynamic and creative content. Innovation and good storytelling are required here to stand out from the crowd.
TikTok Video Format
With 3.065 billion monthly active users Facebook remains the largest social platform in the world. Place your videos here to reach a potentially very large audience.
Facebook Video Format
News Feed
- Horizontal: 1280 x 720 px
- Vertikal 720 x 1280 px
Stories
Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users. The different video formats make the platform particularly attractive for social media marketing.
The current video length limits for the various formats are as follows:
- Instagram Stories have a maximum length of 60 seconds per video.
- Instagram Reels can be up to 90 seconds long.
- Video-Posts in the feed can be between 3 seconds and 60 minutes long.
- Live-Videos on Instagram can take up to 4 hours.
Instagram Video Format
Stories
Reels
News Feed
- Horizontal: 600 x 315 px
- Square: 600 x 600 px
- Vertikal 600 x 750 px
Change formats with one click
TikTok video, Instagram story or LinkedIn news feed: With PlayPlay you can adapt the format of a social media video to the respective platform with just one click.
Try it now for free!
LinkedIn has expanded its reach to 1.07 billion users and is particularly valuable in the B2B segment for networking and professional marketing. The perfect stage to present your company here.
LinkedIn Video Format
- Vertikal: 1080 x 1920 px
- Square: 1920 x 1920 px
- Horizontal: 1920 x 1080 px
YouTube
YouTube remains a dominant force in video streaming with a monthly active user base of an incredible 2.491 billion. It serves as both an entertainment platform and the second largest search engine after Google. On this platform, the length of the videos varies the most. The perfect playground to test different formats for your video marketing.
YouTube Video Format
- Horizontal: 1920 x 1080 px (3840 x 2160 px for 4K)
In this article, you’ll learn more about the best video strategies for your brand on YouTube.
X (formerly Twitter)
X has 368 million monthly active users and is particularly known for news and public discussions. Here you can score points with marketing videos and stand out from the crowd.
X Video Format
- Vertikal: 1200 x 1900 px
- Horizontal: 1920 x 1200 px
Video postings generate ten times more engagement on X than pure text posts!
This makes video on Twitter a real secret weapon for increasing your reach.
#3: Storytelling on social media in three simple steps
Storytelling in your social media videos is the stuff you need to turn videos into success.
A successful social media video keeps your audience engaged and as enthusiastic as a film. Good storytelling uses the same rules as a Hollywood blockbuster.
For you, this means: Wrap your information in compelling narratives so that your audience experiences your story instead of just watching.
Three-step storytelling is key to making your audience feel and remember your content.
To do this, proceed as follows:
Example: This video from the brand always shows par excellence how gripping storytelling works with the three-step process.
In this article from us you will learn everything about gripping storytelling – including best practices.
#4: Know the tricks to create viral marketing videos
Marketers want to produce viral videos – you can use your own tricks to ensure that your video goes viral.
All you need is a structured process that is based on the five W questions:
Define the goal of your video
- Was? Determine the topic of the video. The rule of thumb is one message per video. Focus on one topic to avoid losing your message or your audience.
- Wer? Defines a clear target group. Different viewers have different demands. You therefore need to know exactly who your social media video should reach.
- How? What format should your video have? Consider whether an interview, presentation, news format, or even a prank best conveys the message of your video. Also think about the tone of voice (humorous, serious, sarcastic…).
- Wo? Every social network has its own framework for video content. Therefore, know in advance which platform you are producing the video for and adapt it accordingly for the community.
- Why? A clearly defined goal helps with the implementation and measurement of the success of your social media video. Make sure video marketing has a positive impact on your overall marketing goals.
Grab attention from second 1
Social-Media-Videos only have a few seconds to do so Community attention to obtain. The ever-increasing range of entertainment formats is forcing brands to impress even more with their originality.
Therefore, start your videos with strong hooks. For example:
- surprising facts
- bold statements
- unusual situations
- an exciting question
- impressive landscapes
- human faces
We know from our own experience: it works!
Upload the video as a native post
The algorithm loves native Videos. Why? Because the goal of every social media network is to keep its users on the platform and interact with the functions and other users.
Therefore, post your video as a clip on the platform itself and not as a video link. This has a positive effect on the range.
#5: Make your video accessible and discoverable
Nobody will watch your video if it is difficult to consume or cannot be found in the first place.
With this checklist you can prevent this:
- Use subtitles – always. Play videos on Facebook 85% of the community has no sound. Allow people to watch your video at any moment with subtitles: on the train, on their lunch break, or in the supermarket.
- Remember the video description. A catchy video description is at least as important as the video content. Use keywords, hashtags and explain what your video is about. The following applies here: the shorter, the better.
- Promote your video – organically and through promotions. Check your Insights to find out what is the best time to post videos. The more people see the video, the higher the chance that it will be shared and the reach will grow organically. For maximum impact, you should occasionally boost your visibility with paid ads.
Create snackable content, choose the right platform and tell compelling stories in your social media videos
You now know what’s important. When are you starting?
Create high-quality videos in 15 minutes!
Tailor-made. Creative. Simply. With PlayPlay you create videos that inspire your target group. Without any prior knowledge
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Philip Wolf
Marketing Lead Manager
Philipp is a marketing expert with a strong focus on content marketing. When he’s not working on content or a new campaign for PlayPlay, he’s jogging through Berlin, renovating his apartment or traveling through Europe by train.
