In terms of the most effective form of communication, video communication in social networks consistently ranks first. A moving picture attracts our attention the most and draws the viewer into its story, which brings many benefits to the authors.
Video communication results
The popularity of video marketing is influenced by new video platforms, such as TikTok, but this trend started much earlier. Increasingly popular are the so-called “reels” that appear on Facebook and Instagram. These are typically short videos on various topics created to the beat of the music, but not always. Reels are, first and foremost, another great product promotion tool.
According to Hootsuite, 80% of companies using the video format recorded a direct increase in sales, and 84% of consumers were convinced to buy after watching a video that presented the product. The statistics speak for themselves, thus confirming that the video format increases the interest of users. This translates to the reach of videos added to posts being several times greater than graphic ones. Users interact with videos much more often, resulting in frequent shares or activity in the form of reactions.
The possibility of being drawn into video stories is why they are so close to us. Even a few-second film engages the eyes and mind, which is much more difficult with a static image. Videos combined with scrolling have become an addictive habit for our brains, as evidenced by the amount of time we can spend while browsing the so-called “reels” on Instagram or TikTok.
Another video medium where we are also seeing growth is storefronts. More and more brands are giving up paper communication and classic posters in favour of large monitors — sometimes the whole wall! Such a space makes it possible to convey much more information in a diverse and aesthetic way. Thus, video is definitely the future of storefront communication and sales in brick-and-mortar stores.
Video creation tools
Technological development has led to the fact that we often do not need a professional film studio with equipment worth thousands of dollars for simple video communication. In fact, knowing the basic principles of composition, light, and your smartphone, we can record good content that will reach very large audiences.
Smartphones
Personally, I like to use smartphones. These are small devices that are frequently of high quality and can be extremely useful, particularly at the start of a business, but not only. Popular stories of even major corporations are often recorded here and now using smartphones, because that’s what they’re supposed to be – authentic.
If we only have such a possibility, I would suggest taking care of the lighting so that the character or product is well-lit. This is important because it improves image quality, especially with the weaker lenses on our smartphones. Avoid recording against the light or in strong sunlight, and when it’s dark, try to control it by using a softbox in studio conditions or an LED lamp mounted on a smartphone.
The background is also important because it frequently draws our attention away from the subject. It is best when it is delicate, especially when we want to focus attention on the product or character.
The ability to use a smartphone does not mean that we should not approach communication ambitiously and without the use of professional equipment. This is just one of the easily accessible forms of communication. Wanting to develop, I suggest going for quality, trying to make the materials as good as possible. From my experience, I know that the quality of the video depends not only on the power of the device but also – and perhaps above all – the content. It is important that we define our target group (including age, gender, and place of residence), and also prepare an interesting scenario appropriate for it.
Phone software
We must also not forget about the software that will allow us to finalize video communication. We have many programs and applications at our disposal.
When it comes to smartphones, simple video editing, e.g., adding music, and subtitles, or applying filters to the image, has become the norm. However, if we would like to delve more deeply into film editing, it is worth getting acquainted with such applications as:
- YouCut – video editor,
- CapCut,
- InShot,
- Adobe Premiere Rush,
- and many more that are available on smartphones.
These programs allow us to assemble images from many movies by cutting them, combining them with transitions, and adding or manipulating the sound. We can also edit video colours, integrate texts, and give them different formats. They have interesting effects and easy-to-use tools, but they are not as advanced as those that we will handle at the desktop level.
Computer software
The top program, if we consider video editing from a computer, is Adobe Premier, which works with Adobe After Effects, and this allows you to get great effects. Sony Vegas and the free DaVinci Resolve are also worth mentioning.
Each of them will allow us to act more professionally on our own, on a large timeline, with better visibility and orientation in our work. They have a much greater range of possibilities in image editing, which is unfortunately associated with their level of complexity. So, they require the user to implement and familiarize themselves with the program with the help of a tutorial from Vinca Opra (which you will find below). It allows you to familiarize yourself with the basic functions of the program step by step so that you can freely edit your first movie!
Types of video content
We can create a wide variety of videos to communicate with our audience. Our only limitation has been, and will continue to be, our imagination.
Video communication suggestions:
- image film – it’s a company showcase that can tell the entire story of the brand and encourage people to use its services,
- presentation of products – thanks to it, we can present the functionality of the product, or present instructional videos on its precise use,
- stories from events – it is worth capturing your activity at external and internal events, showing the atmosphere of the place,
- interviews – videos presenting the knowledge of specialists, e.g., from the company, will be valuable material – they can present interesting solutions to problems that they encounter at work on a daily basis,
- stories – it is worth focusing on everyday stories in social media that concern the life of the company. It builds a constant relationship with the user, and awareness of what is happening in a given brand and what new products will appear can increase the turnover of each brand.
Video promotion on social media
The currently popular form of video, which I have already mentioned, is Reels, which are available on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook. It is a format for conveying a large amount of information in a short period of time.
Take your smartphone now to see how engaging this form of communication is. Each of the reels will attract us more and more in its own way. Often, however, this feeling is quite fleeting, because we usually watch a given reel once. Therefore, it is worth engaging the recipient strongly because watching the reel to the end will make the algorithm offer the user our content again at some point.
After all, the most effective method of establishing relationships and becoming known will be sponsored videos. Social media was created to earn money and let others earn money. This applies to any brand that wants to appear and be noticed in the countless materials appearing on the web.
To do this, we have several ways:
Advertising – allows you to increase the range of your brand several times and attract the attention of current and future users. The interest in a given product leads to the fact that we are looking for as much information about it as possible to convince ourselves that its purchase is a good idea.
Video statistics collected by Wyzowl show that as many as 88% of interested people decide to buy a given product or service after watching a video about that product or brand, and 73% of them prefer short videos – the so-called explainer videos. The confirmation of this thesis is the information from the other side of the sales chain because 81% of marketers admit that video helped them increase sales.
Groups in social media – thematic groups in which we can share our video materials, especially those that convey some knowledge, and are not just a typical advertisement – have great potential. We can gain the recognition of new users there.
Employee Advocacy – it is worth remembering the involvement of employees in sharing company content. “Sharing” from the level of private profiles can achieve eight times more interest. Unfortunately, the company ones just have cut-off ranges. Each employee has a huge network of contacts and other audiences that can help achieve spectacular results.
A few words at the end
Overall, I think you have all the information you need to get started with video communication. You know its effectiveness, tools, and forms in which it can be presented. Many dependencies can affect the effectiveness of your communication, but I believe that this article will allow you to find the golden mean. One thing’s for sure, one video is getting more and more popular, so don’t delay – grab your phone and start recording!
I suggest you start by downloading the YouCut app to break the ice and understand how it all works. I am also sending a dose of patience, because the beginnings of film editing are not always easy. I will also add, do not be discouraged at the very beginning. It is not always about your video having several hundred thousand views, because often a smaller group of recipients, if well filtered, can bring much better results than empty playbacks of your communication.
Show the world your product, service, or personal brand on a large scale. Good luck!
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If you are interested in the use of tools in marketing, we recommend the article of our expert (PL): Jak AI pomaga w hiperpersonalizacji?
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