How to create compelling video content

How to create compelling video content from home

Expert insights and tips for marketers who need to turn their home into a studio

B2B marketers have learned that one of the most effective ways to share an idea is to put it in a video. Whether live-streamed or pre-recorded, thought leadership video content helps to humanise expertise and bring brand and product narratives to life. It turns concepts into conversations and makes insights feel interactive.

With face-to-face meetings off the table and audiences isolating at home, the sense of connection that video content brings feels more important than ever. However, it also feels harder to produce. The best video content is almost always a team game – and bringing that team together in one place is no longer an option.

However, just because you can’t gather expert guests together in a room and have people on hand to handle the filming, doesn’t mean that you have to give up on video. Sharing ideas through a camera is still powerful, even when the only cameras you have are those on your laptop or your smartphone. With a few creative touches and a little know-how, you can create content that stands out, and feels polished, professional – and worth watching.

Here are the insights and tips that we’ve found most helpful when it comes to creating video content from home. They come from video production experts, video marketers and our own analysis of what makes for effective thought leadership content in the LinkedIn feed:

Have confidence in your content

It’s worth remembering that the most important ingredient in your video content is the same whether you’re filming at home or in a studio. If you have ideas that are fresh, relevant and relate-able then audiences are likely to respond no matter how rough around the edges your video feels.

At the end of the day, it’s the content that matters most,” says Scott Jackson, Managing Director of video production consultancy, Through The I, who works with me on our Live with Marketers video series.

The most important thing is that the content matches what people are interested in.”

The value of strong core content and confident delivery are increasing in the current situation. Audiences’ expectations of video are being reshaped by watching famous musicians live-stream concert performances from home, or seeing TV shows switch to showing footage filmed on presenters’ webcams. It no longer seems unnatural or unprofessional to watch video filmed at home, provided that what’s being filmed delivers the value an audience is looking for.

It’s all about the audio

Video is a visual medium, and so it’s natural to focus most of your attention on what things look like. According to Scott though, it’s often the quality of audio that has the biggest impact on audience’s experience. “Audio is one of the first things to suffer with home recordings, whether it’s a result of echo-ey rooms or presenters sitting too far from the mic,” he says.

If the audience can’t understand what’s being said, it makes it all too easy for them to disengage. Subtitles help – and viewers were happy to rely on them when they were commuting or watching with the sound off. But now people are more likely to be watching at home and a lot more video content is streamed live. It’s important to make audio a priority and aim to get the best quality you can at source.”

Pushing for better audio quality can take place on several different levels. Try experimenting with the sound levels in the app you’re using to record – and find the level that gives the clearest sound, before you start broadcasting. If you’re using the mic in your laptop or smartphone and you find it’s a little echoey, place a thick towel on the table with the device on top, or record closer to sofas, curtains or duvets to soak the unwanted sound up. For even better results, invest in one of the simple clip-on microphones that you can buy online.

If you’re hosting a live discussion, you can often get better quality when you and your guests use the dial-in-by-phone option for audio. And don’t rely on video-conferencing platforms’ auto-switching software to decide who should be muted and who shouldn’t. It’s better for the audience experience if you take control yourself.

Choosing your shot – and dressing your set

“The secret to shooting video content at home is to think like a producer,” says Scott.

All kinds of things can be happening offscreen – but it’s what appears in the shot that counts.”

The direction of your camera, and what appears in the background, all make a difference. Done well, they can add visual interest. Done badly, they can make it difficult for your audience to focus on what matters.

An uncluttered background is usually the best approach. You don’t really want your audience distracted by how messy your living room is – or what brand of dishwasher you have. However, Scott says there’s no problem with books or pieces of art appearing on a wall if you’re happy that they add something interesting and relevant to the shot. Depth of background helps to pull a viewer in (avoid filming yourself flat against a wall if you can). And if you want to incorporate more of a controlled brand environment, consider ordering a printed pop-up stand to be delivered to your home with relevant brand colours or an abstract of your logo.

The way that you or your speakers address the camera can have an impact on engagement as well. “It’s best to follow the rule of thirds,” says Steph Garofoli, the Senior Director for Patnerships at VidMob, the video creation platform and a Certified LinkedIn Content Partner. “In practice, that means positioning people slightly off centre of the shot. If you’re filming yourself, pick an object or a person that’s positioned behind the camera and off to the left as you look at it – and then look at that as you’re speaking. It will give a much more natural feel to the shot.”

Besides angles and backgrounds, smart use of lighting is often the X Factor in making your video content more captivating. “If you’re fortunate to have some natural light to play with then make friends with it,” says Scott. “It’s tempting to try and film yourself in front of a window and a nice view, but remember that the camera will automatically expose for the brightest light – so this throws you into darkness. Try facing the window instead, so you’re lit by the natural daylight. Try different angles where you can have it falling across your face and lighting you in different ways. You can also try using a torch or the flashlight on your phone to light you from different positions, or light the area around you.”

A few simple pieces of equipment can help. You’ll be able to order mini-tripods to fit most smartphones which you can use to position your camera – and keep it steady. LED lights can also make it easier to get the effect that you want. If your smartphone has a 4K, high-definition camera, then this is likely to be your best option for capturing high-quality footage.

Introducing live guests

These days, there are a range of different options for introducing guests to your broadcast – without the need for them to be in the same room. You can use popular videoconferencing platforms like Zoom or Bluejeans to combine footage from different webcams and either edit the content first or stream it live. Online streaming studios like StreamYard, which runs in your browser and works with LinkedIn Live, enables you to add up to six other participants to a live-stream broadcast.

If you’re featuring influencers as guests in your video content, consider sending them a gift package of simple equipment like clip-on microphones, mini-tripods and LED lights. It will make it easier for them to get set up to record your content – and it helps to maintain a consistent quality for your broadcast. You’ll find some of our recommendations for affordable but effective filming equipment in this post.

Raising the bar with remote production expertise

Just because you can’t have a video production company in the room with you doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from that company’s expertise. A remote producer can advise on setting up a shot and capturing the best possible quality footage with the equipment you have. They can also talk you and other presenters through what you’re doing, and help you perfect a natural delivery. And while you’re broadcasting, they can work on cleaning up audio, sync’ing camera angles and adding effects remotely that turn the look and feel of your content from a video conference call to a news broadcast.

There are actually a lot of different devices within most homes that you can use to capture video,”

says Scott, who helped interviewees to film themselves at home for LinkedIn Talent Solutions’ virtual conference, Impact 2020. “Even with a live broadcast, we can use webcams alongside our remote studio technology, to increase the quality of the images and audio, and talk presenters through what they’re doing. We can bring in feeds from different camera sources. We can also make interviewing guests look a lot more professional by framing them in thirds of a screen the way a news broadcast would.”

When it comes to live video, a remote producer has another equally important role: monitoring comments as they come in and passing them on to you, as the presenter. It enables you to focus on what you’re doing without having to divide your attention between two different screens – and it helps the audience feel more closely involved in the live experience that you create.

Be prepared to mix things up

Filming at home doesn’t have to mean creating just one kind of video content. By playing with format and length you can create a range of audience experiences.

Different styles of video content perform against different metrics,”

says Jennifer Bunting. “If you’re looking to raise awareness, then it helps to focus on snackable content lengths where people can quickly get an idea of why they’re watching. If you want to drive an action, think about how you can incorporate a sense of movement or model the action you want somebody to take. Then there’s live video, which we know can be really effective for driving engagement and consideration.”

The content marketing expert and bestselling author Ann Handley launched a pop-up video show on LinkedIn in response to the current crisis – and along with her fellow author and co-presenter Marcus Sheridan, she’s already shown the value of mixing up video formats. Ann and Marcus launched their #InItTogether show as a pre-recorded, 10-minute discussion of questions sent in by the LinkedIn audience, and this snackable format proved very effective for building awareness and momentum. When they switched to a longer live-stream discussion they managed to boost the number of comments they received almost 20x, deepening engagement.

It’s not just your overall video content plan that you can mix up in this way. Scott incorporated a mix of live and pre-recorded video content into Impact 2020. “A live-streamed video broadcast doesn’t have to include just live video,” he explains. “You can pre-record whole sections, which could enable you to do more in post-production, play with different camera angles or introduce different types of footage. You can record on smartphones and a laptop webcam simultaneously, use a clapperboard to sync the audio, and then edit something together that uses different camera angles to create something quite impressive.”

Why it pays to rehearse

There’s one other area where it’s worth investing a little extra time and attention when creating video content at home – and that’s your own performance. Rehearsing what you’ll say and how you’ll deliver it can make a big difference to the end-result. In fact, one of the big benefits of working with a remote production company is the value of having another pair of eyes and ears to help check how everything comes across. This isn’t necessarily about avoiding mistakes (audiences really don’t mind if you get a line wrong and they’ll interpret the odd gaffe as natural and authentic). It’s more about making sure your message is easy for people to follow.

Running through a live broadcast is also a great way to test your camera angles and audio, and sense-check how you’re appearing on-screen. And it helps to make sure that video recorded at home delivers the same level of experience as that put together in a studio

“We’re seeing a real appetite among marketers for doing this better, doing something different and more creative,” says Scott. “We’re going to see this kind of video content become a lot more engaging in a short space of time.”

How to Make a Video: a Step-by-Step Guide

Written by Lauren Colman

Creating a video (or video series) to help market your product or service is a no-brainer. It's an easy, shareable way to communicate your company's core message. It can also lead to a strong ROI. In fact, product videos increase the chance of a purchase by 144%.

Like many companies, you might not have the in-house resources to create a clip or much time to waste on learning video editing software yourself.

If you don’t have a ton of experience in video production, it may seem like your only options are to pay a lot of money for someone else to do it, or hack together a bad video on your own.

Free Course: Learn What Video Marketing Is and How to Do It

Good news: there’s a third option. Even with limited resources, companies launch with great video campaigns all the time.

To help you build solid, but affordable, content, here are six tips to create a great video.

How to Make a Good Video

1.     Craft a production plan.

2.     Showcase your personality.

3.     Clearly explain your product or service.

4.     Add both entertaining and informational value.

5.     Tell a story that engages the customer.

6.     Title and promote the video.

1. Craft a production plan.

When you enter video production, it's good to plan as much as possible before you start rolling. This will make the production and editing process flow much more smoothly.

How to do it

Identify your goals and mission for making a video, and then make a plan that aligns with them. Create a script or a storyboard that explains what you will show in your video and what major points you'd like to get across to your audience.

Share this with team members involved in the video so every gets to give feedback and contribute. This will also help your team stay on the same page and track your progress if you're on a deadline.

2. Showcase your personality.

Whatever it is you’re producing, you’re likely not the first one to do so. The number one marketing challenge you’ll face during launch is standing out from competitors in your field.

What sets your productivity app or hilarious slogan t-shirt or handcrafted eco-friendly wooden rocking horse apart from the pack?

Customers may not want to read your long written explanation about why your wooden rocking horse is more eco-friendly than the others. Visual content is much more digestible, accessible, and shareable to the average person.

Infinite bonus points if you can figure out a way to showcase the personality of your product (or your company, or just yourself) in a way that’s relatable and memorable.

Have you ever made a purchase just because you loved the personality of the brand? Chances are, it was a piece of visual content—perhaps a video—that you instantly connected with because it was just so likable.

Aim to create that kind of video content. If people decide they like you, they’ll show you by becoming customers.

How to do it

Be honest with yourself about your on-camera skills. Is your business partner more charismatic? Put him or her in front of the camera, instead.

Talking into a mic and speaking to an unseen audience may seem easy, but it often isn't.

Do several takes, upload them all, and edit out awkward pauses. Practice trimming and splitting clips until your transitions look natural.

People love to learn about the personality of a brand by getting a glimpse behind the curtain.

If you’re making a physical product, some footage of the manufacturing process is an excellent way to make your product relatable.

Don’t be afraid to whip out your cell phone if you’re missing a moment, be it putting the final touches on a great-looking product or your lead developer falling asleep at his desk.

Example: Dollar Shave Club

3. Clearly explain your product or service.

Have you ever joked about being married to your work? Like a regular marriage, you’re incredibly familiar with your “spouse.” You know things about each other that no one else knows.

You know your product better than anyone else. That’s great, but you may make the mistake of assuming everyone else knows the ins and outs of your product, too.

Don’t jump right to marketing "Awesome Thing About My Product Number Five," just because you assume Things one through four are obvious.

Look at your product as if you know nothing about what it is, what it does, or what kinds of problems it can solve. Tell yourself the story of your product as if you know nothing. Then, take that story and tell it to everyone else.

How to do it

If you’re marketing a digital product, it’s time to learn how to create a quality screen capture video. Demonstrate the typical use of your product, but don’t jump right into it—use screen capture to demonstrate a problem or pain point that your product solves.

If the viewer can identify with the problem you’re showing them on-screen, they’ll be much more engaged when you introduce your product. Use repetition, and don’t go too fast.

This is the first time they’re seeing your product in action, and you want to give the viewer the chance to experience the full effect of its genius.

If your product is physical, focus on showing them what your product does and how it can help. Think about demo videos or commercials you’ve seen for popular pieces of technology.

They don’t spend two or three minutes talking about battery life and storage capacity. They use that valuable video real estate to show the product in action, being used as the average consumer wants to use it.

Be helpful in your video, and err on the side of over-explaining. Use captions or video annotations (think Pop-Up Video) to explain anything that isn’t obvious, or use them to supplement your voice over narration.

Example: PadMapper

4. Add both entertaining and informational value.

Believe it or not, not everyone will want to sit through your video, even if it is short. Why should they? There are millions of other videos on the Internet, and some of them even have cats in them.

Figure out what value your video is going to offer to your audience. Does it tell a great story? Does it explain how to solve a problem?

Does it give them an insider reward, like a discount code or a clickable link to a free trial? Or is it just three minutes of you ranting into the camera about why non-eco-friendly wooden rocking horses are the worst thing ever invented?

Add some value to your video, and watch it get shared beyond just your inner circle of friends and fellow rocking horse enthusiasts. Believe it or not, most people are altruistic—if they see a clear benefit to be gained from watching your video, they’ll want to share that benefit with their friends and connections.

How to do it

Think back to the last video you shared. Why did you share it? Chances are, if you’re like most people, you wanted to establish your authority on the topic. You wanted to be the first to present that piece of information to the people in your circle. It’s why most content is shared—for the social credibility.

You can give people the social credibility they want by creating smart, informative videos for them to share. If your product solves a problem, present the solution in a way that sounds revolutionary.

For example, if your product speeds up a task that your target customer must perform often, use picture-in-picture editing features to demonstrate how much quicker they can accomplish the task using your product.

It’s great to tell someone that they can save 30 seconds searching for the best rate on their next flight, but if you can show the typical process side-by-side with your innovation, you can actually make them sit through those 30 seconds. It will be excruciating. They will buy your app.

If you decide to go with a more tangible benefit such as a discount code or a free trial, make it easy for the viewer to get. Put a clickable link right in your video.

Don’t tell them to go to another website (or do anything else at all). They won’t do it, and you’ll lose that opportunity. Keep it simple if you want your videos to convert leads.

Example: Moov

5. Tell a story that engages the customer.

Think back to high school English class, when you learned about the components of a story—there’s an introduction, conflict, climax, and resolution. If you leave out any of these crucial parts, you’re left with a collection of sentences that have been smashed together for no apparent reason.

Not only should you tell a coherent story (and this will require some pre-planning, writing, and editing), but you should make sure it goes somewhere. A nice, tidy ending is great, but building suspense is better. Are you going to produce another video to continue the story? If so, why should your viewers be excited to watch it?

How to do it

You thought this would be all visuals? You’re going to have to write. If you don’t plan your story, it won’t materialize out of the ether. Make a plan for your video content, and look beyond video number one.

Rather than one explainer video, is your product suited to a series of instructional videos? Can you help people create something with your product? Break that “something” into pieces, and create a series of short videos.

You can even record the entire series in one go, and use an easy editing tool to break the footage out into logical sections. Keeping your audience waiting for more (as long as it’s great content) is an excellent way to stay top-of-mind.

If you’re more of a storyteller, you can keep a video series looking cohesive (and cut down on your workload) by reusing clips.

Remind your viewers of the product benefits you explored last time, and build on the story you’ve already told. Just be sure to store your edited video somewhere safe—the cloud is your best bet—so you don’t have to repeat all your hard work each time you make a new video.

Even if your story doesn’t end at the end of the video, that chapter does. Make sure you leave your viewer with something concrete to do.

There should be a call-to-action at the end of every video, even if you set an expectation that another video will follow. You never know when a viewer will disengage from your content, so give them opportunities to become a customer or subscriber while you have their attention.

Example: WatchSuperFoods

6. Title and promote the video.

You’ve created a great piece of video content that showcases your personality, explains what you’re doing, has a clear benefit, and tells a great story. What do you do next?

It's time to promote the heck out of it. We don’t have to tell you why you want to do this step. We do, however, want to help you do it well.

How to do it

The best way to ensure people watch your video is to give it a great title.

After Google, YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. You put a ton of research and consideration into your landing page titles—do the same for your video, or your clickthroughs will be dismal.

The same goes for your description and tags. Try using hashtags in your title to ensure you’re getting found with the right keywords. You’re also going to want to put some time into selecting the right thumbnail for your video.

This is all the potential viewer will see before they decide whether or not to hit the “play” button, so make that one image extra-compelling.

Export your video to more than one platform. Some people watch on YouTube, some might prefer to watch Facebook. Don’t limit yourself to one platform, or you’ll miss out on a huge number of potential viewers.

If you're interested in filming videos for platforms like Instagram, check out these great examples for inspiration.

Making Marketing Videos

Regardless of the topic of your video or your amount of resources, be sure to follow these simple, but vital best practices when making a marketing video:

·         Clearly explain your service or product, as well as why it might be valuable to the customer. For example, if you sell a technology, you should use this video to explain what this technology does and why it might save a customer time and money. You could also use this video to show a demo of the product. 

·         Be sure your video looks professional. Film in a properly lit environment with low background noise, if any. If you work in an open office, move your production into a quiet conference room or hallway. If the lighting is poor and it effects how the film subjects are seen on screen, try moving around lamps, or consider purchasing an affordable light at a home-goods or hardware store.

·         You don't need to buy an expensive video camera, but try to use a lower-priced video camera, a digital camera that takes video, or a newer smartphone for a crisp image.

·         Hold your film device on a tripod or another surface to limit shakiness. Nothing ruins a great video like an unprofessional, unsteady image. Too much movement can also cause blurry visuals as a camera tries to auto-focus.

·         Use a video editing tool to put the video together so it looks clean and professional. When it comes to finding software, there are plenty of affordable options. Some computers, like Macs, already come with an easy-to-use program called IMovie. Once you settle on the technology you'll use, check out this guide to editing Youtube videos.

·         Export your finished product in high-definition. Exporting to HD allows your viewers to see a crisp clean image, rather than a blurry one, on most devices. Here's a quick guide to editing Youtube videos.

That’s it! With these tips in mind, you can market your business like a seasoned video producer. Go forth and convert!

5 Tips for Creating Quality Video Content Even If You're Clueless How to Begin

Like pretty much everything else, getting started is half of succeeding.

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Aaron Price

GUEST WRITER

Founder, Propelify.com / NJ Tech Meetup

   

January 15, 2018 3 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Do you need to produce video content if you want a future in media?

Chris Williams (Chief Product Officer of iHeartMedia), Jesse Hertzberg (former CEO of Livestream) and Hope King (anchor at Cheddar Media), all think so, and they aren’t alone. More than 500 million hours of Youtube videos are watched every day, and 90 percent of users say product videos are helpful in making purchasing decisions. Experts predict that by 2019, 80 percent of all consumer internet traffic will be video traffic. If you're looking to create relevant, engaging online marketing for your brand, video is the way to do it.

Related: Video Is a Massively Powerful Marketing Tool. Here's How to Optimize It.

No clue about where to start? Check out Hertzberg and Williams’ top five tips to get your content strategy off the ground.

1. Begin with your customers.

“I think the best place to start for a business that wants to create video content is to make video for your existing clients,” Hertzberg says. When you start thinking about videos you want to make, focus on giving away knowledge. Educate your consumers by giving them information that will improve their lives. 

Related: Why I Give Away My Knowledge For Free -- and How That Helps Me Drive Sales

2. Don’t know where to start? Ask your audience.

If you’re lost about which type of video content to produce, go right to the source. Take to social media and ask your audience what they want and need. An AMA is an easy place to start for live video, plus you’ll learn more topics to spin into future video content.

Related: 5 Low-Cost Ways to Get Started With Video

3. Keep it short and sweet.

The best live-video content is in 15- to 10-minute chunks. “Enough to talk about what you want to talk about,” Hertzberg says, “but also an amount that feels easy.”

4. Don’t freak out about platform.

There’s plenty of platforms to reach people with video content, but your platform might not be that important in the big picture. "How are you connecting with your audience?" Williams asks. "What is the point of what you’re offering? That’s what’s important to me.”

Related: 7 Ways to Create a Killer Marketing Video

5. Forget about size.

Instead of obsessing about the number of eyeballs on your videos, laser in on who you’re serving. Put the emphasis on building a community of like-minded people who have something to say to one another. Then, make sure you're engaging regularly with that community.  

11 Tips For Creating Compelling, Authentic Video Content

Forbes Agency Council

COUNCIL POST| Paid Program

Leadership

POST WRITTEN BY

Forbes Agency Council

Successful PR, media strategy, creative and advertising executives from Forbes Agency Council share trends and tips.    

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These days, video content is king. It seems that everyone is working to create the most compelling video possible for their brand. But how do you make a video that's authentic and engaging? We asked members of the Forbes Agency Council what to keep in mind to create video content that keeps consumers interested. Their best answers are below.

Members of the Forbes Agency Council offer their best tips.

 IMAGES COURTESY OF FAC MEMBERS.

1. Know Why You Are Creating A Video 

Good video content is planned and not treated as an afterthought. Consider where, when and how your video will be used, as well as what the purpose of the video is. Are you building brand awareness? Is it for education? When you know who will be watching it, what you want to accomplish and where it will be seen, you can customize it to fit the platform and your targeted audience. - Benjamin Collins, Laughing Samurai 

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2. Discover The Pain Point 

Don't make assumptions. Send a survey to your email list asking about their biggest struggle and create content around common responses. To incentivize feedback, you can offer gated content, discounts or even small monetary considerations such as gift cards. You may be surprised to learn that your originally intended video content does not address the primary concerns of your audience. - Bryan Citrin, Chiropractic Advertising 

3. Don't Rely On Your Video Script 

Video scripts are great tools to keep you focused on the most important points you want to make. But relying too much on a script during video production can actually hurt the video's authenticity. Someone who checks his or her script every few seconds can come off more like a robot than an authentic person with a message or tip. Study the script for the key points but put it aside when the camera rolls. - Laura Cole, Vivial 

4. Incorporate Client Testimonials 

Incorporating client testimonials into your videos is a great way to engage audiences and help prospects understand how they might use your products or services. These real-life stories, if outlined and scripted appropriately, can build authentic credibility for your brand.   - Megan Shroy, Approach Marketing 

5. Ensure Quality And Consistency 

Truly authentic video content relies on two things: quality and consistency. Without quality, you lose engagement from viewers who have come to expect high-quality content. Without consistency, you can't create a long-term relationship with your audience. If you do have both of those things, the engagement will follow as long as you're providing valuable content your audience wants to consume. - Michael Mogill, Crisp Video Group 

6. Film Authentic Video 

Make content that's unscripted but controls the narrative, versus being completely scripted but overly entertaining. We try to be off-the-cuff. We installed four cameras and a ceiling mount in my office to be able to get authentic video content. You have to always be filming. Then you can edit your raw video to portray what you want. People tend to not believe content that feels overproduced.   - Josh Sample, Drive Social Media Saint Louis 

7. Screen Testimonials In Advance  

Screening and interviewing testimonials before you begin shooting can be extremely beneficial for a number of reasons: They allow you to see how comfortable and engaging prospective testimonials are, you can identify their "dramatic arc" so you know in advance what the story is you want to capture, and the process allows you to cultivate goodwill and trust, which can be extremely helpful when you sit down with the camera rolling. I recommend using FaceTime or Skype if you cannot conduct the pre-interviews in person. - Peter Koeppel, Koeppel Direct 

8. Trust The Human Factor 

People trust people more than elaborate productions. In our world of online ratings and reviews, people want to hear from other people, not brands or companies. A simple, passionate plea from an average Joe or Joan will resonate with a lot of buyers. Sure, you need to show the product and brand, but if you want to engage, you need more than just a voiceover. Your buyers want to see someone like them benefiting from the product or service. - David Kovacs, Allegra Princeton 

9. Be Strategic 

Make it a priority so that your video has a team focus. If you want to make more of anything, it has to be top of mind for everyone involved in making it. Identify the people who need to be involved, what you want the videos to accomplish, how often you want them to come out and what subjects you want to cover. Authentic and engaging should still be strategic. - Nicole Mahoney, Break the Ice Media 

10. Avoid Making It All About You 

So many brands forget that stories are always, at their core, about humans. Find the human element in your story and hone in on that. Video is such a powerful medium if you can nail the human part of the narrative. I've seen video content about brand uniform standards be transformed into something powerful and emotive just by focusing on why the people felt so proud to wear them. - Thomas Harding, Mish Guru 

11. Don't Let Perfection Get In The Way 

Many companies still think video needs to be broadcast quality in order to tell a good story. Instead, with a good strategy, video content shot on a phone can be used to great effect, as long as the message is clear and well-edited. Stop thinking every video you produce needs to be a new television spot. Sometimes more DIY methods come across in a more authentic manner to consumers. - Greg Kihlstrom, Yes& Agency 

How to Create Micro-Video Content like Apple to Get More Traffic, Leads, and Sales

Home » Blog » Content Marketing » How to Create Micro-Video Content like Apple to Get More Traffic, Leads, and Sales

Video content is taking the marketing world by storm.

And that’s no surprise. People love watching videos.

Ever since the television found its footing and the iPhone put a quality camera in everyone’s hand, people use video to learn and entertain.

Although, back in “those days,” no one quite understood just how powerful video would become.

Not just in terms of entertaining us.

And not just for hanging with friends on a Friday night.

But for marketing.

In fact, last year, one source predicted that nearly 75% of all Internet traffic would go toward video in 2017.

That’s a massive portion of online activity that’s seeking out video.

Likely, though, you’re no different.

Think about your own experience. When you seek out entertainment, or you want to learn about something, where do you go?

I’m willing to bet that at least one of your go-to places is YouTube.

But people don’t just seek out video on the Internet more, but they also remember it longer.

80% of viewers recall a video ad they saw in the last month.

Why is that important?

Because you want people to remember your brand as best they can. That way, when they are ready to purchase, they’ll remember who you are and where to find you.

Evidently, video gives your prospects a better memory of your business.

Video also converts better than social media content, webinars, blogs, case studies, or infographics.

In other words, it’s the second most lucrative type of content.

The point?

Video is powerful and you, as a marketer, need to start leveraging it.

Apple is particularly savvy at using video content to spread their brand message, drive traffic, leads, and sales.

In fact, they’re planning to spend over $1 billion on video content over the next year. Even I’ll be spending $144,000 on video content in 2018.

And Apple does it almost completely with micro-videos.

Fortunately, you can do the same thing.

First, though, let’s answer the obvious question.

What is micro-video content?

The exact definition of what micro-video content is differs from blog post to blog post.

Some argue that a micro-video is a video that is exclusively 6-15 seconds long. Others argue that micro-videos are simply a short-form version of video content.

All of those opinions have blurred the lines.

But that’s not such a bad thing. Every marketer has a different audience and should create content that caters to that audience specifically.

You shouldn’t have to bend to some ambiguous second-standard of how long a piece of micro-video content should be.

So, for my own definition, I hope you’ll accept this: Micro-video content is shorter-than-normal video content created for the purpose of retaining attention and catering to the increasingly short attention spans of today’s consumers.

Will that suffice?

Yes. I think it will.

And if it doesn’t suffice for your business, feel free to create your own definition with a similar idea.

Whatever you decide, the truth is the same. The longer a video lasts, the more people that stop watching.

That graph illustrates one of the major benefits of micro-video content.

Since people watch the entire video (rather than bailing out halfway through), they engage with your business, understand your message, and look forward to future content.

Basically, you build relationships with consumers that are actually worth having.

Lots of businesses create video content that is painfully long and painfully boring. Micro-video content looks to combat that tendency.

And Apple isn’t letting up.

Here’s one example of a micro-video they created that introduces the face recognition feature on their new iPhone X.

https://youtu.be/Hn89qD03Tzc

And here’s one more introducing an iPhone X feature that allows users to “animoji” themselves.

https://youtu.be/Kkq8a6AV3HM

With content like that, there’s no reason for consumers to look away.

We’ve all started watching a video, only to quit after realizing that the video was 15 minutes long and we didn’t have the time to finish it.

For that reason, in most cases, shorter is better.

Micro-video content is the epitome of short, effective, lead-, traffic-, and sales-generating video content.

But how can you start making your own micro videos just like Apple?

Here are the six steps to make it easy.

Step #1: Determine your goal

Without a goal to guide your video content creation, you will aimlessly record anything interesting and hope it makes sense.

So yes. You definitely need a goal before creating your micro-videos.

And I’m not talking about a goal like, “I want to create three videos this year” or “I want the video to look nice.”

No. I’m talking about the goal of the micro-video you’re creating.

Take each video one at a time. While you want to create content like Apple, you probably don’t have the bandwidth or budget that Apple does.

And that means you need to create each video one at a time, ensuring that the quality holds up to the necessary standards.

The best way to make sure that happens is by understanding the goal of your video.

For inspiration, here are the top content marketing goals for B2C organizations. See if any of these resonate with you.

And here’s B2B in the same light for those of you with clients instead of customers.

Each video you create should have a semi-unique goal associated with it.

One video might be to build brand awareness while another tries to drive traffic.

One will try to generate leads and another, sales.

Make sure you understand the goal of your video before you start creating it.

Additionally, when setting your goals, make them SMART: Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

This is a critical process in the video content-creation process.

Just consider:

This animated video from Apple about how their business is environmentally friendly…

https://youtu.be/2cA9aGzcHpk

Has a far different goal than this video about how the iPhone X unlocks in the dark.

https://youtu.be/TC9u8hXjpW4

To create different videos that are equally effective, you must understand the why behind each video.

Why are you creating it? What do you want it to illustrate? And, above all else, how do you want it to benefit your marketing efforts? Traffic, leads, or sales?

Step #2: Choose your video style

While the Internet has tons of video content from new businesses and old businesses alike, it also has loads of different types of video.

There’s the gif, the vine, the animated video, and lots of other various styles.

Before you create your own video, you need to understand what kind of micro-video you want to create.

The type you choose should naturally flow from the goal of the video.

If the goal of the video, for instance, is to build brand awareness through humor, then an animated video might do the trick.

If you want to elicit an emotional response, then real footage might be far better.

Of course, your budget and bandwidth will also help determine what type of video you create.

You can, after all, only create what you have the time and money to create. For less time and money, you might want to consider creating a simple gif.

Something like this, for example.

via GIPHY

For companies with greater budgets, you might want to consider creating an animated video like this.

Naturally, though, doing so will take more time and money.

Or, you might want to consider creating a video with real footage that introduces a new and upcoming product, like Apple does for their MacBook Pro.

https://youtu.be/4BkskUE8_hA

Whatever you decide, make sure that form fits function.

You don’t want to create a funny video on a serious topic, and you don’t want to create a serious video for a funny topic.

The style of video you choose is just as important as the goal of the video.

And the two should naturally flow together.

Step #3: Write the video script

In the actual process of creating the video, the first thing you should do is write the script.

Many video creators have made the mistake of creating a video before writing a script, only to find that they can’t write a great script to match the already-created video.

Script comes first. Video comes second.

Of course, you might not have a script for your video.

On a lot of Apple’s videos, they just play background music and show compelling images.

Maybe that will work for you as well.

But many of you will want to create at least a few words to go along with the video, whether that be someone talking or simple overlay text.

Helpful micro-video content like this resource often requires a well-thought-out script.

https://youtu.be/9sJRj-4pLPU

As you can see, Apple quickly tells you how to do something. They add a bit of humor, and, above all, they make it quick.

They don’t mozy, and they definitely don’t make you wait.

Their script is quick and punchy, allowing the video to be the same.

There are three essential parts to any great video script.

1.    Hook the viewer with humor, a compelling stat, or some other intriguing piece of information.

2.    Give the bulk of the information that you want to give (this could be for entertainment purposes or helpful purposes).

3.    Have some sort of CTA (this is optional).

The CTA is optional because sometimes you simply want to increase brand awareness. You don’t necessarily want the audience to do anything.

You just want them to know about your business.

And for many videos, that’s okay.

That’s exactly what Apple does with this video where they show you how they recycle iPhone parts.

https://youtu.be/aDXy5bEG38w

They don’t use a CTA. They simply tell you about their recycling process to give consumers a healthy image of their brand.

Smart move, Apple. Smart move.

Sometimes, though, you will want to include a CTA in your script.

This, after all, will help you generate more traffic, leads, and sales.

To determine which CTA to use, ask yourself these questions.

·         What is your goal for the video?

·         What do viewers need to do to help you meet that goal?

·         How can you create a CTA that entices them to take that action?

Once you finish and revise your script, with or without a CTA, you can move on to step four.

Step #4: Select your recording tools

Fortunately, in today’s world, there are lots of inexpensive devices you can use to record your video.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you can simply buy a reasonably-priced video camera off of Amazon.

Otherwise, I recommend just using your iPhone to do the dirty work.

The iPhone has quite a remarkable camera and, with the right lighting, you can capture some seriously-compelling content.

The more important part of the video production is the audio, if you’re going to use any.

While the iPhone camera is remarkable, the iPhone microphone isn’t quite as remarkable.

You’ll want to spend a little extra money on purchasing a quality microphone that can connect to your smartphone easily.

Consider the Audio-Technica AT875R:

Or the Blue Microphones Yeti USB:

Either of those will help you record fantastic audio for your micro-video content.

Don’t move forward until you’ve decided on recording options for your video. It’s imperative that you decide which camera and microphone you’ll use to create the best effect and meet the necessary standards.

Step #5: Select your editing tools

Once you’ve written your script and recorded your video, you’ll have to edit it.

Unless, of course, it’s perfect after the first time. And it won’t be.

It never is.

Fortunately, there are a plethora of video and audio-editing tools in the online world.

The first is Animoto.

With this user-friendly software, you can upload and easily edit your videos. The pricing plans are relatively cheap and should be able to cater to all different levels of expertise.

Also, consider WeVideo to do video editing.

If you don’t want to create outright videos, but choose gifs instead, you can use Giphy to create gifs for free.

And keep in mind that many people on social media watch videos without the noise on.

They are viewing it while at work or in the bathroom or at home, and noise is often not a welcome disturbance.

This means that subtitles on your videos are more important than ever.

You can use Rev to automatically add subtitles to your video content for $7.50 per minute.

Fortunately, that cost won’t soar very high since you’re only creating micro-video content.

Now that you’ve edited your video, there’s only one final step to gaining traffic, leads, and sales like Apple does.

Step #6: Find the best place to promote your micro-video

Content without promotion is like peanut butter without jelly, coffee without creamer, or ham without jam.

Okay. That last one didn’t make sense.

But you get the point.

If you create great micro-video content, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice if you don’t take time to promote that content to your prospects and customers.

But you already know that.

What you might not know, though, is where you should promote your video content.

That is why I’m going to recommend three different places.

1.    YouTube

2.    Facebook

3.    Instagram

With those three you should have some good promotional footing for your marketing efforts.

YouTube has more than one billion unique visitors and six billion hours of watched video every single month.

YouTube is sort of the king of video, and you’d be missing out to not post your micro-video content on the lucrative platform.

Facebook is also a great platform for your video, with eight billion video views every single day.

And lastly, Instagram is a notoriously visual platform, making it a great place for video content.

It has over 500 million active users, making it the second most-used social media platform.

Use YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram to promote your micro-video content organically and with advertisements, and you’ll quickly gain traffic, leads, and sales like never before.

Too good to be true?

Well, it’s not.

Conclusion

You now know how successful video content can be. You fully understand how it can gain you traffic, leads, and sales.

But you also understand the power of micro-video content on the modern-day person’s short attention span.

The longer a video lasts, the more people who stop watching it.

Which is why Apple is investing $1 billion next year in micro-video content creation.

If you want to join them, then follow these six steps.

1.    Determine your goal

2.    Choose your video type

3.    Write the script

4.    Select your recording tools

5.    Select your editing tools

6.    Promote on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram

Then, and only then, will you reach consumers with video content like you’ve always wanted to, encouraging them to buy, buy, and buy again.

The Complete Guide to LinkedIn Video

MEGAN O'NEILL

Apr 3, 2019

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Did you know that video is the fastest growing type of content on LinkedIn? And that’s not all, LinkedIn shared with us that it’s also the type of content most likely to drive conversations on the platform.

If you’re interested in getting started with video on LinkedIn but aren’t sure where to start, this is the guide for you. We’ll dive into everything from the benefits of using video on LinkedIn to video ideas, best practices, and some step-by-step instructions on how to actually upload videos to the professional social network.

Click the links in the table of contents to jump directly to a specific section, or read through for an overview of all things LinkedIn video.

Table of contents:

·         Intro to LinkedIn Marketing

·         Benefits of LinkedIn Video

·         LinkedIn Video Ideas

·         LinkedIn Video Best Practices

·         LinkedIn Video Length and Specs

·         How to Share Videos on LinkedIn

·         Getting Started with LinkedIn Video

Intro to LinkedIn Marketing

We’ll start things off with a quick look at why LinkedIn is a great place to market your B2B business, in general. Candace Kim, LinkedIn Senior Product Marketing Manager, shared with us, "First and foremost, it’s our audience. We have the world’s largest professional audience."

LinkedIn is the place for businesses to connect with professionals. With an audience over 610 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn offers a unique opportunity for marketers to reach decision-makers, thought leaders, and executives on a platform where they’re ready to engage with and consume professional content.

This audience has 2X the buying power of average web audiences. And LinkedIn Marketing Solutions aims to help businesses reach the right professionals and maximize results through B2B advertising products aimed at creating and expanding relationships between businesses and professionals.

The Benefits of LinkedIn Video

As we mentioned in the introduction to this guide, video is the fastest growing type of content on LinkedIn, and it’s also the type of content most likely to drive conversations.

But that’s not all. The LinkedIn team shared with us that members on the professional network spend nearly 3X more time watching video ads compared to the time they spend with static Sponsored Content.

Millions of people have already created and shared videos on LinkedIn. And in a recent article on the Animoto blog, we shared 3 reasons you should be using video on LinkedIn, in collaboration with the LinkedIn team.

LinkedIn Video Ideas

Convinced you should be using video on LinkedIn but not sure what videos to make? In this section we’ll share some ideas for using video on LinkedIn. We’ll share ideas for videos that you can use to market your business, showcase your thought leadership, or for recruiting.

MARKETING VIDEO IDEAS

If you run a business targeting other businesses or business professionals (B2B), then LinkedIn offers an incredible marketing opportunity.

As we mentioned earlier, LinkedIn is teeming with professionals and decision-makers looking for products and tools that can help their businesses. Senior Product Marketing Manager, Candace Kim, says, "video allows our marketers to tell rich stories about their product and brand to these engaged audiences."

Here’s a template that can be used to create a video marketing a new product launch. Notice that it starts with a statement identifying a need and then dives into how the product solves for the need.

USE THIS TEMPLATE

And a product launch is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to LinkedIn marketing video ideas. Here are some more ideas for marketing with video:

·         Promote an upcoming event or webinar

·         Recap an event

·         Share top blog posts in video form

·         Break down complex products or concepts

·         Demo a product

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP VIDEO IDEAS

LinkedIn is also a wonderful place to showcase your professional thought leadership, as a business or as an individual. You are an expert in your field, and a video in which you share that expertise is a fantastic way to build trust and make a name for yourself in your industry.

One of the best ways to do this is by sharing your take on a trending news story within your industry. Join the conversation to share your perspective or explain a trend. Check out our Trending News template, created in partnership with LinkedIn, for an example.

USE THIS TEMPLATE

In addition to dissecting a current trend, here’s a list of video ideas that you can use to showcase your expertise on LinkedIn:

·         Share unique industry insights

·         Teach a skill

·         Record a presentation

·         Interview your CEO

·         Answer FAQs in your industry

RECRUITING VIDEO IDEAS

When potential new hires come to your LinkedIn business page, video can be a nice way to give them a glimpse into your company culture and values.

Our Company Values template offers a mix of marketing and recruiting. You can use it to showcase what your business does while also honing in on your company values, such as moving fast and leading with design. Customize it with your own product and values.

USE THIS TEMPLATE

Looking for more ideas for using video for recruiting? Here are a few:

·         Document a day in the life of an employee

·         Highlight an open role

·         Share an employee profile

·         Document a company event or outing

For more ideas and examples, check out our full blog post on LinkedIn business video ideas. That post contains eight video templates that you can customize today.

LinkedIn Video Best Practices

Ready to dive in and start creating videos? We’ve pulled together some best practices to help you make the most of your LinkedIn video efforts. These best practices were gleaned from the LinkedIn Sales and Marketing Solutions EMEA blog, a LinkedIn infographic on the science of breakthrough video, as well as conversations with the LinkedIn team.

START WITH YOUR AUDIENCE IN MIND

We’ve talked a lot about the power of the LInkedIn audience in this guide. But in order to create video content that resonates with the audience on LinkedIn, it’s important to start by considering their needs.

Before making a video, think about what audience you are creating it for. What are their needs and how can you offer them value? Create videos that will help solve a need for your audience or benefit them in some way.

CONSIDER THE BUYER’S JOURNEY

As a part of thinking about your audience, be sure to also consider where they are in the buyer’s journey. You can use video to enhance the experience for customers all the way at the top of the funnel, straight down to purchase.

For customers as the top of the funnel, you’ll want to create videos that aren’t focused on making the sale. Rather, you’ll want to focus on brand awareness by creating videos that showcase your expertise and answer questions that potential customers might have before looking for a solution.

Our Real Estate Explainer template is a good example of this type of video. It answers a question potential customers may be asking, giving you the opportunity to showcase your expertise and get your name out there.

USE THIS TEMPLATE

As you move down the funnel, videos that directly promote a product or aim to collect leads become more appropriate. Decide what metrics you’re aiming for and craft your video’s message accordingly. For inspiration, check out our Webinar Event Promo template.

USE THIS TEMPLATE

POST NATIVE VIDEOS

Rather than posting a link to a video on another platform, upload video to LinkedIn directly so it plays natively right in the LinkedIn feed. This’ll result in further reach and engagement. You can learn more about how to get this set up a little later on in this guide.

PLAN FOR SOUND OFF

80 percent of LinkedIn videos are watched with the sound off. As a result, you should approach video creation with your silent film director's cap on. Videos that are designed for silent viewing are 70 percent more likely to be watched through to the end than those that aren’t.

Use text or subtitles to ensure videos are easy to understand, even when watched with the sound off. All of the templates shared in this guide were built not only to be easy to understand without sound, but also to be mobile-friendly. Mobile-friendly videos keep text short and large so it’s easy to digest on small mobile screens.

PROVIDE A CLEAR CALL TO ACTION

Don’t forget to provide a clear CTA to let viewers know what you want them to do next. Do you want them to visit a webpage? Sign up for a newsletter? Watch another video? Make a purchase? Be sure to include the CTA in your video or accompanying copy that summarizes your video. And don’t forget to include any necessary links providing more information.

This is a good spot to note that, when you share a video on LinkedIn, you’ll also include a headline and description copy. And research shows that the video’s headline and summary content are even more influential than the video’s cover image. So take some time to ensure that this copy makes it clear what viewers will get out of your video and what next step you’d like them to take.

OPTIMIZE VIDEO LENGTH BASED ON OBJECTIVE

LinkedIn recommends optimizing video length based on your objective. In a guide on video ad tips, they share that you should "keep videos under 30 seconds for brand awareness and brand consideration goals. A study by LinkedIn found that videos under 30 seconds reported a 200% lift in video completion rates." In fact, the most successful video ads are less than 15 seconds long.

They recommend testing longer videos for demand generation. Longer form content is ideal for telling more complex stories, and can help with driving clicks and views related to generating leads for educational content.

To learn even more, check out our full blog post on LinkedIn best practices for video. LinkedIn’s also got a great LinkedIn Video Ad Tips eBook that we recommend checking out.

LinkedIn Video Length and Specs

·         Minimum video length: 3 seconds

·         Maximum video length: 30 minutes

·         Supported video formats: ASF, AVI, FLV, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, MKV, QuickTime, WebM, H264/AVC, MP4, VP8, VP9, WMV2, and WMV3

·         Supported audio extensions: AAC, MP3, and Vorbis

·         Minimum file size: 75KB

·         Maximum file size: 200 MB

·         Aspect ratios supported:

o    360p (480 x 360; wide 640 x 360)

o    480p (640 x 480)

o    720p (960 x 720; wide 1280 x 720)

o    1080p (1440 x 1080; wide 1920 x 1080)

o    Video ads created with a 1:1 aspect ratio should have a minimum resolution of 600 x 600, and a maximum resolution of 1080 x 1080.

How to Share Videos on LinkedIn

Once you’ve created your first LinkedIn video you’re ready to share it! In this section, we’ll show you how. You can upload a video to your LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn page, or run it as a video ad. We’ll share the step-by-step instructions for how to do all three.

HOW TO POST A VIDEO ON YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE

We’ll start with a quick rundown of how to post a video on your personal LinkedIn profile.

1.    Log in to your LinkedIn account.

2.    Create a new video post. Simply click on the video icon.

3.    Upload your video. Find the file on your computer and select to upload.

4.    Set your audience. You can choose to show your video to anyone, or a specific audience or group you belong to.

5.    Add a description. Include a description with more information about your video. You can also include hashtags to help people find your video.

6.    Post. Click on the “Post” button. Your video will appear after it’s done processing.

Note: You can also upload videos using the LinkedIn app. When you do, you’ll also have the option to add stickers and text.

HOW TO POST A VIDEO ON YOUR LINKEDIN BUSINESS PAGE

Sharing a video to a LinkedIn business page is similar to sharing to your personal profile. You’ll just want to head over to the actual business page to get started.

1.    Go to your LinkedIn business page.

2.    Create a new video post. To do this, click on the video icon in the box that says "Share an article, photo, video, document, or idea."

3.    Upload your video. Choose the video you want to upload.

4.    Select your audience. Choose "Public" to show your video to everyone, or select a "Targeted audience." Targeted audiences are a feature of LinkedIn advertising, which we’ll get to in the next section.

5.    Add a description. Add a description with more information about your video and any relevant links.

6.    Post. Click the “Post” button. Your video will appear after it’s done processing.

HOW TO RUN A LINKEDIN VIDEO AD

Setting up an ad requires a bit more of a guide than uploading a video organically. We’ll dive into the basic steps here, but check out our guide to getting started with LinkedIn ads for the full run down. We’ll be showing you how to use LinkedIn’s Objective-Based campaign experience.

1.    Set up your account. Make sure you’ve got the appropriate permissions enabled, that your billing info is correct, and that you’ve got a business page associated with your account.

2.    Create your campaign. Head over to the LinkedIn Campaign Manager and click on the Create Campaign button to get started.

3.    Set your campaign objective. Choose a goal. You'll find goals related to awareness, consideration, and conversions.

4.    Set your audience. Choose the audience you'd like to target. You can target based on language, location, education, job experience, and more.

5.    Set up a video ad. When you’re given the option for Ad Format, choose "Video Ad."

6.    Set your budget. Choose a budget and schedule to indicate how much you’d like to spend and how long you’d like your video ad to run.

7.    Create your ad. Add the video, description, and relevant CTA and you’re good to go! Once you’re done, just click Create.

Getting Started with LinkedIn Video

Ready to get started with LinkedIn video? We're here to help! An Animoto subscription gives you everything you need to drag and drop your way to powerful and professional marketing videos.

Customizable video templates, including six templates designed specifically with LinkedIn success in mind, make it easy to create your own videos in minutes. With over a decade in the industry and a partnership with LinkedIn, Animoto is used by more than 1 million businesses worldwide.

Since the launch of LinkedIn native video in 2017, LinkedIn has proven that it’s more than just a platform for long-form B2B content.

In one year, LinkedIn video posts generated more than 300 million impressions on the platform. They also earn an average of three times the engagement of text posts. Plus, early findings from LinkedIn’s beta program show that LinkedIn native videos are five times more likely than other content to start a conversation among LinkedIn members.

Impressive engagement stats aside, video marketing has been shown to boost revenue across social platforms. According to Aberdeen Group, brands that use video marketing grow their revenue 49 percent faster than companies that don’t.

Ready to get on board yet? This guide will cover everything you need to know about LinkedIn video, from the basics on how to use LinkedIn native video, to technical specifications.

And if you’re looking for that spark of inspiration, scroll down for a round up of examples and ideas.

Bonus: Want to know how a viral social video creator makes millions of dollars in sales? Download the free guide now.

Types of LinkedIn video

Embedded videos

It’s still common practice for many brands to upload to a video-hosting platform such as YouTube or Vimeo, and then share the link on LinkedIn. This works, but for many reasons, LinkedIn native videos tend to be a more effective strategy.

LinkedIn native video

“Native video” is video that is uploaded directly to LinkedIn or created on the platform itself.

Unlike embedded videos, LinkedIn native video autoplays in-feed, which is more likely to grab attention. Metrics show that Facebook native videos garner 10 times more shares than linked videos, a boost that likely also holds true for LinkedIn native videos.

LinkedIn video ads

LinkedIn video ads are sponsored company videos that appear in the LinkedIn feed. Video ad campaigns have greater potential to increase brand awareness, brand consideration, and lead generation since they are typically served to a larger, more targeted audience.

Unlike LinkedIn native video, which can be a maximum of 10 minutes long, LinkedIn video ads can run for up to 30 minutes.

Company page administrators can set up a video ad campaign using Campaign Manager, or elect to sponsor an existing post.

How to use LinkedIn native video

On desktop or mobile, sharing LinkedIn native video is pretty much a three-step process. Mobile allows you to record and post in-app and add text and stickers, whereas desktop requires a pre-recorded video.

On desktop:
1. From the homepage, click Share an article, photo, video, or idea.
2. Click the video icon.
3. Upload the video you want to share.

On mobile:
1. Look for the share box (iOS) or post button (Android) at the top of the feed.
2. Tap the video icon.
3. Record a video in the app, or upload something you re-recorded.
4. Tap the filters or text button.
5. Add filters and/or text.

After posting a video you’ll have access to audience insights, including how many views, likes, and comments your post is receiving. You’ll also be able to see the top companies, titles, and locations of viewers. Learn which video metrics matter most.

How to launch a LinkedIn video ad campaign

Here’s a quick guide to setting up a LinkedIn video ad campaign:

1. Log in to Campaign Manager to create your campaign.
2. Select Sponsored Content.
3. Name your campaign.
4. Choose your main objective. Options include: get website visits, collect leads, or get video views.
5. Select video as your ad type format and click Next.
6. Click Create new video.
7. Fill out the form, upload your video, and hit Save.
8. After your video has uploaded, select the video by clicking the checkbox next to it and then hit Next.
9. Choose your target audience criteria and click Next.
10. Set up your bid, budget, the duration for your campaign, and click Launch Campaign.

LinkedIn video ads provide richer analytics than LinkedIn native video. Learn more about LinkedIn video ad analytics here.

LinkedIn video specs

Plan and adhere to these technical specifications when creating video for LinkedIn.

These specifications vary between standard native videos and LinkedIn video ads, so make sure to take note of the difference.

LinkedIn Native Video Specs

• Minimum video length: 3 seconds
• Maximum video length: 10 minutes
• Minimum file size: 75KB
• Maximum file size: 5 GB
• Orientation: Horizontal or vertical. Note: Vertical videos are cropped into a square in the feed.
• Aspect ratio: 1:2.4 or 2.4:1
• Resolution range: 256×144 to 4096×2304
• Frame rates: 10 – 60 frames per second
• Bit rates: 192 kbps – 30 Mbps
• File formats: ASF, AVI, FLV, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, MKV, QuickTime, WebM, H264/AVC, MP4, VP8, VP9, WMV2, and WMV3.
• Formats that are not supported include: ProRes, MPEG-2, Raw Video, VP6, WMV1as.

LinkedIn Video Ad Specs

• Minimum video length: 3 seconds
• Maximum video length: 30 minutes
• Minimum file size: 75KB
• Maximum file size: 200MB
• Orientation: Only horizontal. Vertical videos are not supported by LinkedIn video ads.
• Pixel and aspect ratio:
• 360p (480 x 360; wide 640 x 360)
• 480p (640 x 480)
• 720p (960 x 720; wide 1280 x 720)
• 1080p (1440 x 1080; wide 1920 x 1080)
• File format: MP4
• Frame rate: Maximum of 30 frames per second.
• Audio format: AAC or MPEG4
• Audio size: Less than 64KHz

Planning to serve your video on more than on social network? Check out our complete guide to social media video specs.

10 LinkedIn video best practices

1. Optimize your setup

Before going into selfie mode and hitting the record button, here are a few things you should consider.

• Lighting: Choose a well-lighted place. Natural light is often best, but artificial light can work in a pinch—just look out for shadows. Also, make sure subjects aren’t back lit, otherwise they’ll become a silhouette.
• Camera position: No one wants to see up your nose. Take a test video, and adjust the tripod or add or remove a few books under the camera setup as needed.
• Camera: If recording from your phone, use the rear camera. Most phones have larger apertures and offer higher resolution from the rear cam. Use a tripod or makeshift mount to keep the camera steady.
• Background: Avoid a cluttered or distracting background. Also, if you’re shooting in an office environment, make sure confidential materials and other brand logos are tucked away. You don’t want to inadvertently endorse another brand on your company’s behalf.
• Body language: In his research, psychologist Albert Mehrabian found that 55 percent of communication is transmitted through body language. Only seven percent is given through words, and 38 percent through tone. Maintain a relaxed presence by rehearsing your script. Look directly at the camera, smile, and breathe naturally.

2. Aim to capture attention from the start

LinkedIn recommends that videos include a hook within the first 1-2 seconds.

3. Put essential information upfront

Attention that wanes after the first few seconds will typically drop off after the 10 second mark, LinkedIn research finds. That’s backed up by Facebook findings, which show 65 percent of people who watch the first three seconds of a Facebook video will watch for at least 10 seconds, while only 45 percent will watch for 30 seconds.

Plan to share your message, or show your audience what you want them to see, early on. That way you increase the likelihood of leaving an impression with more viewers.

4. Design for sound off

Up to 85 percent of social media videos are played with no sound. That means most LinkedIn members will be watching your video as if it’s a silent film. Prepare accordingly by including descriptive images, explanatory infographics, and even expressive body language.

5. Include closed captions

Even if your video isn’t speech heavy, closed captioning will make them more accessible. Plus, since LinkedIn just added a closed captioning feature, there’s no excuse for your videos to not have subtitles.

To add captions:

• Click the video icon in the share box on desktop and choose the video you want to share.
• When the preview shows up, click the edit icon on the top right to see the video settings and then click select file to attach the associated SubRip Subtitle file.

6. Vary the shot

A single shot video can get boring, and with viewers dropping off by the second, varying the shot is one way to keep them engaged. Even if you’re shooting an interview, borrow a second camera to record from different angles. Or, film some b-roll to use under voiceover.

7. Choose the right video length

According to LinkedIn, the most successful video ads are less than 15 seconds long. But lengths can vary when it comes to LinkedIn native video. Here are a few things to consider:

• For brand awareness and brand consideration videos, LinkedIn recommends to keep length under 30 seconds.
• Videos that meet upper-funnel marketing goals should stick to a 30-90 second video length.
• Opt for longer-form video to tell a brand or product story. A LinkedIn study found that long-form video can drive as many clicks as short-form video if it effective tells a more complex story.
• Don’t exceed 10 minutes. LinkedIn considers 10 minutes the informal cut-off point for video.

8. Close with a strong call to action

What do you want viewers to do after they’ve watched the video? Leave them with a clear direction. Here are some tips for writing CTAs.

9. Don’t forget supporting copy

A recent study from Slidely found that 44 percent of video viewers on Facebook read caption text often, and 45 percent of viewers read captions sometimes.

The same likely goes for LinkedIn, so don’t miss this opportunity to describe your video or drive home a message. But keep it short and direct. We recommend 150 characters or fewer.

Adding LinkedIn hashtags and @ mentioning relevant companies or members in your caption is a useful way to increase reach and expose your video to more viewers.

And don’t forget to include a link, especially if the point of the video is to drive visits to your website or product page. As a bonus, LinkedIn finds that posts with links tend to have 45 percent higher engagement than those without one.

10. Use the word “video” for promotions

LinkedIn’s Video Ad Guide notes that promotional posts or emails that include the word video “can vastly increase the click-through rate.” If you’ve put in the effort to create a video, make sure to promote it—and use the keyword.

12 ideas for LinkedIn native video

Typically, most branded video content on LinkedIn falls into four main categories: culture, products and services, news, and events.

If you have a company blog, you can also analyze your best performing content and consider how it could be transformed into a LinkedIn video.

1. Share company news and updates

Changes to the board, new initiatives, acquisitions, partnerships, and more are all fodder for video content.

Example: Coca Cola company news

Bonus: Want to know how a viral social video creator makes millions of dollars in sales? Download the free guide now.

Get the free social video guide now!

2. Announce the launch of a new product or service

Use LinkedIn video to get customers excited with an announcement of things to come.

Example: MyTaxi city launch

3. Take customers behind-the-scenes

Show viewers where the magic happens. This is a great opportunity to impress customers with the skill, craftsmanship, or technology behind your operation. Or, show off your super cool office culture.

Example: Lego Behind the Scenes

4. Offer an explainer

Instructional or educational videos are particularly useful if you’re in an industry that uses complicated jargon or involves complex understanding. See this as an opportunity to teach your audience something new.

Example: The World Bank for the African Green Revolution Forum – AGRF:

5. Preview an upcoming event

Looking to register more attendees for an upcoming conference? Create a video guide or highlight some of the reasons they may want to enrol.

Example: MicroStrategy

6. Provide insider coverage of an industry event

Speaker highlights, product demos, and interviews can form a winning package of an event’s top moments.

Example: Pulse Africa

7. Introduce C-suite members

Position your company as a thought leader with interviews that share the vision of executive team members.

Example WeWork:

Example: Bill Gates

8. Tell a story with a case study

Testimonials are a great way to share how your products or services have helped customers.

Example: Philips

9. Let your customers know what you stand for

Use LinkedIn video to let your clients, employees, and prospective employees know what your company stands for.

Example: Boeing Pride

10. Spotlight inspiring employees

Introduce customers to the people who make things happen.

Example: GE

Example: UN Women

11. Highlight the good you’re doing

Videos about corporate social responsibility initiatives can bring attention to the social good your company is doing, and more importantly, to a good cause.

Example: Cisco

12. Share something fun

If your company gets mentioned on Jeopardy, you kind of have to share the video.

Example: Sephora

Manage your brand’s LinkedIn presence the smart way—use Hootsuite to schedule videos and updates, target posts, engage with followers, and measure the impact of your efforts. Try it free today.

The 6 most important ingredients of a successful social video

1. Be platform-conscious

From YouTube to TikTok, there are dozens of different video platforms to choose from. Make sure you tailor your video accordingly, just like you would with any other content.

Here are a few quick tips for getting it right:

• Choose platforms that engage your audience
• The first step to creating a killer social video is deciding where to post it.

Some platforms, like Facebook, have a wide user base, attracting different ages, genders, and income levels. Others reach only a narrow demographic.

For example, Pinterest resonates with 25 to 44 year olds, while Snapchat almost exclusively attracts teens and young adults.

Before you even pick up a camera, ask yourself two questions:

• Who am I trying to reach?
• Why am I trying to reach them?

If you’re trying to educate your audience, consider posting your video on LinkedIn. If you’re simply trying to entertain, YouTube might be a better bet.

Size really does matter

The ideal aspect ratio for your video can vary from platform to platform. Facebook alone supports more than five different formats!

Make sure to brush up on the recommended specs for your platform of choice before producing your video. Optimize for each place you post to avoid stretched images or black bars around your content.

If you don’t have time to optimize for each platform, a 1:1 aspect ratio usually does the trick. Plus, square videos take up 78 percent more social media feed real estate than landscape (16:9), so this strategy may win you some extra attention.

Upload directly to the platform

Not all platforms are compatible with each other—another reason it’s important to optimize your videos for different social channels.

YouTube is owned by Google, a direct competitor to Facebook, which means YouTube links don’t do well on Facebook. By uploading directly to the platform, your video will look better and get up to 10x more organic shares.

Here’s an example from our own Facebook page. This (adorable) YouTube video got a little lost in our feed, but our native content really pops.

2. Be mindful of time

Our attention span is just eight seconds long—shorter than a goldfish’s! Keeping viewers engaged from start to finish is tough, but it doesn’t have to be impossible.

Keep it short and sweet

Stick to a 60-second time limit if you can.

While only five percent of people will stop watching a video after one minute, 60 percent will after two. Not only are short videos easier to finish, they also eat up less data—making them perfect for mobile viewers.

But don’t rule out long-form

Lengthier videos can make their mark too. On Facebook, videos over 90 seconds get more views and shares. On YouTube, the average mobile user session is an hour long.

But if you decide to go long, make sure your content is top notch. Luckily, brands like AirBnB and Hyundai are known for their long-form videos, so there are lots of great examples out there to learn from.

This AirBnB video about a family in Palm Springs is more than a minute long, but is one of the company’s top-performers on YouTube.

3. Optimize for mobile

Over half of all videos are viewed on mobile. For Twitter, that number is as high as 93 percent!

Here are a couple of simple tips for getting mobile friendly.

Bonus: Want to know how a viral social video creator makes millions of dollars in sales? Download the free guide now.

Get the free social video guide now!

Simplify your graphics

Make sure your visuals look great on a small screen. Think bold, bright, and—if you’re using text—legible. Remove visual clutter to boost comprehension, and test your video on several different screens before posting it.

For example, our Hootsuite Boost video uses vibrant colors and a clear, high impact font that’s easy to read, whatever the screen size.

Play it with the sound off

Most viewers will be watching your video in public spaces: on the bus, in line for coffee, at the office. This means they’re probably also watching it on mute. 85 percent of YouTube videos are now watched without sound!

Before sharing your video, do a quick sound check. Is it engaging with and without audio?

Add a compelling caption or description to help fill in any gaps, and add subtitles if needed. Bonus: subtitles will help make your video more accessible for hearing-impaired viewers.

4. Use analytics

36 percent of businesses now use some form of video analytics. Don’t be the last to the data party! Here are two ways to get analytical:

Track and improve

There are tons of helpful social media analytics tools out there. Keep tabs on how your videos are performing, and consider what you could do to improve them.

Some key questions to ask include:

• Are people watching my videos from start to finish?
• Are my videos underperforming on any platform?
• Which topics are getting the most views or shares?

Reuse content with a proven track record

Analytics are also great for generating ideas for future videos.

Does your company have a blog? Dive into your user stats to identify top-performing content that could be repurposed for video.

Before settling on any idea, check whether it meets these three criteria:

• Digestible: Is it easy to understand?
• Condensible: Can it be communicated in 1 minute or less?
• Visual: Could it involve a graphics element?

5. Offer quality content

It may seem obvious, but it’s still worth saying: make your content worth it.

Provide real value

Web pages with a value proposition keep visitors engaged for longer. The same is true for social video.

As adorable as cats on Roombas are, some of the top performing YouTube content is useful in some way.

Just look at our video “5 Free Sites for Awesome Social Media Images”. It was one of our most watched videos in both 2017 and 2018. Why? Our video solved a real problem for marketers, who often spend hours browsing the web for free stock photos.

Tell a story

Stories are a basic part of human nature. Plus, because storytelling actually originated with visual stories, video is the ideal medium for putting your narrative skills to the test.

As digital storytellers, we need to answer these questions:

• Who is the hero?
• What is the plot?
• Does my video have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
• What is the setting?
• What’s the conflict?

Writing out a script, using a storyboard, or talking a colleague through the key plot points in your video are all great ways to make sure your story is strong.

Apple’s “Unlock” is an example of visual storytelling at its best. Created to announce the launch of the new iPhone X, the video grabs attention with a fast-paced plot and a surprising twist.

Get sentimental

Emotion is a powerful communication tool, just like stories. But not all emotions are created equal.

Positive messages are more shareable than negative ones. High intensity emotions—like surprise, awe, and joy—are the most shareable of all.

Videos can evoke far more emotions than photos. While not every video needs to pull at heartstrings, connecting with viewers on a human level can go a long way.

For example, our “#knowyoursocial” video combines surprise and humour and has more than 10K views on YouTube.

6. Start with a bang—and end with a call to action

We are predisposed to remember beginnings and endings better than anything else. Make sure you pack an extra punch at the start and end of your video:

The first 3 seconds are the most important

Forty-five percent of people who watch the first 3 seconds of a video will continue for at least 30 more. Hook viewers right from the start with something that sparks their interest, inspires their curiosity, or catches them off-guard.

Our Facebook video “2019 Social Trends” literally starts with a bang. The first 3 seconds are dynamic and colourful, and the question “Are You Ready for 2019?” quickly piques the viewer’s interest.

Seal the deal with a stellar CTA

Videos have one of the highest conversion rates of all content. Including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by as much as 80 percent.

Include a clear Call To Action at the end of your video to benefit from all the effort you’ve put in. Whether your goal is to get viewers to buy a product or simply to follow your brand, this crucial step moves your hard-won audience to the ‘next step’ in your sales funnel.

Writing a compelling CTA can take some time and experimentation. It also differs between platforms. But all awesome CTAs share a few things in common: they’re personal, straightforward, actionable—and they pay off!

You don’t need a film degree to make an excellent social media video these days. Marketers with untrained eyes are creating great social video content with little more than a smartphone. And people are watching.

Facebook and Snapchat have both surpassed 8 billion daily video views and YouTube’s 1 billion-plus users are watching hundreds of millions of hours of online video every day. This trend is expected to continue and there are an abundance of statistics to back that up.

Experts predict that 74 percent of all internet traffic in 2017 will come from video and you can bet your competitors are already leveraging this powerful form of content. A 2016 survey by the Web Marketing Video Council found that 61 percent of businesses are using video as a marketing tool. In the previous year, 66 percent of those businesses were not using video at all.

It’s clear that companies are quickly recognizing the growing power of video. Do you like the sound of those numbers, but you’re still not quite sure where a social video campaign fits into your marketing plan?

Check out our handy guide to learn more about the medium. If you’re ready to create a social video, here are 10 video tips to help you make it a great one.

1. Plan ahead so you can tell a story

Thoughtful, emotive storytelling is the heart of any successful social video. When you want to motivate, persuade, or be remembered, start with a story of human struggle and eventual triumph.

Research published in the Harvard Business Review found that a neurochemical called oxytocin is released when we watch a “hero’s story” on video. When the brain synthesizes oxytocin, people are more trustworthy, generous, charitable, and compassionate. An association that can be beneficial to your brand.

To determine whether oxytocin is released during video stories, they tested if narratives shot on video, rather than face-to-face interactions, would cause the brain to make oxytocin. By taking blood draws before and after the narrative, they found that character-driven stories do consistently cause oxytocin synthesis.

Determine the beginning, middle, and end to your story, the setting and the conflict to be overcome. Write a real script. Use this video tip and you can capture your customer’s hearts by attracting their brains.

2. Keep the camera steady

You wouldn’t mail out a thousand brochures with a crooked logo, so why would you make a social video with a shaky hand? Investing in a tripod for your phone can help you make a more professional looking video.

There are many excellent tripod mount models on the market. If you’re shooting on a small mobile phone, the 3C Smart Octopus can steady your video. If you’re shooting on a larger mobile phone, the GorillaPod will keep your device still. When you’re ready to get real fancy, you can mount the phone on a rig like iOgrapher, just like a professional video camera.

Your audience will be able to better focus on the story if the video has a smooth picture quality.

3. If audio is key to the story, consider an external mic

Perhaps your video will feature a few witty bits of dialogue or the sounds of animals crooning in the night. Whatever audio effect you’re going for, your story will pack more punch if the viewer can clearly hear all the action.

The built-in microphones on most smartphones leave something to be desired. There are many inexpensive external mics on the market that you can add on to your mobile device. Significantly up the production quality of your video with external mics like the Rode SmartLav+ or a shotgun mic like the Mighty Mic. With a quality external mic, you’ll be recording quality audio with your video in no time.

4. Don’t use digital zoom

Though it sounds like a good idea in theory, when you use digital zoom, it can make for a very blurry video. Until technologies evolve, avoid the zoom and just move closer to the person or object you’re trying to capture.

5. Lighting is key

Smartphone cameras have small image sensors so if you try to shoot in a dark environment, it will give you grainy, low-quality video. Choose a brightly lit setting for your video.

Also keep in mind that the auto exposure on mobile phones is often slow to adjust when changing from one scene to the next, so be mindful when moving from dark areas to bright ones. Avoid backlighting and direct overhead spotlighting.

Image via Wistia.

There are a few LED lights on the market that are small and easy to use for shooting in difficult lighting conditions.

6. Shoot for your intended platform

For most social video, landscape mode (horizontal) is best. Videos are almost universally presented horizontally. That’s how we watch them on TV and in movie theaters, so it’s natural that a landscape mode would be most pleasing to the video watcher’s eye.

When videos are filmed in portrait mode, the viewer must watch them with two large black bars on the side, instead of a full picture (unless, of course, they’re watching on a platform like Snapchat or Instagram Stories).

Remember, because each social network has a unique audience, social videos must be optimized for different channels. A video that works on Facebook may need a serious edit before it can work on Instagram. And you might have to take an entirely different approach to video on Snapchat or Twitter.

More social networks are rolling out native video, demonstrating its growing value. Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all have their own video features. And then there are the platforms whose main function is social video sharing, such as YouTube. For live streaming there’s Periscope, YouTube, and Facebook, which has updated its News Feed algorithm to favor Live video.

Facebook explained in a blog post: “Now that more and more people are watching Live videos, we are considering Live videos as a new content type—different from normal videos—and learning how to rank them for people in News Feed.”

7. Use an editing app to trim unnecessary stuff out

Perhaps the beginning of your video features the speaker preparing or hesitating. Maybe they stumbled over a few words or the audio quality was off. To showcase a professional looking video to your market, you’ll need to edit those parts out.

If your editing needs aren’t too complex—maybe you just want to compile a few clips together and then add some titles—iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or the YouTube video editor will do the trick. But if you’re hoping to edit something together that is more dynamic, try a program like Adobe Premiere Elements, Final Cut Pro X, or Sony Vegas.

When you shoot the video, consider using interesting angles so that when you go to edit it later, you will have a variety of shots to choose from.

8. Consider using subtitles or on-screen text

Although we’d like to think that the bulk of video watching goes on during leisure hours, the reality is most people watch videos at work. If the message of your video is not easily communicated through the action alone, you might consider adding subtitles. That way, whether or not the sound is on, the viewer can appreciate the story you’re trying to tell

And let’s not forget how often videos are watched without sound on social media—on Facebook it’s 85 percent.

9. Aim to catch attention quickly

The first 30 seconds of a social video is what matters most, according to data from Wista. If you can hook your audience in the first 30 seconds of video, they are more likely to stick around and engage. So make it exciting, make it interesting, razzle-dazzle them.

10. Keep it short

A fascinating scientist giving an enlightening Ted Talk might earn hundreds of thousands of YouTube views with a 15 or 20 minute video, but for the most part, shorter is better. Twitter videos are capped at 30 seconds, Instragram has a 60-second maximum and Snapchat videos are capped at 10 seconds.

Once you get a handle on these quick video tips, you’ll be in business. Keep in mind, you need to be able to answer the question “why will people share this video?” before you ever start producing it.

A good way to answer that question?

Listen to your social media followers. See what videos they’re already sharing and analyze them. Let these successes inspire your approach to social video.

1. Repurpose top-performing content

Creating high quality social videos isn’t cheap. That’s why we use our top-performing blog content as a jumping off point for our videos. It’s an efficient way for us to repurpose content rather than invest resources into something that hasn’t been tested.

We share similar audiences across our blog and social channels, so we know that if a blog post performs really well, there’s a good chance it will make a popular video. That was the case with our TED Talks blog post, which was a top-performer in its first week live.

If you don’t have a blog post to repurpose, you can choose another piece of content, but it must have good visual potential. ount.

Any piece of content that becomes a social video needs to meet this criteria:

• The content is easily digestible (often in ‘listicle’ format)
• Information can be condensed into a one-minute format
• Opportunity for graphics and/or visuals

Since the TED Talks blog post includes videos itself, it was a natural fit for a video format. And it was easy for the team to source images and audio clips that would accompany the text.

2. Write a short script

Once we’ve decided on what blog to use, we take a small, impactful section of the writing as the basis for the script. With the TED Talks video, we chose to feature three out of the seven listed talks in the original article. We felt they would translate best on social and entice the viewer to click to the blog post the complete list.

Our social video scripts are never more than half a page for a one-minute video. In the case for TED Talks and other short listicle videos, the scripts are usually around 100 words. If there’s too much text on a frame, it’s hard for the viewer to follow along.

3. Choose the right platform(s) for your video

Each social channel offers unique opportunities for video. Depending on the topic and audience, we make decisions about which channels will work best. That way, we can optimize the viewing experience specifically for each network.

We decided to share the TED Talks social video on Facebook and Instagram. We chose Facebook and Instagram because they have a strong social media practitioner audience that is interested in advancing their careers.

4. Choose the proper video orientation

There are several options to choose from when it comes time to capture or create your video: portrait, landscape, square, and fullscreen. Each orientation has its own advantages depending on the type of video you’re creating and where it’s being published and shared. For example, if we know our audience is split across desktop and mobile, we’ll use square because it looks good on both.

We chose the portrait format for the TED Talks video because we wanted it to be a mobile-first experience. From past videos like this one, we knew that most of our viewers were watching on a mobile device.

5. Apply your brand’s unique visual aesthetic

If we are running a video series or a video belongs to a campaign, we’ll have our designers select specific colour palettes and iconography for a seamless look and feel. We also make sure that any videos in a series are the same length.

TED Talks was a standalone video so it didn’t need to match a specific campaign aesthetic. However, it matches the aesthetic of our listicle video genre, which uses the same typeset and motion graphics.

Once we create a “look” for a certain genre of video, we use that as our template. This saves a lot of time and resources when it comes time to make more videos in the future.

6. Create motion graphics

Our video team uses Adobe Creative Cloud to create our social videos, specifically, After Effects and Audition. After Effects is for motion graphics animation and Audition is for voiceovers and music. These tools are the industry standard for motion graphics and sound design, but there are other options like Premiere and Final Cut Pro X.

After Effects and Audition require learning and expertise, so it’s not something we’d recommend unless you have some experience working in production. If you don’t have an in-house team, it might be worth outsourcing your video production at this stage.

Our TED Talks video took our video team around two days to build. Based off the script, we found footage and screenshots that corresponded to the talking points and built out the visuals accordingly.

7. Add a soundtrack

If viewers are watching your video with the sound on, it’s important to keep them engaged with background music. We get our music off music licensing sites like Premium Beat and License Lab. Tracks cost between $25 and $100. There are also plenty of royalty free music sites if you’re on a budget. If we’re getting music from a paid service, we download a preview with an audio ident so that we can test it with our video.

If you’re specifically making a video to share on Facebook, you can source free audio tracks and sound effects from Facebook Sound.

As a general rule we choose music without lyrics. We don’t want anything that will be too distracting. That’s why we opt for electronic, acoustic, minimal, or techno. The music we chose for the TED Talks video was upbeat and playful, to match the educational theme.

While finding a soundtrack that fits our video is important, we also make sure that we optimize for silent viewing as 85 percent of people consume video content on Facebook with the sound off.

For more on this, check out our previous post 8 Free Resources to Soundtrack Your Social Video.

8. Optimize your video for the specific platform

Our TED Talks video performed really well on Facebook and Instagram because it was optimized for those platformas. Facebook’s recommended video dimensions depend on the type of video you’re creating, so it’s important to follow those for best user experience.

We built out our video for Facebook first since it was our longest version. It was just under a minute, portrait format, and under 1GB.

We then repurposed that video and sliced into three 15-second clips for Instagram, which was also in portrait format and less than 50MB. We added “swipe up” in our edits for Instagram videos because it has a different user experience that requires people to swipe up to view the link.

9. Target the right audience

Even the best videos need to be shared with the right audience in order to resonate. For our TED Talks video we targeted people that were:

• Interested in TED Talks
• Had job titles that were related to social media
• Already watched one of our previous videos

Based on these categories, we had a focused target group on Facebook and Instagram. Knowing your audience is key to getting a high engagement rate.

10. Measure video performance to improve future content

Our TED Talks social video built on the learnings of our past videos. Based on the user data and performance stats of similar videos, we knew what to tweak to make TED Talks even more successful.

If we didn’t test and iterate every social video, we wouldn’t know how to improve our strategy. That’s why we keep a close eye on the performance of all our videos and diligently track demographics, audience, and interests. We also group our videos according to different types so that we can understand why certain videos do well.
Create your own top-performing social video

Like anything on social, quality and consistency are a big part of making video tactics successful. A top-performer likely won’t happen overnight, and will instead be the product of a lot of hard work and testing.