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Writer's pictureAndy Whiting

Video: Why it WILL increase your interaction, engagement and reach on Social Media.



The first recorded filmed content clip (according to the Guinness Book of Records) was a 2 second clip of content called ‘Roundhay Garden scene’ dated as 1888 (take a look here). Since then, billions-upon-billions of hours of content have been filmed on cameras, in Film/TV studios around the world, then later home cine cameras and of course on VHS, DVD, Mini-disk and more recently digitally on our smart phones. In fact, think of all the 20th and 21st century's most memorable moments and we all have filmed moments emblazoned on our minds, from the assassination of JFK, up to the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, or even in the world of advertising, we have iconic moments like the festive Coca-Cola Trucks rolling into town, all the way up to date with the Go Compare or We Buy Any Car adverts! So, it makes sense that the coming together of simple ways to shoot and edit content yourself combined WITH the broadcast social media platforms to share it, and suddenly we have the marketers/small business owners dream way to advertise.


(Sort of! - which I will come on to).


First to the technology:


It is said, we now have more technical capability and capacity in a single mobile phone than the kit that took the Apollo mission to the moon. Crucial within that evolution of our mobile phones, the camera and video technology has undergone a revolution, enabling us to shoot, edit and share near cinema quality footage from our handset to the world in just a tap of the screen. Not only are our phones sophisticated recording devices, but the editing apps and tools (that used to take up whole buildings in Soho in my early marketing career!) are now available on your handset to use yourself; editing and adding music, graphics etc with ease.


Second the broadcast channels: Broadcast media was once solely the preserve of big budget advertising and marketing campaigns. However as filmed content has evolved with tech, so have the platforms to broadcast it, with apps like Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, You Tube etc, which are all hungry to devour your content. With the sudden arrival and rise of Tik Tok (a more video-based platform), the other platforms have rapidly adapted their algorithms to seek out and promote the very best filmed/video content ... and in the process have made millionaires out of some of the ‘influencers’ and ‘content creators’ they have given rise to. If you are like me, we often find ourselves lost in a wormhole of clip scrolling; ‘sharks swim round paddle-boarders’, ‘singing dogs’, or ‘wedding dances that went wrong’ and suddenly you’ve wasted the 30 mins you should have been writing your next blog! So, it makes sense that filmed content should not only be the preserve of the viral fun stuff, but a useful tool to communicate and promote your business too.


Now … This is where the difficulty lies: You’ve mastered the technicalities of filming and editing on your phone. You’ve spent hours trawling through how to format, upload and #tag each clip. But … what the heck should you film and how long should it be, and should you be in it? Having come from a 20+ years career in broadcast marketing for the likes of Nickelodeon, MTV and ITV, I’m lucky enough to have been crafting my skill set in this field for many years. But I’m also needing to adapt, evolve and improve my knowledge with the rapidly changing landscape too. So here are my (current) #toptips for shooting and using filmed content to promote your business, product or even just share some nice social fun content.


1. Keep it short and engaging - Attention spans are incredibly fickle now, so keep your clips short and sweet - 30” 60” and 90” clips get the most engagement on social media.


2. Plan it - Think about the moment you want to film and share. Consider what angle and what part of it will be fascinating for people to see.


3. Be authentic - Yes you may have styled your living room to within an inch of perfection in your last post, but sometimes we want to see behind the curtain and get a sense of your real world in a fun and informal manner. Back stage or behind the scenes tours all help us see beyond the polished external facing business and ‘How to’ guides have built millions of followers for influencers like @mrshinchhome , who now has extended her household brand into places like Tesco in a way that franchise brands did on the back of big TV shows in the past.


4. Use the tools - Each platform has ‘Reels’ tools built in. The more you use their creator tools the more their platforms will reward you with being shared online. Things like animated graphics, multiple clips, music, voiceovers and icons can all be edited into your film directly from the relevant app.


5. Be accessible - All the platforms are keen to ensure content is accessible to all. Use Alt Tags and add Closed Captions (CC = subtitles) to your voiced reels. Not only does this help people navigate your content who may have sight or hearing impairment, but it will also enable content to be consumed with the volume off when you are on the bus (or at work - I won’t tell the boss!).


6. Create links - The clips tend to be short, so use tools, comments and text to direct your viewer to more info on your website and share the reels to your stories, website and other platforms so people can find it.


7. Be experimental - If you feel inspired and are having fun with your video content, it will come across and people will want to engage and watch it. But sometimes one reel will work better than another, keep experimenting and trying different things. Don’t be discouraged if one clip gets less traction, the next one probably will.


8. Review it - Use your analytics and relevant social media dashboard to understand what is working and what needs a rethink!


And finally … If your filmed content needs to be slicker and more professional than more disposable social media content, or it is an on-going social media strategy you need, it is worth talking to the professionals and getting some help. That could be me, for some of your social content or companies like my great friends and collaborators B2: Videography who produce filmed content for all manner of commercial industries. If this is something you are interested in, please get in touch.


As ever I hope this has been useful and thanks for reading. See you next time!


Andy



1 Comment


Jackie
Mar 29

I've been actively using social media to promote my product for several years now, including creating videos using neural networks for youtube shorts. In my opinion, shorts are the best way to promote your brand. I can give you a couple of lessons on how to create such videos that will catch the attention of your customers. I can record the whole process on Screen Capture and send you the finished video to your email absolutely free.

Just write your email under this comment if you really need it.

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