All successful social media influencers and content creators continually deliver all types of information through different channels and forms. Out of all the content they post, it’s not surprising that visual content, especially video, is 40 times more likely to get shared by viewers rather than content with only text.

On major social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, more and more people watch videos rather than reading texts. More than 55% of social media users watch videos every day, but are your videos a part of these numbers?

It is expected that online videos will account for more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic by 2023, and a million minutes of videos will be played on the internet every second by 2022. Videos have become an important part of social media marketing, so your brand will be left behind if you don't hop on this train.

Although videos are only one form of content, it has quickly become increasingly important because of their statistical results. Some of these statistics include:

· According to Hubspot, 90% of users stated that watching a product video helped them decide to purchase.

· Also, 64% of people are more inclined to buy a product after watching a video.

· Unbounce also stated that video content could enhance landing page conversions by up to 80%.

So, what are the specific reasons why video content is important in social media marketing?

1. Attracts Attention

The best way to hook a passing social media user is through a compelling video. Rather than a long paragraph explaining the message you want to pass across, a video is easy to consume and understand. When scrolling through your social media feed, it’s normal to only stop when you see captivating content that captures our attention.

A video helps you grab attention from the first few seconds, and since the user will be curious, they will keep watching. When creating content for social media marketing, you need to condense information into small video snippets that will grab attention, educate, and leave them curious for more content. Of course, a little indication of what the video is about will go a long way.

2. Compel Conversions

You don't post a video on your social media feed with no goal, especially as a brand. The main goal of any video is to convert your social media target audience to dedicated followers and consumers. Social media posts are also meant to cause user action such as sharing the video, driving traffic to your site, or buying a product.

The video should act as a virtual handshake with other social media users, and you know they’re interested when they watch the entire video and maybe post a comment. Having a catchy or simple call to action at the end of your video will direct them to take the action you want, whether to purchase or share the video.

3. Take Advantage of What’s Trending

A topic is always trending across social media platforms every day, and so if you're posting videos about something completely unrelated, your viewers will be uninterested. It is important to post content relevant to your audience's trending topics, keeping them hooked on your page for updates.

With a video, your brand has a voice and can use this to speak on different stories and other relevant content, giving you a better chance to go viral. You can also post videos based on popular hashtags. Some of these hashtags come up weekly, like #TGIF, and others depend on demographics. Your video is a better way to spark conversation, especially when linked to the newest trends.

4. Improved Search Optimization

If you’re experienced in social media marketing, you already know that all your content should be optimized for search engines. But, it becomes easier to do so with videos on social media platforms. As long as you have captivating content that viewers won’t be able to look away from once they click on play, you have a better chance of getting on the popular or trending list if you get the best from that video.

Apart from just posting a video on social media, you can raise more awareness for your brand through enthralling descriptions and headlines that viewers can read in a split-second. This makes them curious about what your video holds. Combine this with relevant hashtags, and your video will pop-up after searches, leading to better marketing.

5. Unique Way of Passing a Message Across

Anyone can compose long messages on social media platforms, but not all brands can regularly create catchy video content. Posting a video and having a conversation is similar because you can only talk about one topic at once. A video is a unique way to pass a message across without the audience losing interest.

The video passes the call to action across to your viewers, so any part of the video that does not do this should be removed. Videos are the best way to tell stories and, at the same time, pique the curiosity of viewers.

6. Brand Exposure

Using video content is also a great way to create exposure for your brand. For one, logos are very important in connecting a brand with consumers, and using logos in a video will go a long way in stamping your brand permanently in the memories of your viewers. There’s no point in doing what you do without expecting the brand exposure of the highest level.

You can build brand exposure by watermarking your videos with your logo, so your viewers will automatically associate your logo with your brand, leading to your social media campaigns' better results. It also helps you develop a corporate identity online.

There's a lot of noise on social media that attracts viewers, and the attention span of those scrolling through social media feeds is limited to seconds, so you have to give them a reason to stay. A video is worth way more than the thousand words that a picture is worth, so it's the best way to improve your brand exposure.

Keep in mind that you won't be relevant if your video isn't up to par. Even if you have an amazing idea and captivating message to pass across, no one will stay to way if your video offers poor sound and picture quality. Through improved quality, you can easily maintain viewers' attention from the beginning of your video to the end.

7. Monitor Engagement

You can also easily track the viewers' engagement who watch your video through the analytic features that social media channels offer. You can see how much of your video viewers watched, if they clicked on your call to action, how many followers you got after that video, and if you achieved your goal.

Although seeing how many views and shares your video had is a good way to see if it's popular when it comes to marketing, the click-through, and if your call to action worked is also important. For example, they might like your video but only watch it halfway. By monitoring engagement, you know your video's parts that the viewers liked and what to improve on.

8. Deliver Breaking News

What better way to surprise viewers with breaking news than with a loud and exciting video? Hootsuite revealed a study that stated that almost half of the adults in America get information about brands through social media channels. Thus, videos on your social media platform are the best way to make announcements and share news.

A video with shattering content is more impactful than a picture or a text that states the news you want to pass across. The video can help you explain concepts and insights into your brand that you can't fit in a picture or words.

9. Connect with Viewers on a Personal Level

The best way to connect with your followers and viewers is through the story behind your brand and products, and the best way to do this is through videos. It contributes to your brand's transparency and helps you build credibility because it's the best way to reveal the people and processes behind your brand. Like music videos have a behind-the-scenes that makes fans connect more with their artiste, you can do something similar to your company.

As marketers often say, people do business with people. Only when you show your viewers the human and personal side of your brand will they be more interested in doing business with you. If you're too stiff and offering only business-related content, your viewers will most likely tune out.

Through videos, you can make your viewers laugh, feel excited, and interested in your brand and all it offers. Among all the content you can post on your social media feed, you can't shoot your brand to the top without captivating video content.

There's no better way to connect with and convince your following than with a compelling video and an even better call to action!

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If you have any questions regarding video and video marketing please let us know: https://www.kyndacreative.com

Kynda Creative Agency, Toronto, Ontario.

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