5 ways to use video for social media success in 2022

The rise of video consumption on social media

It is very obvious from the exponential growth of Tik Tok and how much engagement Instagram Reels receive that social media users love video content. In 2018, a study showed that 54% of consumers wanted to see more video content from brands and businesses that they support. Since 2018 video content popularity has grown across every channel.

In a YouTube survey, 50% of millennials and Gen Z generations said they “couldn’t live” without video content in their daily life. This helps to explain why TikTok has been so successful as over 35% of TikTok’s 800M + users fall into this demographic.

Using video content helps a business to engage with its audience in a more personable way. Showing the faces behind the brand helps to humanise your business and create a deeper connection with your online community. Video also allows brands the opportunity to showcase their products in a more dynamic and interesting way, this adds value to the content that would be almost impossible to do through a single photo.

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Different types or formats of video across social media

There are so many different types of video formats on each platform that can be utilised to meet different objectives. Some of which are:

Instagram Reels
Instagram Live
Facebook Stories
Facebook Live
Facebook Watch
YouTube Vlogs
TikTok For You Page
TikTok Live
LinkedIn Videos
LinkedIn Live

Over the last few years, Instagram has been trying to optimise the video content experience on their platform, all of these improvements and introducing Reels and IGTV contributed to high levels of growth of their ad business as brands take advantage of these features.

Also, on LinkedIn, users are 20X more likely to share video content on the platform than any other type of post, which gives professionals a way to tell stories and get users to engage in a different and less formal way than before.

Making use of the various video formats each channel provides, enables businesses to effectively share their message with different audiences in a fun, engaging, inspiring and unique way - this makes the content more interesting and more likely to be shared, which will ultimately help a brand to grow its online community.

5 different examples of using video on social media

There are many different ways in which you can use video to enhance your social media content and engage your audience across the different social media platforms. Mixing up video content is key to figuring out what your audience will like and engage with most - we recommend you try a variety of different content and analyse its impact before investing further into a particular style.

Here are our top 5 examples of video content that will help your brand stand out and be seen on social media in 2022:

Interview / Q&A
Behind the scenes (BTS)
Product explainer
Live videos
User-generated Content (UGC)

Interview / Q&A Session

Interviews / Q&A videos give you the opportunity to answer your audience's questions, you could either plan questions in advance or ask your followers so you can answer the questions they really want to know. They are a great way to get your followers engaged as well as to inform them on different topics around the business.

Interview by Abby Millar

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‍Behind the scenes

Behind-the-scenes videos are very popular content at the minute, they help to highlight company culture and build a connection with your audience. It also helps to show the team behind the business and what goes into the products or services your business provides. People are naturally curious so want to find out more about things they wouldn’t normally see. The audience feels special as they’ve had an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of a different side of the business they normally wouldn't ever get to see.

Since behind-the-scenes content can feel more genuine, it can go a long way in establishing trust with your audience. When your audience feels like they know who you are and that you are being transparent, they will believe more of what you have to say.

BTS by Abby Millar

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Product explainer

78% of people have said that their buying decisions have been influenced by a brands’ social media posts. Product videos are a great way of highlighting a specific product and showing off all of its unique features, an informal social media video can seem more authentic than a traditional advert. Sometimes a quick, easy, explanation is just what someone needs to help clearly understand how your product solves a problem. Your target audience will appreciate them for introducing them to your offerings and for sharing additional information.

In addition to being used across a variety of locations (your site, social media, paid campaigns), they help build awareness, encourage engagement, and increase conversions.

Product Explainer by Abby Millar

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We’re going LIVE

Nearly all social media platforms have a live stream feature where you are able to go live for your followers to watch and engage with. Live streams help your brand to be more transparent as there is no option to cut out anything. It is also a great way to boost engagement and foster a connection with your audience.

On a live stream on Facebook, for example, viewers can post their comments and it shows up live, automatically. There is an opportunity for other viewers to interact with that person and for the presenter to interact back as well.

User-generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content (also known as UGC or consumer-generated content) is original, brand-specific content created by customers. Sharing customers' videos shows your audience others who love your products and how they use them as well as being engaging content for your brand.

The use of UGC can assist in increasing engagement and conversions throughout the buyer's journey. 60% of marketers agree that authenticity and quality are equally important elements of successful content. And there’s no other content type that’s more authentic than UGC from your customers.

UGC by Abby Millar

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