5 Quick Tips for Social Video

Creating video content for use on your social media channels is not only a great way to stand out, but is quickly becoming an essential part of any social media content strategy.

With social networks such as Facebook prioritizing video content in the feed, and investing heavily in new video tools and tech, including video into your social content strategy is quickly becoming a ‘must have’. Getting started doesn’t need to be hard, but it can be tricky to sort out where to start.

To help get you started, here’s 5 Quick Tips to keep in mind!

1. Keep it Short & Sweet

It can be tempting to create an epic, feature length, video dissertation on the topic of your choosing. However, the average attention span has dropped dramatically in recent years. Unless your content is incredibly compelling and to the point, you’re not going to be able to hold the attention of most social media visitors for more than a few minutes.

Recommended for YouWebcast: 4 Steps to Creating a Marketing Content Plan

In addition, you need to make the first few seconds count! If you’re not showing something interesting in the first few seconds of your video, you’ve already lost most of your audience. So make the most of it: Use those first few seconds to your advantage and show something great that will ensure your audience sticks around!

2. Always Add Great Description Text

Don’t skimp on writing and revising your accompanying description text, be it YouTube ‘Show More’ text, an accompanying Facebook post, or even a quick Tweet. You have a golden opportunity to capture the attention a larger audience, make sure to make the most of it.

This is particularly important if your thumbnail doesn’t clearly communicate what your content is at a glance. People want to know why they should be interested before they spend time looking at your content. Give them a quick idea of what to expect, and encourage them to watch through the accompanying text!

3. Consider the ‘No Sound’ Experience

A substantial portion of all social media traffic now occurs on mobile devices. As of 2013, Statista reports that more than 65% of social networking traffic now occurs on mobile devices. In addition, Cisco reports that mobile video traffic has exceeded 55% of total mobile data traffic as of 2014.

As mobile usage often occurs in public areas, many users now have their sound off by default. When you’re editing your video for social media, it’s important to consider the ‘no sound’ experience.

Ask yourself:

• Does your video still make sense?
• Does it capture interest without relevant audio cues?
• Are there ways to communicate the same information that do not rely on audio?
• Are subtitles or other on-screen visual cues as possibility?

4. Upload Natively if Possible

As the race for social video content domination kicks into high gear, it has become increasingly important to upload your video natively whenever possible. This means that instead of uploading to one site and then sharing across your various social channels, that you should upload the video directly to each of the networks.

You may have noticed that when you post a link on Facebook to a video that’s located on YouTube, it no longer displays in the larger inline video view that it once did.

Example YouTube post:

Native Facebook Video:

Likewise with links to YouTube from Twitter. As individual social networks attempt to gain more of the video market, they are less likely to support and surface video content which is hosted on a competing platform. This can be frustrating as it involves a bit of extra work, but by uploading the video to each platform individually, you increase your chances of your content being seen, viewed, and shared by the users on that platform.

5. Include a Clear Call-To-Action (CTA)

It’s important to remember while content for content’s sake is fun, without interaction and action from the part of the viewer it can be seen as an ineffective and costly exercise. Before creating any content, it’s important to understand:

• What does the viewer get out of this content?
• What action do I want the viewer to do as a result?
• What do I want to get out of this as an individual / business / organization?

From there, it’s should be fairly straight-forward to create a clear call to action. Want more subscribers? Make sure to ask viewers to click subscribe at the end of every video. Want more suggestions on what your viewers would like you to cover in future videos? Ask them to post a comment! Simply asking for what you want can go a long way towards encouraging more social interaction and subsequent growth!

Example CTAs:

• ‘Click subscribe to be notified when we release a new video!’
• ‘Like what you saw? Drop us a line on _twitter account_ and let us know what you think!’
• ‘Which topic should we cover in our next video? Post your suggestions in the comments!’

Bonus

If you’re creating video content for Facebook and intend to pay to promote it, ensure that your thumbnail includes no more than 20% text. Note: This includes Logos and UI.

Facebook will remove boosting from any sponsored post that displays more than 20% text in the accompanying asset. It can be incredibly frustrating to create the perfect video, set it up for boosting, then have it switched off because you forgot the ‘no more than 20% text rule’ and had a huge logo in the middle of the thumbnail.

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Be Funny: The Amazing Power of Humor in Social Media Marketing

Have you heard this one?

"I have to breakup with you. We've connected on so many platforms—Facebook and Twitter—but I just don't feel Linkedin." - Derek Kessinger 

The funny bone can be a fickle thing. Writing jokes is hard work. But if you have a gift for humor, you’re marketing campaigns will be better. Why? “Laughter is a universal language and one of our first communication methods,” writes Angie Pascale of ClickZ. “Before we had spoken or written language, humans used laughter to express our enjoyment or accession with a certain situation.”

I’m sure you’ve noticed that funny memes and witty hashtags are popular. Most viral content is funny. There is even study to prove it. Its results state that “humor was employed at near unanimous levels for all viral advertisements. Consequently, this study identified humor as the universal appeal for making content viral.”

So, brand benefit one: Funny content gets shared more on social media. But what else does humor get you as social media marketer?

Joke from Hootsuite post:

An elderly grandma is on her death bed. She leans over to her granddaughter, knowing that death must be close, and says, “I want to leave you my farm. That includes the villa, the tractor and other equipment, the farmhouse and $22,398,750.78 in cash.”

The granddaughter, about to become rich, says, “Oh Grandma you are so generous. I didn’t even know you had a farm. Where is it?” With her last breath, she whispered, “Facebook.” 

Jokes trigger positive emotional and psychological responses

One of the most effective ways to market is to evoke emotion.

People feel good when they are laughing. It releases endorphins, relaxes the body, boosts the immune system and helps to relieve stress. If you want your customers to associate good feelings with your brand, make ‘em laugh.

“Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg held a press conference to announce that if you post one more picture of your cat sleeping, they’re going to delete your account.” -Jimmy Kimmel

Make your brand memorable with humor

According to Pascale, research shows that just 42% of positive experiences are forgotten, while 60% of negative experiences fade from memory.

Think about what TV ads you remember. You don’t remember stuff that is dull, certainly. The funny ones, right? Little kid Darth Vader? The one where the wind is personified and everyone hates him?  

“Facebook has been redesigned and it now contains a real-time news ticker. Every update says, ‘Breaking news: You’re screwing around at work.'” -Conan O’Brien

Laugher brings people together

“Laughter is social,” writes Pascale. People laugh 30 times more when they are with other people than when alone, according to Professor Robert R. Provine of the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

“Laughter eases tension and forms a sense of unity through groups,” writes Pascale. “Get your Facebook fans or Twitter followers laughing, and you'll be helping to establish a sense of community and building connections with your brand and amongst your fans and followers.”

“Facebook: What’s on your mind? ... Twitter: What’s happening? … Myspace: Where did everybody go?” – Will Ferrell

What people find funny provides audience insights

What is humor exactly? Why are some things funny? Peter McGraw, director of the Humor Research Lab and author of the Humor Code, says that "funny" is the intersection of benign and violation.

If something is benign, it's not going to be funny. Washing the dishes. Setting your alarm clock. Rabbits. Boring and benign.

If something is a violation, it's also not going to be funny. An insult. A scary point of view on the world.

“But that sweet spot between everyday and offensive, that's where funny happens,” writes Pascale. Setting your alarm clock for insults. Rabbits with a scary point of view on the world. Funny?

Figuring out that sweet spot will tell you a lot about the values and desires of your audience.

“Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg held a press conference to announce that if you post one more picture of your cat sleeping, they’re going to delete your account.” -Jimmy Kimmel

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How to Create Content That Gets Shared

No one wants to be the lame friend on Facebook who shares boring, inaccurate or insignificant posts.People share content that pulls on their heartstrings, tells their friends what type of Game of Thrones character they best represent, or even something that makes them pee their pants with laughter.Facebook’s latest updates to their algorithm, specifically the change that reduces the number of stories created by your friends in your News Feed, means brands must consider how to get their content seen by people outside their network. The obvious answer – get more Shares.

Why Shares Matter on Facebook

It doesn’t mean Likes and Comments are no longer important. They are still key metrics and those engagements help build brand loyalty. However, Shares are going to be vital in getting your content seen by folks outside your existing network. Does this mean you should start slapping a “Share this …” call-to-action on all your content? For the love of Jimmy Fallon, no.

Adjusting your content calendar over time with new content pillars can help you gain more Shares. With any Facebook changes, you shouldn’t rush to change your strategy and content overnight. We suggest sprinkling in these five content pillars into your calendar over the next couple months. Some of these categories may already be a part of your writing process, but we are going to focus on ways to increase your Share rate.

1. Informational Content

Informational content, such as, hacks, insider information and infographics*, can see a high Share rates when done correctly. For example, Staples could have crafted a post about binder clips keeping those important documents together. Snooze fest – people know how to use binder clips. Now take that same informational content pillar and turn it into a witty, how-to post that generated nearly 12k Shares.

* Note: Keep in mind that you can’t boost an infographic on Facebook due to the 20% text rule.

2. Storytelling Content

Everyone loves a good story! P&G nailed it during the Winter Olympics with their Thank You, Mom series. It was inspirational and relatable – two key ingredients for this content pillar. Don’t have the budget for an Olympic-sized video? Take a page out of Olay’s book with this emotional, customer story.

3. Emotional

According to a Buzzsomo study, the emotions that are most likely to trigger people to share content are awe, laughter and amusement. This can be executed with powerful text, such as a quote or relatable statement, over a gorgeous image. Fixodent hits one out of the park with this awe-inspiring video.

4. Interactive

Quizzes are a very popular way to execute interactive content. This could also be Fill in the Blank or What Would You Do posts. People love to share their opinion and knowledge. However, influencers are an extremely effective way increase Shares and access a larger network. Influencers, like the knowledgeable traveler below, are very relatable to audiences.

5. Snackable Images

The golden rule in generating Shares in this content pillar is to stay away from super-posed and cheesy images. Create real, easily-digestible (or snackable as we say at IgniteSMA) images. For example, Chobani could have used a photo of happy, smiling people eating yogurt on a sunny day in the park for Earth Day. Staged images will never compete with organic-feeling content. This is also a great example of using creative to showcase a holiday or trending topic.

One of the things that makes working in social media so exciting is the constant evolution to stay competitive and relevant. What content pillar are you going to add to your mix?

Disclosure: Multiple Ignite Social Media clients have been featured in this post. 

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10 Types of Visual Social Media Posts That Get Shared Like Crazy

Do you want double your social engagement and get your content shared like crazy?

For small businesses and brands everywhere, posting multiple images on social media has been proven to have massive traction

It seems simple right? But if it was so easy wouldn’t everybody do it?

Like most good things, in life – there’s a catch. And it isn’t not needing a huge budget or incredible graphic design skills.

When it comes to content creation, many people make this simple mistake: they add more visuals just for the sake of it. This is a basic approach. Smart content marketers create visual content that reach people’s emotions – content with real psychological impact.

If you’re not a graphic designer or artist, don’t freak out. I’m going to walk you through you ten types of powerful visuals that are easy to create and can double your social media engagement. Let’s get started.

1. High quality stock photography

Beware: your fans will smell a cheesy stock photo from a million miles away. Not only will it lead them to discredit your professionalism as a brand, but will deter them from wanting to share your post.

On the other hand, high quality stock photography can do the complete opposite. As well as making your brand seem more credible, high quality and relevant images help establish your brand’s reputation and boost engagement. If you’re looking for original content, check out this handy article that lists and rates over 70 free stock photography websites.

Image: Elite Daily

Take a look at this post on Elite Daily’s Facebook page. By using relevant and high quality stock photography, the band achieves a “wow factor” which immediately tempts the viewer to click through to the blog.

After all, everything your audience shares on social media will reflect back on themselves. You can’t blame them for wanting to look good, but you can choose the right images to make it possible.

2. Screenshots

You’ve probably heard the old adage “seeing is believing”. In terms of visual content, the psychological lesson here is that when people can see something for themselves, they’re more likely to trust the source – which develops its credibility.

Image: Buffer

In this Twitter post Buffer gauge interest around one of its growth experiments by showing two screenshots of an A/B tested email. By doing so, Buffer are able to immediately impress the viewer which intrigues them to read on.

The text used to accompany the post is short yet effective: providing a hook for the article but letting the image become the compelling factor.

3. Infographics

The most basic way to understand why visual content is so effective on social media is to consider that the brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. When we’re scrolling through hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of posts, tweets and updates – images are simply easier to digest.

Infographics take this concept to the next level, allowing brands to capture complex pieces of information and turn them into engaging social media posts.

Notice how Charity World Vision have created a Pinterest board dedicated solely to its infographics. By doing so, they’re able to share large chunks of information in a single visual post.

Image: World Vision

By following design guidelines to ensure your infographics are easily readable and visually engaging, this is a great opportunity to increase impact beyond what a single image could achieve.

4. Personal photographs

The best way to connect with your audience on a deeply authentic level is to show them that you’re human, no matter how successful you are. If your business or brand doesn’t have a human face, people will find it hard to relate to.

To execute this personal element in your visual social posts, add snaps of your CEO or management staff. In this example taken from fashion retailer Nastygal’s Instagram, the brand’s CEO Sophia Amoruso is seen at a book signing of her recent book #GIRLBOSS.

Not only does this boost interest around the book, it builds the authenticity of the brand. Look at her: she’s a boss!

Image: Nastygal

5. Behind the scenes shots of your workplace

Another way to connect  people to the human aspect of your brand is to show behind the scenes shots of your workplace. This exclusive insight fosters a personal connection with your fans and strengthens their brand loyalty.

This particular type of imagery is more suitable for Instagram and Facebook, which are often considered the more “social” mediums. Designer Jen Gotch does this well on her instagram account by regularly featuring quirky shots of team activities.

Image: Jen Gotch

These images give the impression that the team are “real people” and even encourage fans to consider Jen as a friend.

6. Quote graphics

A throwback to those motivational posters in your school counselor’s office – a quote graphic is still very beloved, and highly sharable. In fact, quote graphics work on every social media platform, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

The three things to consider with a quote graphic are the quote, the font, and the imagery. Go for a short quote with words that are easily digestible. Consider a font that’s readable on smaller screens because a lot more people are viewing through mobile devices these days.

Be sure to find an image that captures the spirit of the quote without competing with it for attention. The image should serve as a meditation space for the mind to go while its considering the quote.

Image: Canva Quotes

Original images designed in Canva

7. Original designs

Branding your images is essential in order to build recognition on social media – a goal that should always be at the forefront of your visual content creation.

Also consider that generic images are rehashed over and over again, so creating unique content gives you a much steadier chance of becoming memorable.

When designing your own images, always create a style guide to ensure brand consistency. This means determining rules for your fonts, color scheme, and image personality. The goal: you want your brand to be instantly recognizable.

Take a look at how Amanda Fuller, creator of Kaleidoscope Blog, uses a simple yet original design over and over in her posts on Pinterest. Whenever I see a pin from the Kaleidoscope Blog on my Pinterest feed, I know exactly who its from based on this unique calling card design.

Image: Kaleidoscope

8. Images that reflect the essence of your brand

If you want to create images that impact your target audience always consider: what made them choose you over your competitors?

The answer to this question is your unique selling point. By choosing images based around it, you’ll be strengthening the foundations of brand loyalty.

Consider VOSS Water. Propelled by brand values of purity, distinction, and social responsibility, VOSS Water visual social media posts always reinforce one (or more) of these ideals.

In the Facebook examples below, you’ll find the distinctive VOSS Water bottle featured prominently as anchor branding. Both images convey a sense of nature/ natural, and the fruit infusions look fresh and healthy, right on target with branding.

Image: Voss

9. Action shots

Stimulate the imagination of your audience with an action or experience shot. Nothing is quite as convincing as a still photo that captures a moment in time.

Charity Water understood how to engage its audience with this vibrant image of clean water and outreached hands. Without reading, you instantly get the visual: What’s a bigger need than clean water? And what’s a great joy than having access to it?

Image: Charity Water

While you may not be providing clean water to those in need, you can still use this type of visual social media post to inspire your followers to feel good about you and themselves, also, for following you.

Share images of your product or service in its ideal use. There’s a reason why, depending on the brand, beer ads show customers partying at the hottest club or lounging on the beach–that’s the desired experience.

Whatever you’re selling, you want a product shot of your ideal customer actively reaping the benefits of it,

10. Images with a striking color palette

Colors can depict and elevate mood. Whether you’re looking to compel or commiserate, colors play a huge role in human psychology. Consider: what are the feelings you want to evoke from your social media audience? Try and replicate that feeling with the colors you choose.

Image: Experiment with different color palettes

An easy way to do this is to use a color picker tool to extract colors from your favourite images. Before you start designing, you should always set out to limit yourself to four main colors – this will help establish a theme or feeling for your designs and increase their impact.

Now it’s your turn

Adding visual content to your social media strategy is a no-brainer, but using visual content that reaches your fans emotions and catches their eye is the smart marketer’s approach.

Whether you’re creating original content, sourcing photographs or shooting your own always consider how it will impact your audience.

How do you stand out from your competitors? Do certain types of visual posts work better for you than others? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

About the Author: Anna Guerrero heads up Editorial at Canva. Canva is launching new features to enable small businesses, bloggers and their teams to create more stunning graphics and boost their traffic. Register your interest to win a free account.

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