Social media video production: Content that gets noticed
Written by Maren Dinges | 25th September 2024
Table of Contents
By 2025, people are expected to consume approximately one million videos per second, most of which will be social media videos. Video content has grown rapidly on social media, especially with the rise of platforms like TikTok. With more and more videos being published every second, reaching your target audience is becoming increasingly more work. Viewers on social media make quick decisions about whether to watch a video within seconds. This article provides guidance on creating social media video content that will likely get attention.
1. Choosing the Right Video Format
Before we get to the content, the technical requirements must be met. Format is the most essential factor. Social media videos perform best when created in a platform-native format. Most social media videos are 9:16 in length. Examples include Instagram reels, TikToks, and YouTube shorts. 9:16 videos in portrait format are typically consumed by users on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.
Despite the trend toward 9:16, 16:9 remains relevant on social media. On YouTube alone, people spend an average of 27 minutes watching videos, most of which are in 16:9. 16:9 is also widely used on social channels such as LinkedIn and Facebook.
So, what is the right format for social media video? The short answer is
- 9:16 for vertical videos that people watch primarily on smartphones and tablets,
- 16:9 for horizontal videos that people watch primarily on TVs or computers.
2. Snackable content vs. long-form
Adapt the concept of your social media video content to the format.
Snackable content
Snackable content is perfect for the 9:16 format. Your audience consumes this type of content almost as an afterthought. If you add value as a snack, it is immediately available in the video. The content is so concise and clear that no further explanation is needed. This format is great for giving quick tips, inspiring your audience, or informing them about a topic.
Long Formats
It’s clear that “the shorter, the better” is not always the rule when it comes to social media video, as evidenced by the reaction of the platforms. TikTok, for example, started by only allowing videos under one minute to be uploaded but has since increased the maximum length to three minutes, then ten minutes, then fifteen minutes, and is now testing 60-minute videos in China. This suggests that content-driven video remains popular and that with the right content, social media attention spans can be sustained for longer periods of time.
3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Hook
An engaging introduction is critical to grabbing the viewer’s attention at the beginning of your video. The first 10 to 20 seconds are critical, as the bounce rate is highest. Therefore, traditional storytelling may not work well for social media videos. Instead, focus on creating an exciting opening that will keep viewers interested.
You can achieve this through technical means but also through stylistic means:
- Use effects and sounds that have an "engaging" effect.
- Use perspective changes that create surprise effects.
- Text the scripts in an attention-grabbing way.
Be creative with your copy. There is no such thing as a cookie-cutter perfect hook. A question to the audience can get as much attention as a statement, a controversial opinion, or a fun fact that no one has heard before. Use the element of surprise to stand out from the crowd.
If you need help with the text concept, Simpleshow Video Maker will help you. The Story Generator creates a finished script from just a few keywords. You can bring the script to life with moving images directly in Simpleshow Video Maker.
By the way, subtitles have become an essential part of social media video design. They ensure accessibility and allow you to design your content without sound. simpleshow video maker creates them automatically with just one click.
4. Match trends and familiar faces to your brand
Use familiar faces in your social media videos to attract attention. The brain tends to remember things better when they are familiar. By creating relatable content, you can directly connect with your audience. Stay on top of emerging social media trends and adapt them to your brand. Personalizing trends is key whether it’s a popular sound or a full script.
Consider working with influencers to get your videos noticed. Making them brand ambassadors will associate your brand with them and give them a recognizable face. Remember to use hashtags on platforms like TikTok and YouTube to increase your reach.
5. Create authentic videos
Finally, your brand needs to develop its own style. Social media video works through both recognition and surprise. For example, you can create consistent formats that are always fresh. The authenticity of your brand is paramount. It doesn’t matter if you record the videos with a mediocre smartphone camera, create an explainer video in simpleshow video maker or set up a glossy production for videos: Users need to feel your brand is authentic.
6. Build a community
Authenticity is critical in social media videos because they are consumed on social networks and thrive on social sharing. People want to engage with the brands they already know. By creating interactive social media videos, you can build a community around your account, allowing people to interact with your content and ultimately build trust in your brand.
For example, you can engage your community in social media videos by
- Include questions in your videos or explicitly solicit answers from your community.
- Allow your community to define your video or specific video formats.
- Interact with your community in video comments.
- Speak directly to your community, such as by name.
- Include your community in the video.
Conclusion: Scaling Social Media Reach with Video
81 percent of social media users prefer video to text or images because it is easy to consume and remember. This is important to stand out: people go to social media to be distracted or to get information quickly. That means they are looking for content that is easy to understand – content that is simple. Animated explainer videos in particular reduce complexity. The numbers speak for themselves. 70 percent of marketers agree that animated explainer videos drive more conversions than other content.
Give your audience a snack in 9:16 format or a deep dive in 16:9 format. With simpleshow video maker you can create animated explainer videos that will get you direct attention on social media.
