Visual Storytelling: Amplifying Engagement with Video on Social Media

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The modern world has opened new channels for brands to engage with their target audience. In a couple of decades, we’ve seen the birth and rise of social media platforms. From the early days when Facebook and Myspace reigned supreme to Instagram and TikTok, social media has been the central place where today’s trends, viral challenges, and even social action unfold in real time.
Every day, billions of users flock to these platforms both to connect and consume. This makes social media a key part of any modern marketing strategy. Brands must be where their target consumers are, not just to simply post product shots and prices, but to engage with their audiences and share their stories.
And within the digital storytelling world, one format reigns supreme—videos.
The Role of Visual Storytelling in Marketing
Here are some of the reasons why using videos is a must for marketers:
Entertaining and visually captivating
Adding videos to your social media posts can capture a user’s attention. Instead of mindlessly scrolling past static images or text, consumers are more likely to stop and watch the whole video.
Showcases your brand personality
Videos are a great way to highlight your brand’s personality. As the old saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” If that’s true, then even a short 15-second reel will allow you to introduce your brand better to your target audience.
Through various content ranging from scripted ads to more raw, behind-the-scenes clips you can market your brand, its values, and culture in a more dynamic and authentic way. Doing so can help you boost engagement while humanizing the brand and creating stronger connections with your viewers or followers.
Versatile
With videos, you can repurpose and adapt your content to fit the preferences and expectations of each platform’s audience. Instagram and TikTok users prefer short, easy-to-digest content that packs a punch. On the other hand, you can use longer-form content for your official YouTube channel, where users tend to expect more details in the content they watch.
Amplifies your messaging
Just because you’re prioritizing video content doesn’t mean other elements of your marketing strategy will be forgotten. In fact, when done well, video storytelling can highlight your other marketing efforts and amplify your brand messaging as a whole.
For example, say you have a brand event to launch your marquee campaign. The event space may only be able to accommodate a limited number of attendees. But with video content like livestreaming and user-generated video content of the event, you can have a bigger reach and create a more captivating brand experience.
Tips on Using Videos to Boost Your Social Media Efforts
If you’re considering using videos to strengthen your social media efforts but don’t know where to start, here are some simple yet practical tips for your next post:
Know your audience.
Before diving into video content creation, it’s crucial to understand your target audience. Who are they? What are their interests, preferences, and pain points? The answers to these questions will make the next steps easier to accomplish.
Aside from quantitative data, you must also keep one ear on the ground. Today’s fast-paced world requires you to always be in tune with the changes happening not just to your business but to the people you do business with. By doing so, you can tailor your content to ensure it resonates with your target consumers, keeping your brand relevant and engagement levels high.
Craft the right narrative.
When you tell a story, it’s best to have a framework in mind. This is especially true if you plan to post this story on platforms with billions of users. There are plenty of things to consider, ranging from simple issues (getting the right colors and texts) to more complex ones (ensuring you’re not infringing on copyright laws or promoting harmful stereotypes).
As a general rule, never steer away from your brand personality. Make sure you stay true to who you are. Aside from creating memorable and impactful videos, you want to ensure authenticity—an important yet often overlooked quality that today’s users crave for.
Optimize your content for the platform.
Maximizing your engagement and reach requires optimizing your content for the platform on which you’ll be posting it. Different platforms have different requirements (e.g., aspect ratio and video length).
The ideal video length also varies per platform and content type. Short-forms such as reels tend to perform well when they’re between 15 and 60 seconds long. When deciding on the best length, it’s important to consider not just the platform’s algorithm but the type of content you’re posting. Doing so will help ensure you’re effectively and efficiently telling the whole story instead of just a part of what you want to say.
Utilize available in-app features.
To maximize the effectiveness of your video content on social media platforms, it’s essential to leverage each platform’s in-app features, from hashtags to stickers and emojis.
There are also more “hard-working” features that allow you to get more out of your posts. Geo-tagging or adding the location to your post can drive up your local SEO performance. Alt texts and closed captions on the other hand makes social media more inclusive and ensures that your message can be understood by a wider audience.
Conclusion
It’s clear that adding video content to your social media toolkit can help boost engagement and improve your reach. Sure, getting the right “formula” for your brand may take a few tries and can be time-hungry, but it’s definitely a must for modern marketers.
Remember to incorporate the above tips to ensure you’re making the most of this excellent visual storytelling aid. By having a genuine interest in your audience, knowing your brand inside and out, and ditching the one-size-fits-all mentality, you can thrive in the cutthroat arena of social media.