As marketing trends continue to evolve, it’s clear that video is still far-and-away one of the most effective tools in a marketer’s toolbox. In fact, it’s said that more than 500 million hours of videos are watched every single day on Youtube alone! Here at Studio 3, we’re committed to unravelling the mechanics of how exactly to best take advantage of video’s effectiveness. Afterall, between Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter – the potential audience-reach is staggering. At Studio 3, we’re obsessed with answering the question: what makes people watch or walk? Because let’s face it, most people will scroll right past your content, or briefly hover over it. So we’ve put together a list of 4 unique ways that you can utilize video to stop the scroll, pique interest, and generate organic engagement online. Many of these principles extend beyond merely Social Media Marketing, but can also be applied to sales, SEO, and Lead Generation. These are the same techniques we use here at Studio 3, and when you partner with us, you can rest assured that we always employ the latest and greatest social media trends.
- HOOK THE AUDIENCE
Let’s be honest: attention spans are short. It’s crucial to stop people in their tracks; whether through quick editing, bold colors, or an outrageous premise. You want to be eye-catching and unique from everything else people see in their feed. Adopting a ‘think-outside-the-box’ mentality will increase your odds of pulling a scroller into your world. Cute animals dressed as people never fails. In a sense, we’ve become the speed daters of storytelling. (shout-out to the amazing folks at the The Pixie Project!)
- INCLUDE CAPTIONS
Did you know that 85% of videos on Facebook and Instagram are watched on mute? This creates a unique challenge for marketers and videographers, demanding a more visual storytelling style be used. So whatever dialogue IS included, it is absolutely essential to use captions in order to get your message across. Neglecting this step will cause an enormous number of potential viewers to scroll right past your video, simply because they are unable or unwilling to un-mute their sound. That’s why Studio 3 always recommends including captioning. It’s an important step not to be neglected!
- USE PEOPLE, TELL A STORY
People are interested in people! Including a person (or groups of people) in the first few seconds of your video will double the audience retention rate. It also presents an opportunity to tell a story, or set up an obstacle for your character to overcome. Storytelling is another useful tactic that holds people’s’ attention, as long as the sequence of events is easy to follow.
- FLASH YOUR LOGO AND USE BOLD GRAPHICS
Often a few choice words in bold graphics are all it takes to stop a scroller. If they have an idea of what they are getting into – and your logo or choice of colors intrigues them – then they are more likely to give your video their precious time. Animation, slideshows, and gifs are great options!
These 4 techniques are just the tip of the video-marketing iceberg. And due to the ever-changing nature of social media, keeping on top of these fluctuating trends and marketing-methods is a full-time job all it’s own. That’s why so many companies and brands choose to partner with Studio 3! Not only do we have an entire department dedicated to social media marketing here in the studio, we’ve also got you covered on everything from creative production meetings, to music selection. At Studio 3, YOU are the creative agent, and WE are here to be your partner – developing your concepts and making your video+photography ideas come to life.