Video on social media platforms like Instagram is having the main role right now.
In a recent Instagram Live, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri shared that video is “driving an immense amount of growth online for all major platforms” and stated that video will be the most important area to pay more attention to for Instagram over the coming months.
The takeaway: If you want to develop your business online, it’s the right time to create video content.
Still not convinced? Here are 7 reasons why:
Reason #1: Video Gets More Engagement!
If you visit any social media platform recently, you may notice video content within the first 10 seconds.
The reason why is that video content typically works best with most algorithms, based on the fact it captures an audience’s attention for longer.
Which explains why videos on Instagram help to gain more engagement than any other content kind.
Social media platforms also give more boost to new features to encourage adoption — many of which are relevant videos.
Instagram, for example, is still concentrating on promoting Instagram Reels, making it one of the most effective growth hacks on the app right now.
Meanwhile, Pinterest Video Pins appear in a scrollable banner at the top of Pinterest mobile app search results — prime real estate for capturing the attention of new audiences and holding them for longer than a static image Pin would.
Reason #2: It’s Growing in Popularity Across All Platforms
There’s no doubt, social media users like video.
Back in 2018, a study explained that 54% of consumers wanted to watch more video content from the brands or businesses they follow.
Since then, video has grown in popularity across each social media platform — from Facebook to LinkedIn. In 2019, users spent an average of 6 hours and 48 minutes every week watching online videos, a 59% increase from 2016.
And that’s before we consider the influence of the pandemic on our video consumption habits.
Consumers expect brands to give engaging, entertaining content on social media more than ever before. And video is one of the most effective formats to do so.
Reason #3: Video Typically Has a Longer Shelf Life Online
Not only does video content gain more engagement than other kinds, it usually sticks around for longer.
A TikTok video, for instance, can be surfaced in users’ For You Pages for weeks, even months, after they publish it.
This is because video content typically gets more interactions and shares, which means it remains in the ecosystem for longer.
Reason #4: It Compels to a Gen Z Audience
Gen Z is much more related to the internet than other generations and has grown up with YouTube as a primary source of entertainment and education.
Based on a YouTube survey, 50% of millennials and Gen Z generations said they “couldn’t live” without video in their lives.
This explains why TikTok, as a short-form video app, has become successful with Gen Z users. Over 35% of TikTok’s 800M+ users fall into this demographic, with most viral TikTok stars aged from 18 to 24.
Reason #5: One Video Can Be Used in Multiple Platforms
Producing high-quality video content may be more time-consuming than taking a great photograph. However, once complete, you can use it to reach tons of audiences via multiple platforms.
This is one trend we’ve seen many influencers and brands doing successfully on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Both these platforms have the same 9:16 format and intent.
Similarly, 16:9 videos can be easily used to publish on both Instagram – IGTV and YouTube — with each of these platforms being suited to slightly longer-form content.
Consider repurposing your video content. For instance, short videos for Instagram Reels can be Pinterest Video Pins, Instagram Feed videos are often the perfect format to share on Facebook, and Instagram Live broadcasts can now be automatically shown on IGTV.
The opportunities are unlimited!
Reason #6: It’s a More Personable Way to Interact with Your Audience
More than ever before, consumers want to explore and understand more about the brands and creators they follow. And video is a great way to do so.
Describing the different sides of your brand through video content can humanize your business and help create a deeper, more emotional connection between you and your community.
Moreover, it’s an effective way to unpack your product offering in a personable way. That can be much more relatable (and persuasive) than a series of static photos.
Reason #7: Video is an Effective Sales Tool
If a picture can tell a thousand words, a video is worth many more. This is only one reason why video is such a powerful sales tool.
Pinterest users are 2.6x more likely to make a purchase after watching the brand’s video on the platform. In fact, 93% of marketers said they reached a new customer thanks to a video on social media.
Video helps brands to introduce products in a dynamic way. And brands can add valuable context that is almost impossible to achieve through a single photo.
They set up the video to rise in popularity as digital-first experiences take center stage.
And even with all of these benefits, video is still share less frequently than static image posts. It gives you a greater opportunity of standing out from the crowd and reaching a larger audience.
If you’re not creating video content for your brand yet, it’s the best time ever to begin.
The good news is, your video content strategy doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. Often the simplest, most authentic concepts can work the most effectively.