It’s no secret that video marketing is on an upward trajectory. In fact, on Facebook alone, more than 8 billion videos are watched every single day. If you’ve ever done any video marketing, you also know it’s no secret that video marketing can be tricky. Finding the right formula of content, length, and delivery method can be difficult to say the least. 

Defining the optimum length

The optimum length for videos is a difficult thing to define, and there are a whole load of variables that can influence the answer, like:

• Who’s your target audience?

• What’s your product or service?

• Where is it being promoted?

• What’s it about?

• How engaging is your speaker?

Because of all these factors, the ideal length will vary from industry to industry and business to business.

As an example, let’s think about the type of product you’re promotoing. If you’re selling a $20 item, it’s likely your audience will be unwilling to invest five minutes to watch your video. If you’re selling a $2,000 service though, five minutes suddenly seems like a more reasonable request.

What the data tells us

When video hosting and analytics giant Wistia looked at the stats from 500,000 videos, the sweet spot was 2 minutes. According to their research, it’s after that point that there’s a fairly steep drop off and people click away. 

That said, their numbers also showed there’s minimal drop-off between 6 and 12 minutes -- so, assuming you can keep viewers until the 6 minute mark, by that point, there’s a good chance you’ve secured the next 6 minutes of their time too.

As with any type of content, it’s important to keep your message and goals in mind – if your video needs to be long, it needs to be long. There’s no use in condensing what would have been a 10 minute video down to 2 minutes for fear of people not watching, if the end result means you’re compromising on the quality and credibility of its substance. 

Videos on social media

Once you’ve got your video edited, it’s time to disperse it through social media. According to data from HubSpot, the most engaging video lengths for each platform are:

• Instagram: 30 seconds

• Twitter: 45 seconds

• Facebook: 1 minute

• YouTube: 2 minutes

 

Action items: Here's what you can do 

Discovering what works for you is all about trial and error, and engagement is a key metric to measure. So, what can you do to find your own sweet spot? Here are a few ideas:

• Categorize your videos, because there’ll likely be different patterns for sales, ‘how to’ and tutorial videos.

• Analyze the play to finish ratio from all your videos to date and see what’s working best.

• Look out for trends in where viewers are trailing off. If there are any, engineer your next videos to this length and see what results you get.

• Take a look at what your competitors are doing, and if they’re getting good engagement, see if you can identify any lessons from their success.

If you’re new to the world of video marketing, check out our three-part series on producing and editing iPhone footage here, here and here.

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HUE & TONE CREATIVE: SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT IN GREENSBORO, NC

Need a second opinion on your video content? Ask the experts. From compelling email campaigns to social media account management, Hue & Tone Creative is here to cover all your marketing needs.

Think about the last time you watched something. Did you sit back on the couch and grab the remote, or did you reach for the phone in your pocket?

The days of devouring media solely on a TV screen are long gone. In fact, the total number of videos uploaded in the last 30 days dramatically surpasses the amount of content produced by major U.S. networks in the past 30 years.

With all those videos out there, how do you get eyes on your own content?

This week for Part 3 of our Great Mobile Video series, we’ll show you how to your iPhone videos to stand out on three major platforms.   

YouTube

YouTube’s search engine is massive, so getting noticed in a sea of competing content boils down to the work you put into your SEO.

To help your videos pop up more often in search results, put time and effort into your metadata (title, description, tags, category, and thumbnail).

TITLE
Your title should be no more than 60 characters long, but keep in mind that mobile users will only see about 26 characters of that.  

Avoid using “clickbait” titles to draw in views. An example? “This will change your life forever!” about a video showing off a new mop. Come up with a title that’s catchy, but honest… or you risk annoying your viewers and forfeiting subscribers.

Organize your videos into playlists. It will entice viewers to watch more of your content. 

DESCRIPTION
Because only 2-3 lines of text (about 100 characters) are shown in the description of your videos during searches, put the most important info first. Mobile users won’t see your description at all, only your title.

TAGS
Spend time researching relevant tags (Google’s Keyword planner is a great tool to use). Make sure that you only use tags that have to do with your video. Irrelevant tags could cause you to land in trouble with Google.

CATEGORY
Make sure to choose the right category based on your viewers’ demographics. We recommend visiting YouTube’s Creator Academy to make sure that your selection is the right fit for your brand.

CREATE A CLEVER THUMBNAIL
An eye-catching thumbnail can help your videos stand from competing search results. Think of your thumbnail as a little snapshot of what your video is about. Stick to a simple scheme like an image from your video paired with bold title. Canva is a great tool to use if you’re not savvy with Photoshop. 

Facebook

Think YouTube is the leading video viewing platform? Well, that’s sort of true…

On average, 45% of people watch over an hour of YouTube or Facebook videos every week. Focusing on one over the other could cause you to miss out on a lot of potential leads.

While you may be tempted to simply share your YouTube link on Facebook, studies show that uploading videos directly to Facebook can increase your share rate dramatically. In fact, when compared to YouTube links, native Facebook videos perform 10x better and receive higher levels of engagement.

Sidebar: Because 85% of Facebook are viewed without sound, make sure that you have your subtitles enabled.

The uploading process it pretty similar to YouTube’s, choose a descriptive title and a compelling thumbnail to draw in views. We highly recommend spending time on your actual post. Only 400 characters of your post will share when people are scrolling through their feeds, so choose your words wisely.

Investing in a Facebook campaign is another great way to amp up your views. Check out our guide for more details. 

Instagram

Before your video debuts, drum up excitement by mixing in teasers with your normal content. 

When it comes to Instagram views, hashtags are your best friend. Using at least one hashtag will bring in 12.6% more engagement that not using any. Just try not to go overboard. The rule of thumb is to choose relevant hashtags that are consistent with your brand, and are easily discoverable by new viewers.

Advertise your video in your bio with a compressed link. You can promote the video further in your other posts by stating “link in bio” at the bottom of the captions.

If you have influencers or special guests featured in your video, make sure to tag their page and have your participants do the same for you. This makes it easier for their viewers to discover your brand. 

One final takeaway…

When you get started with video, don’t obsess over your amount of views. Results take time. Instead, focus on producing and uploading high quality videos regularly, so that you can build up a following and increase your brand awareness overtime.

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Hue & Tone Creative: Social Media Marketing in the Triad

Looking to launch an ad campaign or ramp up your social media presence? Get started with the pros! From social media management to email campaigns, the creative thinkers at Hue & Tone Creative can help bring your brand’s story to life.

Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to edit together a viral video! 

We’re back after taking a week off from the blog!  Two weeks ago, we shared some filming basics (you can catch up on Part 1 here). Now we’re jumping into the must-know stuff about editing video.

Let’s go ahead and dive in head first! 

Edit on a computer

Although there are plenty of video editing apps to choose from, editing on a computer is the key to producing quality professional videos.

iMovie is the perfect starter program for beginners, but its features can be a little limited.  It’s a great place to start -- you can use filters, voiceovers, and a small array special effects. But you might be a little limited when it comes to visual effects, audio editing, and graphic integrations. (It’s also the only cheap/free option on this list!)

Need an app for spontaneous videos? Magisto and Adobe Premiere Clip are free and perfect for on-the-go projects:

Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the leading cross-platform video-editing programs on the market. Because it’s used by film makers, journalists, and broadcasters, Premiere Pro is perfect for high quality professional content. Virtually every type of film or file type is compatible and can be exported to any screen and format. Premiere Pro also works seamlessly with other Adobe programs like Illustrator and After Effects – great for integrating custom titles.

Final Cut Pro X is a high quality professional program from Apple. Like Premiere Pro, Final Cut specializes in advanced techniques and 4K video. And, we personally find it to be a little more beginner friendly than Adobe Premiere. You can also purchase title and animation templates directly through Apple Motion rather than editing them in separate Adobe programs.

A final tip? No matter which software you use, make sure to back up your files! Nothings worse than losing all your hard work to a corrupt file or technical hiccup. If you’re really looking to make video a big part of your marketing take the safe route and invest in a cloud plan or external hard drive. 

 

Consider the Viewer

The obvious goal of your video is to be shared. When you’re editing, focus on what you want your audience to see, think, and feel.

The best way to spark your creativity? Go watch other people’s videos and see what’s trending!

Are you trying to spark an emotional response? Sharing a clever hack? How you present your material makes a difference in how it’s received by others. Think of your video as a story, with a clear beginning, middle, and ending. If you’re viewers are confused by what they’re watching, they’ll move on to something else.

Studies show that the average viewer’s attention starts to dwindle after 8.25 seconds. To keep your viewers engaged, trying to break up talk-heavy scenes with visuals or infographics. You can also shake up static scenes by varying your camera angles. 

 

Cut out the fluff

You have a limited amount of time to hold your viewer’s attention and communicate your message. If your video if veering off-topic, cut it down. There’s no point filling your video with irrelevant content.

Make sure to scan your video for mistakes, “ums”, awkward little moments where you may have lost your train of thought (it happens to everyone). Cutting on specific words can help transition to a different topic and make the video flow evenly. 

Tailor for social

Your video’s length really depends on which platform you’re uploading to. Keep this little guideline in mind before you start filming. Save intros/outros for YouTube videos. There’s no need to use them for shorter social media videos.

Facebook: 1 minute

Twitter: 45 seconds

YouTube: 2 Minutes

Instagram: 30 seconds

 

Add Some Music

Want to use some subtle background music? Here’s a list of sites that offer music with a Creative Commons license.  Just be sure to double check the terms before you use a song. 

• Jamendo

• ccMixter

• AudioFarm

• Free Music Archive

• ASH Music

Music can add a nice touch and help set the tone of your movie, but make sure to watch the volume! Background music should enhance the scene, not overpower it.

 

Create a Silent Video

No, not a Charlie Chaplin inspired silent film (although, that may be a fun idea). We mean a soundless video.

Videos on Facebook and Instagram autoplay without the sound, so it’s important to edit with that feature in mind. No one wants a loud video to start playing when they’re standing in line at Starbucks or sneakily browsing Facebook during a boring meeting (don’t do that, BTW).

Using strong visual elements like bright colors, bold fonts, and graphics will help your audience get the gist of what your video’s about when it’s muted.

You can also add captions with iMovie, Premiere Pro, or Facebook Live. Just watch your placement and make sure to use a crisp bold font that’s easy to read at any size.

That’s it for this week’s installment! Check back next week for Part 3 of our mobile video series…we’ll be giving you a run down on how to get more views!

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Social Media Marketing in Greensboro and Winston Salem

Struggling to get noticed on social? We can fix that! From social media management to email campaigns, Hue & Tone creative can help boost your engagement and help create a loyal following. We can also help you come up with a plan to creatively incorporate video into your daily social schedule!

It’s no secret, video marketing isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, by 2019, video will make up over 80% of online consumer traffic.

While anyone can pull out their iPhones and start filming, quality videos take effort.

Not sure where to begin? Our 6 pro tips can help you make a video worth watching.

1.    Find A Location

While spontaneous videos can work well for social, it’s better to go for a more professional approach for advertising videos and promotional content.  Find a private area where you can focus and feel comfortable. You don’t want your filming to be interrupted by noisy traffic or someone yelling on their phone.

Choose a quiet space alone without any distractions. Want to film outside? Choose your day wisely. Wind is audio’s worst enemy.

2.    Check Your Lighting

Whether you’re filming inside or outside, terrible lighting can ruin an otherwise great video.

Never film directly in front of a window! You’ll wind up looking like a creepy silhouette. 

If you’re shooting outside, indirect lighting is your friend! The best times for filming are typically in the early morning or late afternoon while the lighting is still soft.

Filming inside requires a little more setup than outdoor videos. To make up for a dim space, it’s important to add additional lighting.

You don’t need to blow your budget for great lighting. At just under 60 bucks, this lighting kit is perfect.

Filming near a well-lit window works well in a pinch. Try to avoid shooting under fluorescent lights. They’re way too harsh and super unflattering on camera. 

3. Clean Your Lens

Have you ever watched a video and gotten super distracted by a weird smudge on the screen? We have. Don’t be that person. You want your audience to focus on you, not your dirty screen.

4. Lock Your Exposure & Focus

On an iPhone, your focus and exposure adjusts automatically. While this is great for pictures, it can make a video super choppy and blurry.  

To fix this, focus your camera by tapping and holding the screen. After a few seconds, the AE/AF button will pop up.

5. Film Horizontally

Although most Snaps and Instagram Stories are shot vertically, this is a major don’t for phone videos. Shooting horizontally will ensure that you don’t have any awkward rotation problems when people are watching your video.

And, make sure not to mix vertical and horizontal shots – it’s an editing nightmare!

6. Invest in a Tripod & Mic

Even if you try to hold your phone as steady as possible, you’re still going to end up bumpy shots. We highly suggest buying a tripod. Trust us, it makes all the difference! 

Here are a few options that won’t break the bank:

• Acuvar 50" Inch Aluminum Tripod: $14

• UBeesize Portable and Adjustable Tripod: $12

• Eocean 50-Inch Tripod: $23

Along with having a smooth and steady shot, clear audio is essential. Buying a external microphone will ensure that you’re sound isn’t compromised. We personally love our Lavalier mic because it’s travel-friendly and works for phones, laptops, and tablets.

• Lavalier Lapel Microphone: $16

• Comica CVM-VS08: $59

• Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone: $59

For under $20 you can also by a fuzzy microphone cover to help block out wind and background noise. This 5 pack from eBoot is practically a steal.

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We'll be taking next week off from blogging... but be sure to keep an eye out the following two Wednesday's -- we'll be posting two more installments on how to get great mobile video! You’ll be going viral in no time!

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Hue & Tone Creative: Social Media Management in Greensboro, NC

Need second opinion on your current social strategy? Ask the experts. From compelling email campaigns to social media account management, Hue & Tone Creative is here to cover all your marketing needs.