This is an article “Making Videos More Social” by Marc Primo
Do you agree that anyone can make quality-produced films today? Even if you don’t have a film degree, you can post plenty of video shorts everywhere on social media these days and most people are willing to watch. However, this does not make it less important for anyone to get the proper skills in producing high quality videos (even on a smartphone). All the same, this is the best time to make your videos go viral and enjoy the low cost of guerilla video marketing.
“Why” may be the main word on your mind but that’s not the real question. For the past several years, video content marketing has been the top performing digital type that drives netizens to view, follow, and engage in social media pages. Fifty-five percent of those who go online watch videos everyday, while 72% of the consumer population rely on videos to learn about products on the market.
So, the real question here is: why aren’t you putting more pedal on your video content strategies and how can you make it more social? Here are some tips that can help you get more play clicks than what you’re currently getting now.
Make your stories compelling
Anyone who produces quality videos knows that effective storytelling is what really pulls in viewers. This means that you have to carefully script your content in a way that it motivates, inspires, helps, and influences the audience while letting your brand stand out and have a personality of its own. Some of the most common topics video producers anchor their works from are stories about the struggle, triumphs, and other human interest stories.
One fine example is how GoPro produced a video about a fireman who tries to save a kitten from a house fire which today has amassed a jaw dropping 43 million views (and counting). Showing your audiences a point-of-view story about a hero releases oxytocin which makes them feel more compassionate, generous, and simply good about the things they see. So, if you want to get audiences to click on play, go for character-driven stories that they can easily relate to.
Consider your platform
Know your social media platform by heart because you’ll need the right size for your videos (landscape or portrait mode), before you shoot and post them online. Remember when you used to read through video comments and find how some users could scold video producers for using the portrait mode? Well these days, while most audiences still prefer the usual horizontal mode like the ones we view on television and cinemas, some of today’s top social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram Stories also use the portrait mode for users’ marketing videos.
Each social media platform has a unique audience so it’s always best if you optimize your videos for their intended channels.
Figure out the basic elements
Part of producing quality videos for social media is knowing how to work your camera angles, applying proper lighting, fixing audio, and using the right editing software.
Try keeping things simple by using a tripod for steadier shots and applying the rule of thirds wherein your subject occupies a third of the entire frame for more depth rather than simply focused at the center. Learn more camera angles and techniques from the many online tutorials available on YouTube and how you can apply them in your storytelling process.
Now, if you are using smartphones to shoot your videos, study your light settings as most of these devices automatically sense and adjust to natural light. Avoid shooting grainy frames born out of too much filtering, and you can always improve lighting with the use of CFL bulbs that emit softer and cooler light, or entry-level reflectors to bounce off light.
For audio, simply use a reliable external mic instead of the one built-in on your smartphone. A good mix of wild sounds and straight dialogue can be caught with audio brands as Mighty Mics or Rode VideoMic Pro among many others.
Lastly, you’d want the best and most efficient editing software around to bring your reel into life. Editing social media videos doesn’t have to be too complex with minimal animation and transition effects necessary. If you’re going for simple and linear videos, Mac’s built-in iMovie or Windows’ Movie Maker are fine, but if you want to get more punches in, start learning how to use Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro X. However you want your final video to shine, it all boils down to how your editing software can really perform.
If you want to know more about Marc Primo Pulisci and Digital Marketing click here.