Remember when taking photos meant using film and getting them developed? Then came disposable cameras, followed by the rise of digital cameras in the 2000s. Now, all you need is a cell phone to capture high-quality video. There’s no turning back, and it’s 2023: video has taken over all social media platforms.
YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, TikTok, even LinkedIn – every social media platform is now pushing and favoring short-form video content. And it’s no surprise – short-form video has the highest ROI of any media format by far, according to Hubspot. The average user now watches 19 hours of video content per week, says Adobe. Hubspot also predicts that short-form video will see the most growth in 2023. In fact, short-form video already accounts for 80% of all mobile data traffic, according to Adobe. And YouTube Shorts alone has 1.5 billion monthly active users and sees more than 30 billion daily views, according to Google.
So, what are the advantages of short-form video? It allows you to create more content in less time, and viewers are more likely to engage with it. Short-form video is also easy to distribute across multiple platforms.
But how do you start creating short-form video content for your business?
Here are 5 tips to help you take advantage of this format and start growing your business today:
- Keep it short and sweet: Reels are short-form videos, so make every second count. Keep your message brief and engaging, and try to convey it in 15 to 30 seconds. Remember to think about who you’re trying to reach.
- Be yourself: There’s only one of you for a reason – show it! Imagine you’re talking to someone in person and let your personality shine through. You can reach more people with video than you can in person, so use that to your advantage.
- Add music or audio: Music and audio can make your reel more interesting and engaging. Choose a track that fits the tone of your message and make sure it doesn’t overpower your message. You can even use a trending audio to try to get more views, but be careful not to rely too heavily on trends.
- Use captions: Over 80% of people watch videos on mute, so adding captions or text overlays can help make your reel more accessible to all viewers. Use a free app like CapCut to edit and create captions for your video.
- Keep your branding consistent: Make sure your reel is consistent with your brand identity and messaging. Use your brand colors, logo, and font to reinforce your brand message and make your reel more recognizable. However, don’t overdo it with call-to-actions on every video – you want to build a genuine relationship with your audience.
Bonus tip: Want 3 tips to unlock unlimited video ideas for your next video?
Watch this IG Reel and apply them today.
For more tips on igniting your video content to grow your business, follow us social media platforms @ignitecinemas & visit website www.ignitecinemas.com to learn more about growing your business with video.
If you need help to grow your small business, UMW SBDC is here for you. Please register at umw.edu/sbdc for free, confidential business consulting and free or low-fee training classes.