There’s no denying the power of social media in online marketing. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok are ripe with marketing potential. If you’re not taking advantage of these free resources as part of your digital marketing plan, you’re leaving money on the table. From retail and restaurants to technology and SaaS companies, everyone has an online social media presence for a reason– it converts.
Optimizing social media as part of your overall marketing strategy goes beyond just setting up a profile and scheduling out a few posts. Taking advantage of available tools and shifting trends is key to making social media work for you. Rather than just posting anything and hoping to see a few clicks, align yourself with the types of content that are already getting engagement. Right now? That’s video.
The Importance of Video in Social Media Marketing
With more than 3.6 billion social media users around the globe, it’s undeniable that social media marketing has massive potential in boosting sales, impressions, and brand awareness. However, no matter how much time and effort you put into upkeeping your social media profiles, if you aren’t producing the right types of content you may not see a return on your investment.
Where in past years images and graphics were the cornerstones of social media marketing, shifting trends show video is quickly superseding still images as the most effective means of reaching your target audience. With the growing popularity of apps like Tik Tok and Instagram Reels it’s no wonder: short-form video is king right now. These apps make it quick and easy to produce video content and get it out to your customer base without having to hire a professional video production team.
Undoubtedly you’ve come across other businesses using Instagram Reels to show off their products, give a glimpse behind the scenes, or get in on the fun of trending challenges. These videos get thousands of views AND convert– if you know how to optimize them.
Making Instagram Reels Work for You
What’s the difference between an Instagram Reel that draws hundreds of thousands of views and one that only manages to get a few dozen? Is it all luck? Timing? Sometimes– but as with most forms of online marketing, it all comes down to strategy.
Know Your Audience: understanding the types of content your audience is most likely to engage with is key to producing videos that convert. Ask yourself: what is your ideal client looking for and how can you use video to connect them to your product or service? Are they looking for explainer videos that can help them make an important investment in their future? Or would they be more interested in light and fun content like styling or ‘how it’s made' videos? Get creative and don’t be afraid to test a few different concepts out to see what works best for you.
Keep Up with the Trends: it seems everyone is aiming to create viral content these days. And for good reason: viral social media videos can amass several million views and launch your business to the next level. While no one has truly cracked the code on what it takes to go viral, staying on top of relevant trends can greatly increase the effectiveness of your social media marketing campaigns. This goes beyond just using popular voice overs or sound bites in your videos. Factors like the day of the week or time of day can also affect your posts’ performance. These factors vary by industry, platform, and content type, which is where working with a full service digital marketing agency like Jali Creatives comes in handy. We can help take the guesswork out of your social media marketing strategy, assuring your content gets the attention it deserves from the right people.
Don’t Be Afraid to Open Up: the reason video performs so well across all social media platforms is personability. Video allows your audience to feel more connected to you and humanizes your business. We’ve touched on why that’s important before, so don’t be afraid to use this to your advantage. That doesn’t mean you have to tell your entire life story on your Instagram Reel, but offering a peek into the human side of your business can help people connect with you. It’s why even giant corporations create video content highlighting associates or humanitarian efforts, but this time you have the advantage. More and more consumers are looking to support small businesses; make sure they find yours.
Promoting Your Business Using Instagram Reels When You’re Camera Shy
Not everyone is comfortable being on camera– that’s okay! You can still use Instagram reels to promote your business even if you’re not ready to put your face out there. There are plenty of successful content creators who never show their face and use voiceovers instead while focusing on b-footage or highlighting the product.
You can also create great, informative video content entirely out of stock footage and text if you like. Be warned, though: videos featuring people tend to perform best.
The great thing about Reels and other forms of video on social media is you can do them as many times as it takes to get it right. Plus those failed takes and bloopers can make for a fun and endearing personality video to further help humanize your brand.
Have you tried using Instagram Reels for your business? Let Jali Creatives create engaging content for your business. Contact us today!
