COMMENTARY

Be Real, Relevant And Live: Creating Social Video With Impact

• by Crystal Malachias , Yesterday

Instagram is pivoting to full-screen video, TikTok has extended the length of its videos to three minutes, and YouTube just rolled out Shorts globally after achieving more than 6.5 billion daily views. If there ever was a clear-cut sign that the future of marketing is video, then this is it. 

Consumers are craving more entertaining and informative content, so it makes sense that video is the leading format to deliver this, and the stats speak for themselves: As of 2021, an average person is predicted to spend100 minutes per day watching online videos. 

The live, unfiltered access that social video gives brands and creators to connect with people’s passions allows for greater opportunities to engage consumers in more meaningful ways. But with such fierce competition across the video landscape, how can brands compete in the attention economy to service users in a way with real impact? 

Be entertaining. Consumers, especially Gen Z, are engaging with social platforms for distraction. The most impactful videos leverage this desire and offer light-hearted content with humor and realism. 

Tap into content trends. Whether it’s the latest dance challenge, sound effect, hot music track or the frozen honey challenge, by interacting with or replicating trending elements of existing content, you’re engaging with an already interested audience and increasing the likelihood of going viral yourself.

Keep it relevant. Your effort to tap into content trends that can spike interest in your own content will fall flat if it doesn’t ring true to your values, tone of voice and aesthetic. When reviewing the content landscape, keep your brand ethos as the North star to evaluate whether it’s right for you and your audience to jump on board with the latest trend.

Be real. Highly produced content can be inspiring on some platforms, but short-form video on TikTok and Reels especially succeeds when it reflects the raw reality of everyday life. Don’t be too polished or try too hard -- it looks forced, and your audience will notice.

Go live. Part of the desire for more raw and unpolished content is the increase in engagement with live video. Whether it’s a live stream of a musical performance or cook-along, or a live conversation with one or more people, this unfiltered of-the-moment format plays into the increasing appetite for more direct and intimate-seeming content. Consumers want to peek behind the curtain, get exclusive access and see the reality of a brand or person.

Use native tools. Do not make the mistake of simply syndicating the same video content across different platforms. Audiences on each platform vary and therefore have nuanced expectations of the content they wish to engage with. Make the most of native tools on each to appeal to and interact with audiences, using certain editing tools and filters, including shoppable tags, enabling badges, etc.