Video marketing is one of the best, affordable ways to market your business. You can better reach your customers by joining the same platforms they’re already using: Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and other social networks. Social media users love watching videos, so why not using this to your advantage to raise brand awareness and engage with your clients in a new way.
The best part? All you need is your smartphone and a shameless passion for your business’s mission. Not sure which platform is the best for you?
Here are the top social media channels to consider when boosting business with video marketing:
YouTube
As the grandest video-sharing platform on the planet, YouTube is likely where you’ll start. Once you sign up, you can customize a channel for your business outfitted with colors, logos, slogans and other specifics that showcase your brand. Set this account up in just a few minutes, and you’re on your way to upload as many videos as you prefer.
Facebooks users love videos and will likely prefer a short video instead of reading a lengthy post. Set up a Facebook page for your business where clients can ‘Like’ your page and to view all of the important details: address, phone number, business hours, website, etc. This is where those that ‘Like’ your business can view your posts, and more importantly, videos. It’s also important to be interactive with your viewers by responding quickly and professionally to comments. The built-in feature Facebook Live is a more intimate video tool where you can broadcast in real-time.
Not solely a place to share 140 characters or less, Twitter allows its users to embed videos in their tweets. This way, any of your followers will see your video in their feed. The maximum video duration is two minutes and 20 seconds. Keep videos brief, reward those who comment with a response, and be timely if you’re sharing time-sensitive promotions.
Instagram is dedicated to showcasing videos and photos to elevate your brand. With a little creativity, Instagram can work for practically any business type. Once you make an account through the app, you can upload photos and short video clips to your feed. Once you upload your content, those who follow you can ‘like’ and comment on the photos or videos. Because the average Instagram user is relatively young, you may want to consider a different platform depending on your average customer. Other than posting product photos and videos, try promoting deals for your products as another way to reel in customers and new followers.
Snapchat
Similar to Instagram, you can directly share photos and video clips with your followers. The main difference between the two is that Snapchat has a feature where content can be viewed only once if sent to an individual user. Or you can upload content to your ‘story,’ which allows followers to view the content for up to 24 hours. However, it’s important to note that the user base of Snapchat is much younger than the other platforms mentioned here.
Periscope
This video marketing platform is great for connecting with your customers in real-time. Instead of the carefully curated advertisements that your customers will see on other platforms, Periscope opens the doors to humanizing your brand with authentic, behind-the-scenes footage. With just a few taps, you can start broadcasting live video to customers who follow your account. When you begin broadcasting, your followers are notified, which makes it quite simple to reel in an audience. Hold live Q&A sessions, virtual open houses or even live demonstrations of your product.