Tips for Creating Engaging Social Media Video Content

If you are starting off as a vlogger or want to ride the wave of becoming a Youtuber or social media influencer, then creating social media video content is what you need to be doing. The algorithms for all the social media platforms give video priority in their rankings and users’ feeds.

While the social media video production process might seem like an overwhelming task, you don’t always need a big budget to shoot video content for your brand.

In fact, we all have a powerful camera in the palm of our hands; our smartphones.

In this article we’re going to discuss a few tips on using your smartphone then some general tips on creating video content for your social media channels. Let’s get started.

Social media video content is an extremely valuable asset for growing your community and sharing your brand story.

With the different platforms continually adding to their video features, there’s never been a better time to start producing social media video content.

Whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or LinkedIn, you’ll find video content becoming a bigger part of the platform’s experience.

Why? Because video content is more attention-grabbing and engaging than a static photo, no matter how well the social media caption is written.

The longer a viewer engages with a piece of content on social media, the more the algorithm will boost that content to a wider audience.

Short-form videos are popular on TikTok and Instagram. These videos can be anywhere from 5 seconds to 1 minute and will typically replay automatically.

These videos can be shared across Instagram via IGTV, or on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Long-form videos are typically over 1 minute long.

Live streams are unedited videos streamed on the spot. Versions can be found on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Out of all the video formats on social media, Live streams perform the best with the algorithms.

Stories are short-form videos that disappear after 24 hours. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn all have their own version of Stories.

With the growing popularity of social media video, social media users and the platforms themselves expect high-quality content.

Instagram recently shared that their algorithm will deprioritize blurry videos with low resolution.

Luckily you can shoot high-quality content from your own home on your smartphone.

Here’s what to keep in mind when creating social media video content:

Lighting: Use a strong lighting source by filming near a bright window or picking up an affordable ring light for brighter, clearer videos. I always prefer natural lighting, but my backup is an LED ring light.

Audio: Record in a quiet room. Having great acoustics is a bonus. This can be achieved by having furniture and soft items in the room to absorb sound so there’s no echo. If you’re shooting video outside, you’ll want to invest in a Bluetooth mic.

Stability: To shoot a good quality video, a tripod is a must. A tripod or a selfie stick gives your iPhone stability that your hands can never give. I have two tripods that I use regularly when shooting videos. A smaller Jobi GorillaPod and a larger Endurax standard camera tripod.

Smartphone: Record video content straight from your smartphone. Don’t forget to clean your lens before filming! Focus is key in great video shots and like all phones, the iPhone tries to refocus all the time. This means that there is no steady focus and the camera might start focusing on some other random object during your video shoot. The best way to focus on an object is to use the AE/AF lock which stands for Auto Exposure/Auto Focus. When you are in the Video mode and long-press on the particular object you want to focus on, a box with a yellow outline appears.

The first few seconds of your video are crucial. Similar to a headline on written articles, if they don’t catch a user’s attention, they’ll quickly move on. The best way to grab viewers’ attention is with a strong hook.

A strong hook teases what your video is about. You can start off with an enticing question or share a shocking statistic.

The most important part of your video hook is that it’s clear and to the point so your audience is inclined to keep watching.

Showing your face in your social media videos is a major growth hack.

Why? It helps establish trust with your viewers by having more of a face-to-face type of conversation. I watch a Facebook live video every night by one of the brands I follow regularly and the conversation that happens during that time is very fluid as if everybody was there in person talking as a group.

Bonus Tip: Repurpose your video content! If you create a Facebook video, why not share it on Instagram and Youtube?

Not only do subtitles and text make your videos more accessible for those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, but they also allow viewers to engage even if their volume is off. This comes in handy for those in an office environment that don’t want their co-workers or boss knowing they are watching a video on social media or Youtube.

While some platforms like Facebook, IGTV, and YouTube generate automatic captions, other platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels require you to manually add the text.

However, both social media platforms have easy-to-use text editing tools.

Be sure to use the same font, colors, and style for each video to create consistent branding across all social media platforms.

With a dynamic mix of audio and visual elements, social media video content is a powerful tool for telling your brand story and offering value to your community. All you need is a smartphone, a bit of tech-savviness, and a little patience.

By implementing these simple social media video tips, you’ll see an increase in engagement, reach, and brand awareness.