The Perfect Recipe for Shareable Instagram Videos

Ready, set, action! Your phone is now recording the first few seconds of what’s going to be your next marketing push. The video will attract thousands of users to your business or generate buzz around your brand.

Video content varies from company to company, but adopting a social media video marketing strategy is commonplace. And for a good reason!

Consumers crave video content from brands, and social media is the perfect platform to give it to them. Whether it’s a carefully crafted animated marketing video or a candid live Q&A, the important thing is actually getting into the video game.

Today, we’ll focus on one of the best social platforms to distribute marketing videos on – Instagram. Learn how you can improve your video content performance on the platform.

But first, let’s take a quick look at what makes Instagram a desirable marketing tool.

Why Instagram?

There are a variety of reasons to use Instagram for your video marketing endeavors.

Take a look at the staggering results of two Facebook IQ studies:

• 81% of people use Instagram to research products or services.
  
• 54% would buy an item after seeing a product on the platform.
  
• 87% take action – following a brand, visiting their website, or buying online.
  

You get the picture: Instagram is ideal for generating brand-client interactions, driving sales, and building consumer trust.

Add the updates Instagram has made to accommodate video content (as well as user demand for it), and it becomes a no-brainer.

What Types of Videos Work Best?

There are four types of channels you can use for your strategy: Feed/Timeline videos, Instagram reels and stories, Instagram Live, and IGTV.

While each channel has its inherent advantages and disadvantages, you can’t go wrong with any of them. Video engagement on the platform has been surging over the past two years, because it invites users to participate and get to know a brand.

There are three types of video that stand out on social media, especially when it comes to marketing: Video Ads, explainer videos, and tutorials.

Let’s see how they mesh with the different Instagram video distribution channels.

Videos – like ads – can be used on Instagram stories or in your feed. Feeds are useful if you want people to check out your video while visiting your profile. Stories are more beneficial if you need to deliver a quick piece for them to watch while browsing.

For videos with marketing reach – like explainers – you can’t go wrong using your feed or the IGTV platform, depending on length. The latter allows you to build a reliable, long-form distribution channel.

Lastly, tutorials that require more time and detail are perfect for IGTV or Instagram Live. A live broadcast can garner a lot of user attention and then be uploaded to IGTV as permanent content.

Duration is Critical

Different topics and video types call for varying lengths of content, but the shorter the video, the better.

Ads work well when they’re anywhere between 30 seconds. Explainers usually sit around the two-minute mark, and tutorials have a much more varied range depending on the content.

Keep in mind that online attention spans are terribly short, and people lose interest quickly. So, being as concise as possible is usually a good idea.

Structure & Presentation

Live-action videos thrive when it comes to presentation, setting, and lighting. Animated marketing videos usually benefit from having skilled video animation companies involved.

However, once these aspects are handled, video performance depends on your message and content. Spontaneity is good, especially when leveraging live broadcasts, but depending on a good script that accurately translates your message is best.

Plan your videos ahead of time. Use your script as a blueprint (even if you still plan to improvise) and ensure that your message gets across.

How? Here are basic video structures to get you started:

• The Hook – Something that grabs the viewer’s attention from the get-go.
  
• The Patty – A story that serves as the foundation for your video.
  
• Call to Action (CTA) – Your final words that invite a viewer to take action.
  

A CTA is essential when it comes to video marketing! Use this opportunity to invite viewers to comment or interact with your content. Ask about content they want to see and elevate your game in the future. Recommend visiting your website or watching other videos! Just don’t expect your audience to figure out what comes next on their own.

Lastly, horizontal or vertical? This is an important question, especially because of IGTV and its use of vertical video.

With IGTV, viewers don’t have to rotate their phones to watch your video. While the jury is still out on the effect that this modality brings, you’ll probably want to try it out and see what resonates with your audience.

Timeline or Stories?

As a marketer, you might wonder which option is better? The answer is both! It really depends on the message you are going to deliver and how you want to approach your audience.

Timeline Videos stay in your feed, and viewers see them when they scroll through your profile. It’s important to remember that timeline videos don’t disappear from your profile unless you delete them. This makes it ideal for more permanent content. On top of that, IGTV videos can now be shared to your timeline as well!

If you recorded something important, but lengthy, you can bring it to your followers by sharing your IGTV sample to your feed. This can also provide a lot of useful information about user behavior and what piques their attention.

Stories are perfect for quick and snappy content. They are limited to a minute, but you can record as many as you want. Production-quality expectations – from audiences – tend to be much more relaxed for stories. As long as you have stable video quality and good lighting, you’ll be fine.

Stories only last 24 hours (unless you ‘highlight’ them, so that they stay on your profile), making them perfect for brief messages and interactions with your audience. People can comment and interact with them, which can be a powerful marketing tool. 

Summing up…

Regardless of your current approach, video marketing is too big to ignore. Especially when it’s paired with a powerhouse platform like Instagram.

A good story will allow audiences to engage with and relate closely to a brand..Take your time and prepare a robust, video-powered approach to Instagram. Chances are you’ll start seeing results beyond your expectations!

As Instagram continues to adapt its platform to video content, it only makes sense to embrace every video marketing opportunity you get.