Back in the “old days”, (2000s) we hired a videographer to create commercials or short videos to show in presentations, websites, or trade shows. Now we ask our kids/nieces/nephews/etc, can you help us make this TikTok or Reel?. And they most likely will roll their eyes at us.
Short-form videos, like TikTok and Reels, used to be optional but with the changes happening in marketing they are a must to survive in the great game of top of mind brand awareness.
That statement above makes me sad too. I’m sorry.
Lucky for you, I’ve been talking about video since 2018 and while I love video, the idea of my own social media feed being taken over by video has me feeling a little bit squeamish.
Here are a few things to remember before getting into the variety of video types small business owners should consider.
CITES is back. You can review the past blog to go more in depth but CITES are my North Star for regular social media content categories that your audience have come to expect. Pick 3-5 categories to consistently work on in your social media feeds around Connection, Inspirations, Teach, Entertain, and Sale. For my brand, I work on Teach, Connect, and Sell weekly.
Being consistent is key to building your thought leadership, trust and relatability.
One area to become known for in video marketing land is by having a signature video style. Your signature video style is something you’re comfortable with coming back to on a regular basis that your audience enjoys that’s sharable, likable and saveable – the new currency in social media.
Don’t know what video type works best for your brand? Signature style is key but so is variety.
Lip Sync: this one is the gateway to jumping on video. You take a popular trend, lip sync or dance the problem your dream client is having to grab your attention.
Pro tip: These are great to get your feet wet and gain some comfortability. The con to these is many lean on these too much.
Direct to camera: Ahh, this is how my Tip Tuesday videos started. Taking a problem and giving the audience a solution. This method is a longer game for notability but apps like TikTok and Reels love this format.
Pro tip: Keep these under 60 seconds so you can also repurpose and share the videos on YouTube Shorts, Pinterest and other platforms.
Remix/Stitch: Want to share an opinion, Remix (Reels)/Stitch(TikTok) another user's videos. This is a feature of both apps that allows you to combine another video with one you’re creating.
Pro tip: I like to use this for breaking news in my industry. Follow popular creators in your niche for inspiration.
Q&A replies: Take comments from your users and make video replies! I feel this is the easiest form of content any business owner can do.
Pro tip: Record these in batches and save the videos in your drafts to save yourself. Trust me, your future self will thank you later.
POV: Some creators have become known for the Point of View (POV) style videos. This is when you view the perspective of the camera or something that is acted by the same person but in disguise.
Pro tip: Work on a short script before recording these and don’t go on for too long. Using a green screen filter to change the background.
Screen record and screen records: Use the screen record feature to share a tactical tip or recommendation. I’ve also seen these used to shout out users or give recommendations.
Pro tip: I love using screen records for timely, breaking news stories.
If you’re ready to stand out on social media and your website, steal my simple six week content strategy jumpstart workbook! Learn how to take the website first approach to your digital marketing and create a simple plan that both works for your website, email and social media marketing.
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