Video and Social Media: How Our Approach to Content Creation Is Changing

It’s no secret that the social media content landscape is changing. Instagram are placing evermore emphasis on video; tweaking the algorithm to favour moving content over static images, and even condensing instagram stories down to make it harder than ever for content creators to get infront of audiences. All of these changes make it harder for brands to reach potential customers online. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the changes we’ve been making to our approach to social media content creation, and how you can adapt your own strategy accordingly.

One of the most important things to understand about social media is that customer attention spans are reducing. Facebook revealed that the average attention span on the platform for video content is just about 2 seconds: On a desktop computer, the average attention span is 2.5 seconds, but on mobile, it is 1.7 seconds. This means that brands need to work harder than ever to capture and hold their audience’s attention. But in a world where our newsfeeds are getting busier – how can brands cut through the noise?

Short-form vertical content is here to stay

One way to do this is by creating shorter, more concise vertical videos. Platforms like TikTok have exploded in popularity in recent years precisely because they offer bite-size content that is easy to consume on the go. If you’re not already using TikTok as part of your social media strategy, now is the time to start. Many business owners haven’t taken the time to figure out how TikTok can work as a marketing tool. Perhaps this is because they think the platform only has a “young” user base. However, with over 500 million active monthly users, there is a huge potential audience for businesses of all types.

TikTok is a great platform for businesses to show some personality and have some fun with their content. However, it’s important to remember that the platform is still relatively new, and trends on TikTok are seemingly random – no-one can predict what will be popular from one day to the next. This means that businesses need to be agile and adapt their content strategy accordingly. The most successful TikTokers are the ones who are able to ride the wave of whatever new trends emerge on the platform without being too careful about staying ‘on brand’. Think about Ryanair – a prime example of how an established brand has thrown the rule-book out the window and used humour to increase engagement on a new platform. But their success isn’t by chance – the brand have a consistent tone of voice and use carefully selected trending audio to reach a wide range of audiences.

@ryanair What’s next? Another talking plane? smh😷#ryanair #airline #europe #pleasestop ♬ original sound – moschinodorito

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should start posting random videos with no connection to your product or brand. But it does mean that you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment and try something new. After all, the whole point of social media is to get your content seen by as many people as possible. If you’re not prepared to take a few risks, you’ll never cut through the noise.

While it can be tempting to dumb down your content for TikTok, we would urge businesses to resist this temptation. Instead, try to find a way to make your product or brand educational or inspiring by adapting your tone of voice to the platform. After all, there is a reason that TikTok has become so popular – people are looking for content that is entertaining and informative. If you can tick both of these boxes, you’re sure to find success on social.

Another way to capture your audience’s attention is by creating more personal, relatable content. Customers want to see that businesses are made up of real people, not just faceless corporations. Video is the perfect medium for this, as it allows you to show the human side of your business in a way that is difficult to do with text or images.

Long-form content engages audiences through storytelling

Of course, in the age of the attention-crisis, it’s easy to forget long-form content which is a great way to attract audiences. Platforms such as Facebook are still supporting TV-like watching, with IGTV and Facebook Watch being a core part of their strategy to keep users on their apps for longer. Users will actively seek out relevant long-form content that aligns with their mood – searching platforms like Youtube to answer their questions or find their favourite creators. Long-form content can be more expensive for brands to produce, but it can add real value to the sales funnel, and can remain relevant to your marketing in the longer-term. Long-form content can be more polished, but can offer a real behind the scenes insight into the vision and mission behind a brand. It’s also a great way of making the most of brand ambassadors or influencers.

But the question is – what do brands need to do to keep our attention for more than 3 seconds?

It’s no secret that we are living in an age of constant distraction. Whether we’re scrolling through our social media feeds, watching TV, or just chatting with friends, it seems like there is always something competing for our attention. This means that businesses have to work harder than ever before to capture and keep our attention.

So, what can businesses do to ensure that their content cuts through the noise?

Firstly, we need to use storytelling to our advantage. Take your customers on an emotive, brand-driven journey that moves them. Showcase your brand values in a way that makes them keep coming back for more. Ensure our content is educational, prompting our customers to think and act. Patagonia do this exceptionally, using video content to tell stories of their products and their mission and cement their brand values.

When it comes to long-form content, authenticity is key. Customers can spot inauthentic content from a mile away, and they will quickly lose interest if they feel like they are being sold to. Instead of creating content that is solely focused on promoting your product or service, try to create content that provides real value to your audience.

The creator economy is more important than ever

The most important thing to remember is that social media is all about building relationships – and this doesn’t happen overnight. Brands who can create content that helps to build a connection between your brand and your audience are the ones who will stand out – and this is where it pays to work with influencers.

There are a few things to keep in mind when working with influencers. Firstly, it’s important to make sure that they are a good fit for your brand. This means finding influencers who have a similar target audience, and who share your values, and who align with your brand creatively. It’s also important to be clear about what you want to achieve with your campaign – do you want to increase brand awareness, or drive sales? Once you know what your goals are, you can start to create a strategy for working with influencers.

Another important thing to remember is that influencer marketing is not a one-size-fits-all solution – don’t simply send out your product and expect the clicks to come rolling in!

Finally, don’t forget to measure your results. Keep track of the metrics that are important to you, and use these to inform your future strategies. By doing this, you’ll be able to see what’s working and what isn’t, and you can adjust your approach accordingly.

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A great example of influencer marketing is Hendricks Gin and Accidentally Wes Anderson. Never before have we seen two brands better suited to a collaboration – in their own unique style, AWA did an engaging video tour of the Hendricks Gin palace which was not only beautiful, but also very effective for raising awareness to a relevant new audience.