The social media landscape looks very different today than it did 10 years ago. Video content now dominates popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. While you can still post text and image content, it’s hard to ignore the impact videos have on these platforms.

Brands trying to use social media marketing should take note and adapt. By including video social media content in your marketing strategy, you increase the likelihood of connecting with audiences and driving results. Let’s break down the tips and tricks that will help make social media video marketing work for your brand.
The video content revolution
Early social media platforms like Myspace and Facebook initially emphasized text-based posts and static images. Even Instagram, which now features tons of video content, started out as a platform just for photos.
Over time, however, the most popular social media platforms became video-centric, and there are a few reasons for that. Users simply began to prefer videos since they’re more visually stimulating and engaging than static posts. Then, many social media platforms adjusted their algorithms to prioritize videos over other content, thanks to their higher engagement rates. As a result, social media content creators were incentivized to post more videos to have the best chance of success with the new algorithms.
Technological advancements in cell phones and internet speeds also made it easier for the average person to stream and upload video content. With 5G wireless, anyone with a smartphone can stream video without interruptions, even when they’re not at home. Thanks to these changes, the average user now spends more than half of their social media time watching videos.
Marketers have had to adapt to this shift toward video content on social media. The best digital marketing strategies, especially for social media, must include video content to catch users’ attention and get them to engage further.
Platform-specific video content dynamics
Just because video content is popular on all the top social media platforms doesn’t mean it’s the same on all of them. For example, the ideal video for Instagram is often very different from the ideal video for YouTube. If you’re planning to post video content on social media, it’s important to understand user preferences and dynamics on each platform you use.
TikTok
TikTok was released in 2016, and less than 10 years later, it’s one of the most recognizable, popular, and influential social media apps across the globe. The app is known for its short-form videos, often shorter than a minute. You can record videos up to 10 minutes long in the app and even upload hour long videos, but TikTok users still gravitate toward short-form videos.
Ideas for brand TikTok videos include:
- Short behind-the-scenes content
- Packaging orders
- Highlights from events
- Tips and hacks related to your products/industry
- Quick product demo
- Day-in-the-life of one of your staff
- Answering quick questions
- Short instructional videos
Aim to hook TikTok users as quickly as possible in your video so they don’t scroll away. You need to grab their attention immediately. Try sharing a surprising fact, asking an intriguing question, or using a trending sound.
YouTube
YouTube was the first social media platform entirely dedicated to video. Today, users collectively watch over 1 billion hours of content on the platform daily.
Unlike other platforms, YouTube tends to favor long-form videos over five minutes long. These longer videos allow you to dig a bit deeper into a topic and offer your audience more information.
Some marketing video ideas for YouTube include:
- How-to videos, especially on more complicated topics
- More in-depth customer testimonials
- Podcasts
- Webinars
- Explainer videos
- Frequently asked question videos
Though these videos can be longer, make sure you don’t get complacent and start including unnecessary filler. Only make the videos as long as they need to be.
YouTube Shorts
In answer to TikTok’s massive popularity, YouTube released a feature called Shorts, which is just for short-form videos. You can upload the same types of short-form videos you would post to TikTok on Shorts. Alternatively, you can post short sections of your longer YouTube videos as Shorts that link back to the full-length video. That way, any browsing users who see your Short and are interested in seeing more can go to the full video directly.
Instagram Reels and Stories
Instagram also began emphasizing video content more around the time Snapchat and TikTok gained popularity. The platform first released Instagram Stories, a feature where users can upload images or short videos that play like a slideshow and only last 24 hours. After those 24 hours, the content automatically disappears from your profile. Later, Instagram released Reels, a feature for short-form videos that can now last up to 90 seconds.
Reels are very similar to TikTok videos. In fact, many users repost the same short-form videos across their accounts to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts to maximize engagement.
Since Stories disappear after a day, don’t share any important permanent information with this feature. Instead, try ideas like:
- Teasing a new product launch
- Asking your followers questions with polls
- Promoting an upcoming event
- Sharing snippets of customer reviews
- Letting your audience know about an upcoming livestream
- Announcing a flash sale
You can even include a shoppable link in your Instagram stories to help drive conversions.
Emerging video platforms and trends
Marketers should always keep an eye out for the next big social media platform. With a potential TikTok ban approaching, some TikTok alternatives like Coverstar and Triller have gained more attention. The most important thing to consider from a marketing perspective is which apps your target consumers are using. Don’t hop on the bandwagon of an emerging video platform just because. Instead, tailor your video marketing strategy to share content that resonates with your target customers on the platforms they prefer.
Measuring video content performance
As with any other marketing initiative, measuring the success of video content on social media is crucial. That way, you know what’s resonating with users, what’s driving results for your brand, and what you could stand to improve.
Consider key performance indicators (KPIs) like:
- Impressions: How many times your video content appeared in users’ feeds
- Views: How many times users actually watched your video
- Engagement: The percentage of viewers who liked, commented, shared, or otherwise interacted with your video
- Conversion rate: The percentage of viewers who take a specified action, like clicking a link to visit a product page, signing up for a free trial, or completing a purchase
- Average time watched: The average amount of time viewers spend on your video
- Completion rate: The percentage of viewers who watch your video until the end
Monitor these and other KPIs that reflect your goals for your video marketing efforts. As you post more videos and see more of these results, you’ll gain a better understanding of the types of video content that work best for your brand.
Engagement metrics
Engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares tell you whether your videos are actually getting through to users. It’s great to get lots of views on your videos, but if your engagement metrics are low, those videos probably aren’t doing much for your brand.
When engagement is high, you know the audience is genuinely interested in the videos you’re publishing. They’re taking the time to actually interact, strengthening their connection to your brand. Higher engagement also shows the social media algorithms that your videos appeal to users, so the platforms may push your content to even larger audiences.
Keep a close eye on the types of videos that get the highest engagement from your target audience. Try to distill what those videos have in common, then incorporate those elements into future videos to keep engagement high.
Conversion tracking
When you publish videos on social media as part of a marketing campaign, you generally have a clear goal of what you want viewers to do next. After they watch the video, you hope they’ll take some action, like clicking a link you shared or signing up for a free trial. That’s what your call to action (CTA) is for — to tell them what step to take next.
Your conversion rate is one of the most important metrics in any campaign, including video campaigns. It’s the percentage of viewers who are actually following your CTA and completing that next step. But how do you know what your conversion rate is on your video content? With conversion tracking.
You can set up conversion tracking using marketing analytics tools like Google Analytics. Then, the tool will track data about your video conversions so you can analyze the effectiveness of your campaigns. Conversion tracking also helps you understand the ROI of your video marketing by giving you concrete information about the revenue your video drove.
Video and SEO
Believe it or not, posting videos on social media can also help your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. By including links to your website in your video posts, you can boost inbound links and traffic to your website — improving your SEO.
Bear in mind that some platforms, like Instagram, only allow clickable links on certain posts. You can add a clickable link to an Instagram Story, but not a regular video post. Still, directing viewers to your website in your videos will only help your SEO overall.
Technology and tools transforming video marketing
Video marketing is an ever-evolving space, so try to keep up with the new trends and innovations. For example, technological advances have recently made AI-powered video creation possible. If you don’t have the budget or time for full-scale video production, using AI could be a workable alternative.
Analytics platforms are also becoming more and more advanced. These platforms can often track all the relevant KPIs for your video marketing efforts and provide comprehensive yet user-friendly reports to help you understand your campaign results.
Emerging trends in video social media
Staying up on trends can help your brand seem current and engaging. Keep an eye on trends like:
- Vertical video format: Since users often watch social media videos while scrolling on their phones, vertical video is now the preferred format.
- Live streaming: Streaming live video offers users a more unvarnished view of your brand and helps you strengthen your connection.
- Interactive and immersive video experiences: On some platforms like Facebook, you can include interactive elements directly in your videos to boost engagement.
You shouldn’t try to hop on every video trend, but consider trying some that fit your brand and appeal to your target audience.
Challenges and opportunities
Implementing a video social media strategy isn’t without its challenges, but with a bit of careful strategizing, you can overcome them. Look out for challenges such as:
- Content saturation: Social media users are constantly posting new video content online. Your content needs to be unique enough to stand out so customers notice it.
- Algorithm adaptations: Social media platforms can change their algorithms out of nowhere, so be observant and ready to adapt.
- Authenticity and brand storytelling: Posting high-quality videos isn’t enough. To be effective, your videos need to resonate with your audience and be authentic to your brand.
If you focus on staying up-to-date and true to your brand, you can get through these challenges successfully.
Future outlook and strategic recommendations
Video content isn’t going anywhere. In fact, expect to see an ever greater focus on video content going forward from social media platforms and brands alike. If you aren’t already using social media videos as part of your digital marketing efforts, now is the time to start.
You can get more out of your videos by posting across social media platforms and even integrating your video content with your broader marketing efforts like your email marketing. Simplify your social media marketing with tools like Constant Contact. With Constant Contact, you can connect your brand’s social media accounts and manage everything in one convenient platform — from scheduling content and replying to comments to running paid social ad campaigns.