Marketing strategies are always shifting. Nowadays, building an online presence across all social media platforms is a must. However, posting one video and setting it up to automatically share with all associated social media networks, although convenient, isn’t quite a good idea.
Marketers need to learn about each social media platform in order to better understand how it works and how they can use it to their advantage. There should always be a tailored approach for posting, especially with videos. And here are reasons why:
People Use Each Platform Differently
There is a reason why not all people are on all social media platforms. They are on what they think best suits them, based on their lifestyle and watching preferences. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter users are often on the go and on mobile. They often just browse through their feed, stopping once in a while to check whatever catches their attention and often watching without sound.
On Twitter, user behavior is similar to the first three platforms mentioned above. The main difference is that, due to the fast-paced environment of Twitter, users want to see new and trending content all the time.
If you plan to post longer videos, YouTube is the place to be. People don’t just go to that site to browse. They are there for a reason and they are more engaged. Often, users search for a specific video and do so with the intent to watch the whole thing.
Each Platform has its Own Rules
Have you ever wondered why a video that plays fine on Facebook looks weird on Instagram? That’s because their aspect ratios are different. Aspect ratio is the ratio between the height and width of a screen. Facebook videos often have a 16:9 ratio but they recommend a 1:1 (square) or 9:16 (vertical) ratio if you want your video to cater to both desktop and mobile devices.
Each video marketing should be aware of these sizes for different platforms. This way, the video’s aspect ratio can be adjusted before it is posted. You don’t have to create a whole new video, simply crop the video in an online video editor and it’s good to go.
In order to make your video marketing strategies successful, you must tailor your posts for your target audience. What could potential customers be thinking now? What is their mindset? What is it they could be looking for?
Here’s a little cheat sheet to help guide marketers:
- Facebook users look for updates
- Instagram users look to get inspired and find something interesting
- Twitter users look for trending news
- YouTube users look for specific information and are interested in learning.
Make good use of social media platforms and share valuable content, not merely to sell, but to help provide information that will help consumers make a choice and purchase. It is never too late to learn, especially in a virtual world where change is the only constant element.
