Video is quickly becoming the go-to content type for generating engagement on various social media channels:
Sooner or later your clients are going to want a piece of the action, too.
The question is: Are you all set to also create video content for engaging social media videos and keep them happy?
In this guide, you'll discover how to create social media videos, what type of videos work best on social media and what tools you need to create them. (Hint: it's not expensive.) Plus there's a quick tutorial on how to create your first social media video from text.
Each social network has its quirks, and you need to tailor content to each platform to maximize social engagement. Video content is no different.
Although there are some overlaps in creating video content,, you'll need to tweak your video content accordingly. Let's take a quick look at some of the platform-specific guidance.
Example from AO (Let’s Go!):
Example from EllaPCobb:
Example from Animoto on an engaging video:
Example from Vodafone:
Creating a video for social media doesn't have to involve loads of expensive equipment and hours of professional filming. That's not to say you should aim for low quality.
Let's take a look at a few of the tools available that let you create short videos both from existing blog posts, quotes, and photos, as well as original short video clips and animations.
Instagram has a couple of native apps that are ideal for creating short videos.
Use Boomerang to create social media videos and videos that loop back and forth. Ideal for adding motion to your product or people to capture attention.
You can also try Hyperlapse when you need to speed up your footage to create an easy time-lapse or keep it at normal speed with added stability. This type of video works brilliantly for showcasing the long hours that go into creating a product or service.
Biteable - The World's Simplest Video Maker - is used by many marketers to create video ads,explainer videos,infographics,animations and more. The premium version has many features and allows you to download and publish your video on any platform, plus it has an AI video builder that’s certain to help you expedite your video making process.
You can start creating your video using a pre-made template or by choosing from hundreds of animated, live action or photo scenes in many different styles. Then customize it by adding your own text, photos, colors, and sound, before selecting a soundtrack from the library.
Animoto lets you create professional slideshow videos using a combination of photos, video clips, and text. It's an excellent way to get your brand noticed and engaged with customers using either square (1:1) or landscape (16:9) videos.
Here's their 3-step creation process:
You can publish the video directly to Facebook and Instagram, or download and share on other social media platforms.
Animaker lets you create studio-quality animated videos without the expense of using a 'big' studio. Animation is a great way to captivate your target audience and get your message across, and Animaker has many styles to choose from including:
Whatever you choose there are plenty of lively characters and scenes for you to create your animated story.
Quik for mobile is an iOS and Android app from GoPro. You can create quick videos by selecting photos and video clips from your GoPro or mobile device. Or you can let Quik scan your library and automatically find your best action.
Either way, Quik adds transitions and effects, lets you add music and then syncs everything to the beat of the music. You have the option to use your own music or select from Quik's library, and you can customize your video with text overlays before choosing between the cinema or square format.
When you've finished editing, you can post videos to social media or save to your camera roll.
If you've already created an article, white paper or other text-based content for your client, then Lumen5 can transform it into a social video in minutes.
Here's how it works.
There are three ways to convert your existing text source into a basic video in Lumen5.
The first option is to enter a link to an existing article or blog post:
Lumen5 automatically fetches the content and populates your storyboard:
The second option is to copy and paste the text from an offline document:
Lumen5 begins building your video:
If you want a more automated approach, the third option is to enter one or more RSS feeds. Lumen5 checks for new posts each day, and if there's nothing new, it uses older posts from the feed:
Soon you'll have a library of instant videos that you can edit and publish.
Now you have the basis of the video, and it's time to start the editing process.
Highlight the portion of text you want to include in your video and Lumen5 creates a new scene:
Lumen5 automatically calculates the length of the scene, the positioning of the text, and which words to highlight. But you always have the option to override any of these suggestions and edit the video as you wish.
For each scene, you can choose a background from the library of videos, photos, and icons. Lumen5 also includes any images from the article. Alternatively, you can upload your own media:
The same applies to your video or background music. Use one of the millions of copyright-free audio tracks or upload your own file:
You can ensure each scene or video project remains consistent with your brand identity by:
(a) Setting the color:
(b) Adding and positioning your logo as a watermark:
(c) Selecting or uploading your preferred font:
As you edit each slide Lumen5 calculates the total running time. You can alter the length of the full video clip by choosing a Fast, Normal or Slow transition speed. And you can select a landscape or square format:
You can preview your video at any point in the video editing process to ensure everything looks fine. When you're ready, click the 'Finish' button and Lumen5 renders a final version. From there you can publish the video straight to Facebook or download it to your computer to publish on other platforms:
Here's the short video we produced using a previous Sendible article:
Creating #socialmedia videos can be quite simple with the right tools! 😉 This one was made from a blog post with @LumenFive 🎞️📽️
— Sendible (@Sendible) June 28, 2018
More tips on how to create engaging videos for social ➡️ https://t.co/tyu5noaXV5 #videomarketing pic.twitter.com/rqehGCiqdb
Video content for social media is definitely 'in' and it looks like it's here to stay for a while. Each social platform is promoting the use of native video content to attract and engage your audience. And the figures prove it's working.
Over to you: Tell us your experience of using video on a social media platform. What tools work best for you?