Instagram is a great place to start if you want to include video content in your digital marketing strategy. Instagram offers many options for marketers including live video streams as well as opportunities for user-generated content.
Instagram is the second most used social networking site in the U.S. and businesses must make use of its marketing opportunities to avoid falling behind their competitors. Not to mention that 80% of Instagram users are following an account.
It’s not enough to just post photos to your Instagram feed. Businesses must use Instagram to its full potential. To do this, they need to take advantage of the video options and develop a video marketing strategy.
Since the inception of Instagram in 2010, Instagram’s video options have grown in many ways. Instagram’s video options have grown significantly since its inception. Instead of limiting users to 15 seconds, feed videos allow users to upload up to 60 seconds. This gives brands more creative freedom.
But, this also means that they must be more engaging with the audience. Instagram automatically plays videos whenever someone scrolls past them. This makes it crucial to keep their attention for the first few seconds.
Instagram users have the option to not turn the sound off, so captions may be more appealing to users.
Instagram offers many video options beyond feed videos. Brands should also use the story feature, Instagram Live, and IGTV as well as story highlights.
These are just a few of the many ways that brands can use Instagram video marketing.
Six Instagram Video Marketing Tips
- Your brand should be displayed
- Get your services shared
- Educate your audience
- Keep users’ attention
- Post more content to IGTV
- Promote user-generated content (UGC)
- Add to your stories
1. Present Your Brand
Your videos should be easy to recognize. Your brand identity should be evident in every video you upload.
Upload videos regularly and viewers will quickly recognize you.
This is a great opportunity to show off your brand story. Video is a creative way to tell your story.
WeWork, a commercial real estate company, uses brand stories and videos to build an emotional connection with its audiences and keep them interested in their updates.
Consider ways you can make your videos stand out from your competitors. It is important to establish your brand identity through your videos. You’ll be lost amongst all the other posts.
Your brand can offer something that no other brand can.
2. Share Your Services
Show your customers the services you provide to get them interested in buying from your company. Each video should be focused on one service only.
The goal of the video is to be compelling enough to get viewers to purchase or learn more about your company. You might consider including testimonials from customers who have had success with your product.
You can use Instagram videos to launch a new product/service and increase awareness on social media.
FedEx used Instagram to promote Roxo(TM), its same-day shipping robot.
These videos introduce your customers to your products and services in an entertaining and informative manner.
3. Educate your Audience
Sometimes it is not enough to show your products to the world. Educational videos allow your audience to see more of what you have to say.
Make a series of video tutorials that explain how your brand’s services can be used. Customers will be able to see your services in action and can then apply them in their lives.
An Instagram video can be paired with a blog post. You can create a video for your educational blog if you have a compelling video idea.
Skype uses Instagram to announce new features. This account posts videos showing how to use the new features of the app.
You can use it to summarize, add information or extend your blog. This visual method of learning about subjects they are interested in will be enjoyed by viewers.
4. Live Video Chat
You can increase your interactions with your followers by using Instagram Live to communicate with them. Live videos may become more popular in 2020. Instagram is the best platform to test this trend.
It’s easy to create live content on Instagram. You can post to Instagram like you are creating a story, and choose the “live” option.
Instagram Live videos can be created for a limited time. To increase engagement, Instagram will notify your followers.
Live videos are great for tutorials, Q&As, and announcements. To make viewers feel involved, you can allow them to comment on the video as they are watching it.
Live video can benefit your business by showing your users a more human side of the company. This makes it easier for customers to connect with your brand.
5. Post Longer Content to IGTV
IGTV functions similarly to regular Instagram feed videos. However, they can be longer than normal Instagram videos – up to 10 minutes for accounts that are not verified and up to 60 minutes for accounts that have been verified.
It’s like Instagram for Instagram optimized for vertical videos and not horizontal ones.
IGTV is a separate app from Instagram. Users can view IGTV videos there, and brands can upload their IGTV videos directly to their Instagram feed.
IGTV may be a good option if you have a brand, service, or educational video between 1-10 mins.
6. Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC).
User-generated content (UGC) is another way to get your audience to connect with your brand.
Begin by asking your followers to send videos about your brand to you to post on your account. It could be of them using your products/services, or telling a story that relates to your brand.
Make a hashtag campaign encouraging your followers to tag videos with your brand-related hashtag. Next, go through all the tags to find videos that you would like to repost. You can also make a video of the posts you don’t see often.
Sharpie asks users to tag accounts when they create creations, in return for a story feature.
Promoting UGC allows your followers to express themselves creatively and feel like your brand is listening to them.
7. Add to your Stories
Instagram stories are very similar to Snapchat Stories. They are only available for 24 hours and only show 15-second videos.
Although it may seem like a small amount of time to make an impact, Instagram stories offer many benefits. Businesses account for 1 of the 3 most popular stories.
Stories are similar to live videos. They can be used to announce, answer questions, or show behind-the-scenes clips. Viewers have the option to ask questions or vote in polls.
Highlights are another useful feature in stories. You can save stories to any category you choose, and others will be able to view them on your profile as long as they are posted.
Collect stories that highlight work culture, past Q&As, and events.
People can find out more about your business by visiting your profile’s “highlights”.
Instagram Videos can boost your digital marketing
Instagram offers many options for video marketing to businesses; all you have to do is learn how to use them. The digital marketing agencies in new york will help you choose the right type of video for your company.
These video opportunities can increase your company’s social network interactions and traffic.
You can start by creating your brand image on Instagram through video posts. You can then find your unique way to make video marketing work in Instagram stories on IGTV or user-generated content.
