Long Live the Video Content King!

You could be forgiven for thinking that with the enormous jump in popularity of visual content that you now need to be a mini-blockbuster producer on top of a business owner. Umm… yeah, right! The truth of the matter is that users on social media are engaging with visual content in all of its forms, whether that is imagery, infographics, GIFs or video content. The key is creating engaging visual content in all of its forms, but the trick is knowing how to do it within your skills set. Yep, that’s right; you don’t have to be a professional photographer, a graphic designer or a video producer to create engaging visual content. Don’t get us wrong, it definitely helps if you have access to any of these people, but there are successful ways of working without them.

What’s involved in this shift of perspective in terms of engaging content is a change in people’s mind sets. Content is no longer the realm of just text and copy. Engaging content is relatable, shareable content. As business owners on Facebook, for example, you need to be able to ‘switch hats’, so to speak, in order to create the type of content your audience wants to see. Ask yourself the following questions:

• As a consumer (not a business owner) what do you find interesting?
• Is what you do within your business confusing in anyway? If so, how can you simplify your explanation of what you do?
• Users on Facebook may only visit your page one to two times. First impressions count so you need to impress them by making sure your content is up-to-date. Don’t overload your page with content, but post regularly.
• Do you understand your demographic? Ensure you tailor the language you use and even be aware of the times you post so that it suits when your audience is online.
• If you’re unsure where to start, take a look at what your competitor’s are doing, and then beat it!

Facebook are hugely aware of this shift to video content, which is why they are waging a war on YouTube. It’s all about strategy! Facebook want you to spend your time on Facebook, so if video content is on the rise, then Facebook will meet you there. It’s why video content uploaded directly on to Facebook gets much better engagement than those videos uploaded through YouTube. Brett Welch, a Product Manager and Xiaochen Zhang, a Software Engineer, both from Facebook stated in a blog from Facebook’s Media website that Facebook’s algorithm, “…considers whether someone has watched a video and for how long they watched it. We’re adding that to the factors we considered previously, which included likes, comments and shares. This change will affect all videos uploaded directly to Facebook”. It means that when you upload engaging videos to Facebook, they will reward you for it. They’re also making it amazingly affordable for advertisers to use video content with attractive Cost-per-View rates.

I can already hear the thought forming in your mind, so before you ask it, I will answer; text is still very important! Your ‘About Us’ section needs to effectively and succinctly explain who you are and what you do. It’s also vital for directly engaging with your customers. Your customers still read, but how they ‘absorb’ content is changing, which is why you must change your approach too. Combining an image with complementary text, such as a Call-to-Action (CTA) and a link is a very effective way to communicate your audience, regardless of auxiliary content.

If you’re concerned about the quality of video content you are able to produce, think of video content which has an ‘evergreen’ appeal. In other words, content that has serious longevity, such as ‘How To’ videos for products or services you sell. It’s not only highly relevant for your customers, but it can be used as a great selling tool, an after-care tool, and a conversion tool! A ‘Behind the Scenes’ video is also a fantastic way to open your business world to your customers in a way they have never seen before. People love exclusive content!

The very nature of Facebook has been created with a ‘community emphasis’ in mind. This type of community is ripe for sharing information and it is inherently an organic part of the Facebook mind-set. It is for this reason that users are so inclined to share what they feel is relatable, shareable content. Because of the rise in popularity of video content, this is what is being shared at the moment. It’s important to note that this rate is not likely to fall either. Every business is clamouring for space on users News Feed, and there is no better way than to attract someone’s ‘scrolling attention’ than with visually appealing content. It’s time to think outside the box.

If you’re keen to learn more, then you definitely need to register for our ‘Facebook Fuel to Ignite Your Business’ Optimise Webinar, which we’re presenting in association with SMEAA. Join us on Wednesday 24^th June at 10:30 am AEST as we discuss some of the latest and coolest features on Facebook and how you can effectively use them to help your business engage with customers online. We’re super excited and can’t wait to see you there.

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