Each time I take into consideration social video platforms, the primary ones that come to thoughts are YouTube and TikTok, however these are solely the tip of the iceberg concerning video sharing. There are a number of extra video platforms on the market.
Nonetheless, earlier than we discover the huge choices entrepreneurs have at their disposal, let’s dive into the significance of social media movies, the place shoppers are watching them, and different essential findings.
The place are shoppers watching social media movies?
YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are among the many social media platforms with the best ROI, in line with our 2024 State of Advertising and marketing Report. So, it‘s protected to say that’s the place shoppers watch social media movies.
Actually, our most up-to-date Video Advertising and marketing Report reveals Instagram is the highest social media platform for ROI, engagement, and lead technology for sharing advertising and marketing movies.
Behind Instagram is YouTube concerning ROI and lead technology.
After all, I can‘t omit TikTok, contemplating it’s the app I discover myself scrolling by way of for hours on finish. The short-form video platform has the third highest ROI and is available in 2nd for engagement behind Instagram.
Lastly, there’s Fb. Whereas 60% of entrepreneurs sharing advertising and marketing movies use the longstanding Meta-owned platform, it is available in fourth place for ROI, lead technology, and engagement.
13 Finest Social Media Video Platforms
1. YouTube
YouTube is the most important video-sharing platform and the second-largest social media platform on the planet, with over 2.7 billion customers. In line with Neilsen, YouTube topped the record for streaming time for 17 consecutive months in July.
So, in case you‘re questioning if the platform is usually a welcome addition to your video advertising and marketing or social media technique—the numbers recommend that’s the suitable transfer!
What I like most about YouTube is how the platform can host various codecs of movies, reminiscent of reside streaming, short-form movies, and long-form movies.
You may also make the most of YouTube’s Neighborhood tab to talk to interact together with your viewers in between video uploads.
Different key options and advantages embrace:
- AI-generated transcriptions and captions
- Simple privateness settings
- Choice to pay to advertise your movies on YouTube and Google
- The flexibility to curate your movies into playlists
- Information analytics and administration instruments by way of YouTube Studio
- Monetization choices by way of the YouTube Associate Program
- Sturdy audio library
2. TikTok
TikTok is a superb platform for attracting a Gen Z viewers.
Our 2024 Client Tendencies Report reveals that 48% of Gen Z shoppers want to find out about new merchandise by way of short-form movies on TikTok, and 72% say they’ve used the app within the final three months.
A few of my favourite options of TikTok are:
- Stay stream procuring capabilities
- A number of monetization alternatives, together with the flexibility for viewers to ship items
- Hashtags for boosts in engagement and group constructing
- Promoting choices for enterprise accounts
- Continuously rising library of trending songs and sounds
3. Instagram
Instagram can be well-liked amongst Gen Z, with 72% reporting to have used the app within the final three months. It is an awesome platform for selling merchandise and promoting them in-app.
Listed here are among the finest options:
- E-commerce capabilities by way of Instagram storefronts
- Stay stream capabilities
- Shoppable tales
4. Fb
Fb is thought to be extra well-liked amongst millennials and Gen X, however our Client Tendencies Report reveals it nonetheless has loyal customers. Our report reveals that 42% of shoppers think about the app their favourite.
Options embrace:
- Fb Stay
- Fb Tales
- Paid Video Advertisements
- Neighborhood pages to attach together with your viewers
5. Snapchat
I used to be a junior in highschool when Snapchat launched, and I keep in mind it being extraordinarily well-liked amongst faculty college students a couple of years later.
The app remains to be going robust amongst youthful shoppers in the present day, with 57% of Gen Z shoppers saying they’ve used the app within the final three months.
It additionally stays fairly well-liked amongst Millennials, with greater than a 3rd (37%) additionally reporting utilizing it inside the previous couple of months.
Advertising and marketing on Snapchat could be difficult for the reason that app‘s major draw is that customers can ship one another movies and photographs that disappear after 24 hours. It’s extra well-liked for interpersonal communication.
Nonetheless, entrepreneurs can nonetheless leverage the app thanks to numerous options like Snap Advertisements, Story Advertisements, and Collections Advertisements.
6. Twitch
Twitch is a reside streaming platform particularly well-liked amongst players; nevertheless, you don‘t should be within the gaming business to leverage it.
Manufacturers like Wendy’s and Previous Spice leverage influencer advertising and marketing by tapping into well-known streamers who can introduce their merchandise to a wider viewers.
My favourite Twitch options and advantages are:
- Monetization choices by way of its affiliate and partnership packages
- Stream scheduling
- Stay feedback
- Channel analytics
7. X (previously Twitter)
X is usually considered a micro-blogging platform, however it has video posting and sharing skills. Customers with out an X subscription can add movies as much as 140 seconds lengthy.
Subscribers can add movies as much as 4 hours lengthy, relying on whether or not they use iOS, the desktop model of X, or Android.
8. LinkedIn
I solely lately found the completely different potentialities concerning video on Linkedin, and I used to be pleasantly stunned. Customers can add as much as 10 minutes of native video on the platform, stream for as much as 4 hours, and submit video advertisements which might be as much as half-hour lengthy.
Moreover, I’ve discovered that drumming up engagement for movies on LinkedIn is fairly straightforward since you’re relying by yourself community plus the networks of others to share your content material.
Certainly one of my most up-to-date movies is a TikTok I embedded in a LinkedIn submit. In only a week, that submit garnered greater than 1,700 views and reached extra 1,200 individuals.
It is price noting that I solely have about 600 individuals in my LinkedIn community.
9. Pinterest
Pinterest’s video capabilities are particularly useful for retail manufacturers seeking to attain shoppers in search of inspiration. Pinterest is a social media platform that permits customers to create digital imaginative and prescient boards for inspiration concerning fashion, artwork, recipes, and extra.
For instance, Fenty Magnificence makes use of its Pinterest board to submit movies displaying its merchandise in use whereas giving make-up inspiration. Manufacturers can even make curated Pinterest boards consisting of a number of movies, all throughout the similar area of interest.
Different helpful options are:
- Shoppable video advertisements that includes a video clip selling related merchandise to customers with related pursuits
- Personalised assortment advertisements enable a number of photographs that may embrace one video and three supporting photographs selling related merchandise.
10. Reddit
Reddit is an app that focuses on group and discussions. Manufacturers can leverage Reddit video advertisements to construct discussions round their services and products whereas constructing group within the type of subreddits.
Although movies could be as much as quarter-hour lengthy, I recommend retaining them not than 30 seconds to a minute.
11. Discord
Manufacturers leveraging Discord sometimes use the platform for group advertising and marketing. That is achieved by creating a delegated house (server) that serves as a central hub for interactions between the model and its shoppers and segmenting shoppers into completely different channels that attraction to their pursuits.
So, the place does video are available? Properly, I put Discord on this record as a result of the platform permits for video calls, which permits server members to tune in and converse. Manufacturers can host webinars, tutorials, Q&As, and extra by way of reside video calls and streams.
12. Telegram
Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app that lets viewers ship messages, movies, photographs, and recordsdata to one another. Customers can even make voice and video calls.
Telegram is usually a nice platform for offering customer support, and its video capabilities can enable manufacturers to raised troubleshoot points, reply questions, or present visible tutorials.
13. Vimeo
Vimeo is usually in comparison with YouTube, however I personally consider the previous has some technical capabilities that give it an edge over the extra well-known platform.
Vimeo permits customers to submit movies that may solely be seen by followers or chosen accounts, which could be useful if you wish to construct group by way of unique content material.
Ideas for Sharing Social Media Movies
1. For many platforms, zone in on short-form movies.
The world is changing into extra fast-paced every single day. Whereas many individuals are watching social media movies of their spare time, some are watching them on the go.
For instance, I usually watch TikTok movies and Instagram Reels on the subway or bus whereas operating errands.
My pals usually watch movies in between conferences or whereas ready for an appointment.
These quick durations of time do not depart a lot room for shoppers to look at long-form movies, so many entrepreneurs recommend specializing in creating short-form, or “snackable,” video content material.
“Utilizing snackable movies on social can really drive extra engagement than static photographs,” says Meisha Bochicchio, Content material Advertising and marketing Supervisor at Wistia.
In terms of creating efficient snackable content material, Bochicchio says, “First issues first, understand that most social media platforms will mechanically begin taking part in video content material as viewers scroll.
So, be certain your movies are autoplay-friendly. Preserve them quick and put your key messaging within the first few seconds.”
“Do not forget that most individuals gained’t hear your audio, so be certain your movies are additionally silent-friendly, ”Bochicchio advises. “Take into account textual content overlays, or add captions instantly on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Fb.”
To be taught extra about this technique, try this submit on snackable content material, or this submit that highlights the newest short-form video traits.
And if you wish to make snackable content material by yourself, our AI-powered Clip Creator device can convert textual content into skilled movies for your small business with just some clicks.
2. Check completely different video codecs, too.
Whereas short-form video content material is a good tactic to harness, you possibly can nonetheless publish longer movies so long as they’re participating and worthwhile to your viewers.
For instance, whereas individuals may not need to watch a two-hour business, they may watch an extended reside video Q&A, an interview with a thought chief, or a video that tells an extended however entertaining story.
When you can actually check longer-form movies, you may as well check out different codecs, reminiscent of reside streams, interactive movies, and procuring movies, on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Fb.
It is price noting that 46% of Gen Z shoppers within the U.S. have participated in reside procuring occasions, and 47% have bought from a reside stream.
As new video codecs emerge, it may be useful to find out if they may work to your model and design a check round them.
Make certain you determine and observe the suitable success metrics. For instance, in case you‘re testing an extended video, have a look at its views and dropoff fee to see how lengthy viewers keep tuned.
In the meantime, in case you strive a extra interactive strategy like a reside stream or Q&A you may as well pay attention to feedback, engagements, and shares on the content material when you’re reside.
3. Meet your video audiences the place they’re.
As with every social media technique, some content material will carry out higher on some social media platforms fairly than others.
Whereas snackable, consumer-facing content material would possibly carry out nicely with YouTube, Fb, and TikTok’s giant shopper audiences, a B2B advertising and marketing video or a Q&A with a company thought chief would possibly carry out higher on a professional-facing community like LinkedIn.
Fortunately, to create an awesome advertising and marketing technique, you don‘t (and shouldn’t should) place your movies on each single social media platform.
Nonetheless, you need to analysis the demographics of every main community, determine which audiences would possibly interact most together with your content material, and begin publishing movies the place it makes essentially the most sense to your model and objectives.
Then, proceed to keep watch over platforms you have dominated out in case they proceed to evolve and supply your model extra viewers alternatives sooner or later.
4. Do not at all times lean on repurposed content material.
Throughout my early days as a content material creator, I’d usually repurpose content material throughout a number of platforms. That technique was ample for some time, however issues have modified since then.
Immediately, it may well nonetheless be useful for manufacturers to repurpose some video content material for various platforms after they have related audiences and options. This can be a good way to check whether or not your content material technique for one platform will work with one viewers.
Nonetheless, as a result of understanding your social media viewers is extra essential than ever, you would possibly need to think about having a barely completely different video technique to your most essential video platforms.
Whereas there will likely be occasions the place you possibly can simply repurpose content material to avoid wasting time or bandwidth, some platforms like TikTok and Instagram are evolving with algorithms that would deprioritize your content material if it has a watermark from one other community.
5. Embrace influencers and clients.
Even in case you’ve executed your whole analysis and churn out movies each day, it may well nonetheless be extremely onerous to submit a viral piece of content material that grows your viewers.
Fortunately, there are specialists on each social media platform who know tips on how to create movies. And, a few of them will even create movies for you — after which share them with their audiences.
That is why one nice development technique can contain reaching out to influencers or thought leaders with experience in your business and both that includes them in your movies or getting them to endorse your model of their content material.
If you cannot afford to have an influencer assist enhance your video technique, you may as well look in the direction of glad shoppers.
With this technique, you possibly can encourage clients to share a video about their expertise together with your model on social media, or you possibly can create a video stuffed with a number of items of user-generated content material from glad clients.
As a result of in the present day’s shoppers crave authenticity from manufacturers, user-generated content material not solely can offer you free video content material however can even unfold model consciousness to prospects or individuals researching you on social media.
Navigating Social Media Content material
Greater than ever, social media and content material advertising and marketing are at all times evolving. As a marketer, it‘s essential to remain updated with the newest traits and information to raised inform your methods — whether or not you’re investing in video or different ways.
Editor’s be aware: This submit was initially printed in June 2021 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.