If you’ve used Instagram for some time then you’re probably used to the standard photo posting format. While it’s been a couple of years since Instagram allowed for video capability, it might take some convincing for you to start using videos when your regular posts are working so well. However, here’s why using video will boost your Instagram engagement and help you get more out of the social media platform.
- Internet Users are Accustomed to Online Videos
YouTube has become like a secondary television set for people around the world. The statistics on online video usage prove how prevalent it is in our world. It’s predicted that 74% of online traffic will be comprised of videos. More than 50% of people watch online videos on a daily basis. Even executives favor video over text when both options are available. The bottom line is that Internet users are comfortable with online videos and many prefer video over other forms of content.
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Videos Improve Learning and Information Retention
The effectiveness of delivering content via video has been proven in educational institutions. Students learn better when there’s a supporting videos that accompany their regular course material. That may sound detached from digital marketing but studies show that the engagement of videos is 70% when under two minutes in length. This proves that using video can be a great tool for content delivery on social media sites like Instagram.
- Most Ads on Instagram are Videos for a Reason
Brand Networks talked about the prevalence of video ads on Instagram with 65% of the impressions being attributed to them. The reason for this is not because videos are in trend right now, but because they produce better engagement, clicks, and sales for advertisers. The reason is because consumers prefer to use videos to learn about products and services. They like seeing demo videos, want to view video summaries, and prefer videos over text.
- Video Content Can Help Your Post Go Viral
One of the biggest reasons posting video content is worth the effort is due to the fact that videos can go viral. If your video can engage your audience and strike an emotional chord with them, it’s very likely that they’ll end up sharing your video to their network. While the success of your viral video campaign can often be based on luck, research done on viral food videos show it’s clear that users love sharing videos because it helps them connect with other people.
- Conversion Rates Can Be Higher
Whether
you’re trying to generate likes, get users to click through to your website or make some kind of purchase, it helps to use video as a selling tool. In a survey, it was discovered that video converted better than other forms of content for the majority of business owners. So if you’re planning to use content to sell your products and services through Instagram, it’s time to get serious about video production and editing.
As you can see, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be using videos in your Instagram account. Of course, videos do not have to make up the majority of your content but you’d be missing out on a lot of opportunity by not using them in your social media content strategy. With that said, it’s important to follow some general best practices when it comes to posting videos on Instagram.
Start by using an attractive thumbnail on the opening frame of the video. This can literally determine whether or not your video gets played. Then, put in the effort to incorporate video captioning services as it helps with engagement and retention. It also helps get past the sound issues that seem to be common on mobile devices. Finally, use the appropriate hashtags. The right hashtags can help your videos get more visibility. You may even piggyback off trending searches with the right hashtag.
