Social Media Video Production: A Cheat Sheet for Beginners

We can all agree that social media videos are an essential marketing tool.

But how exactly to create them? Video production companies get requests like this every day. “Great social media videos” is even one of the most-searched terms on Google. 

But should the creation of great digital content be left only to video marketing gurus and production companies?

No way. Here’s our ultimate list of top tips, tricks and cheats – and for beginners too. Time to nail the production of your social media videos – for good!

1. Consider engaging a video production company to help you with strategy and development

Why is development one of the most important steps in video production?

Because without a plan, your social media video won’t be banking in on the ROI it deserves!

Consider it this way: what is it that you first think about when planning a new social media video? Is it narrative? Outcome? The needs and interests of your audience? The resources you have at your disposal?

Did you, for example, know that:

• Videos up to 2 minutes in duration get the most attention and engagement  
• Around 85% of Facebook videos are watched by people who do not use sound

(marketingblog.com 2021)

Are you considering research like this in your planning?

Luckily, you don’t need to be up-to-speed on this. There’s organisations that specialise in helping you build strategy and great planning into the development of your content. 

Organisations like Pickle Pictures! And so:

2. Make sure your social media videos tie in with your overall content strategy

Have you got a content strategy document? What even is content strategy?

We get it. If you haven’t taken a deep-dive  into content strategy before, it can seem like a confusing, overwhelming and often very contradictory space. Contenting marketers and video marketing professionals love to talk about strategy, but what does it actually look like in real life?

When creating content strategy for the first time, you’re going to need to think about your business aims, goals and KPIs. Once these are articulated, start to consider videos and animation as another means to achieve your aims, goals and KPIs. 

What is great content strategy, then? It’s the methods and strategies that connect where you are now, to where you want to be as a business.

By extension, your social media videos and animations should be connected – at all times – to you business aims, goals and KPIs. If they’re note structured, planned, developed and executed in a way that helps you achieve these, then they’re not working hard enough for you.

With this in mind, make sure you:

3. Create social media videos that are short, sharp and engaging

If you’re feelin’ it, scroll back up to point 2. Did you know that the most successful social media videos are no more than 2 minutes’ in length?

What’s more, the ideal duration of videos for the world’s top social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook is usually no more than 30 seconds, and definitely no more than 90!

When engagement and the audience’s emotional alignment with digital content is more important than ever before, making strategic decisions about the duration of your content is one of the hottest tips around.

How often do you consider the ideal length of social media videos when planning your content? 

4. Great social media videos incorporate emotionally engaging branded content 

What is branded content?

Put simply, branded content is a particular marketing technique that involves the creation of digital content, videos and animations that form an emotional link with a brand’s target audience. 

Branded content can look like inspirational videos, specially developed games/competitions, and more. What it doesn’t necessarily look like is content whose major purpose is to create a sale. It’s more sophisticated than that!

One of the most significant and well-remembered examples of branded content from recent times is this – Dollar Shave Club’s rocllicking, humour-filled skit. 

Check out just how beautifully and discreetly this video aligns particular emotions, tones of voice and general approach/look and feel with the brand at hand. 

This is branded social media video content at its best! 

And, finally – it’s time to remember to:

5. Maintain a strong focus on narrative: treat your social media videos like a great story! 

If one thing’s for certain these days, everyone’s interested in a good story.

Whether it be on the news, in the staff room, from the mouth of a friend, or across the table at a bar, it’s for certain: good stories sell.

Why should your social media videos, animations and video marketing productions embrace a good ‘story arc’? Because a good, narrative-based hook is known to:

• Boost engagement
• Maintain your audience’s focus
• Increase conversation and ROI

…and much, much more!

So… are you ready to take the video and animation-related leap to a whole new level of incredible content?

Don’t hold back. And if you need it, we can help.