5+ Ways To Create Engaging Video Content for 2021

It’s no secret that video content is one of the most effective ways to help your audience connect with your brand. After all, 78% of users learned about new products and services through video content last year. 

However, your success with video content will only go as far as your strategy. If you create videos without keeping best practices in mind, you can actually damage your brand and prevent your audience from engaging with your videos altogether.

Here are a few ways to avoid this and create high performing video content this year:

1. Hit the ground running

Considering the fact that 65% of people try to skip video ads as quickly as possible, you only have a few seconds to make an impression and capture your viewers’ attention. Hook your audience with a captivating video thumbnail. This will pique their interest and provide interesting and relevant content right away.

The first few seconds of your video content will determine whether people will keep watching or not. Make those seconds count.

2. Keep it short and sweet

Your audience won’t sit through a 10-minute video from your brand on social media. If you want to connect with your followers, create content that is short and sweet, especially in 2021.

Your viewers’ attention span is much shorter than ever before. Videos that are 2 minutes long or shorter provided optimal engagement, and 60% of viewers will stop watching a video after the 2-minute mark.

Factor this knowledge into your strategy and you will see an increase in video engagement.

3. Optimize your video for each social media platform

Instagram videos and Facebook videos shouldn’t look exactly the same. Tailor your video content to each site to make sure they perform well on each platform.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Video length. If you have longer videos, they would be a good fit for YouTube or Facebook, while videos under 20 seconds long will likely do best on Instagram or Twitter. 
• Video purpose. If you have video content that encourages viewers to visit a website or check out a piece of long-form content, Instagram’s “swipe up” feature might come in handy. If you have a “how-to” video, YouTube is the best place to post for maximum engagement. “How-to” searches increase by 70% on the platform each year.
• Video features. Social media users typically watch Facebook videos without sound (85%) and Instagram Stories with sound (65%). It’s vital to include captions for any video content you share on Facebook. Don’t rely on sounds to convey your message.

Consider the purpose of your video content and your audience on each of the platforms you use when you tweak your strategy this year.

4. Add value

The days where businesses were only expected to create tv commercials or print advertisements are long gone. If you want people to engage with your video content, you have to offer content that is interesting enough to compete with the thousands of other entertaining videos they see when they scroll through social media.

If your video content is always explicitly focused on driving sales, your audience will dwindle. Your followers and subscribers want to know that your brand offers value outside of your products and services, and they don’t want to waste their time watching a sales pitch.

In 2021, prioritize creating content that adds value for your audience:

• Share stories. Now more than ever, consumers are interested in brands that have a human side. Use your video content to share stories that resonate with your audience and show the heart of your brand.
• Share tips. 39% of viewers want to see explainer videos. Offering insight or helpful tips and ideas will capture your subscribers’ attention and encourage them to watch your videos. Is your brand in the fashion industry? Put together a summer fashion guide in a series of Instagram videos. Does your business sell popcorn? Create a YouTube video that shares tips to find the perfect movie to watch on Netflix. 

5. Analyze key metrics

A brand that posts videos for their audience without checking key metrics is like a waiter who never returns after they deliver food to their tables. How will you know if your audience resonates with your content if you never check and see?

Just like waitstaff at a restaurant will check with their tables to make sure everyone enjoys their food and make any necessary adjustments, you should pay attention to key metrics like views, retention rate, likes, and comments to increase your video engagement.

After all, 66% of respondents of the Social Trends survey of Hootsuite say that social listening and analytics has increased in value for their businesses in 2020. 

Monitoring and analyzing your audience engagement will show you which videos perform well and which ones don’t. This way you can adjust your video marketing strategy so that you always churn out videos your audience loves.

6. Repurpose your top-performing content

Do you have podcast episodes, blog posts, or videos that captured your audience’s attention? Repurpose these into new video content that is guaranteed to perform well with your target audience.

Content creation costs your brand time and money, and you have no idea whether or not your audience will find this content interesting or valuable. Repurposing your content eliminates the guesswork.

For instance, if your audience connected with a specific blog post of yours, that content would make an engaging video!

Looking for more? Repurpose House can help you repurpose your videos (and more) to create high-quality and engaging content. Let’s connect and take your social media strategy to the next level. 😎