Video storytelling: Elevate your brand through engaging video content

Video became one of the breakout trends in the marketing world nearly a decade ago—and it’s not slowing down. According to recent Nielsen data, US adults spend five hours per day watching video. Whether it’s Netflix’s latest stream-worthy series or the never-ending scroll of short and quirky TikToks, video has climbed its way to the top of our media consumption habits.

Even Instagram, originally a photo-sharing platform, is following TikTok’s lead. Although the app was experimenting with video content with the launch of IGTV and Reels, it hasn’t been embraced as the platform’s focus—until now. Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri recently announced the pivot to “full-screen, immersive, entertaining, mobile-first video,” citing competition from YouTube and TikTok as motivators for the change.

Short, engaging video that’s served up by a hyper-effective algorithm is the perfect recipe for keeping audiences hooked in an unparalleled way. And as consumers and social media giants like TikTok and Instagram continue to embrace video, brands should, too. If you’re already investing in a solid social media content strategy, prioritizing video storytelling will help propel your brand to new heights.

Still not convinced? Here are the top benefits of creating engaging video content.

More than ever, consumers want to know about the brands and creators they follow, and video is one of the most effective ways to do this. Showcasing the faces of your brand through video content can humanize your business and help create a deeper, more emotional connection between you and your community. Plus, it’s a great for highlighting your products and services in a personable way, which can be much more relatable—and persuasive—than a series of static images.

Your audience is looking for information and entertainment, and your brand can serve as a resource. Video content allows you to condense complex information into bite-sized pieces that are easier to recall. Whether it’s a detailed product demonstration or customer testimonial, video is an engaging and digestible way to disseminate information. Not to mention, it’s a better user experience than shuffling through heavy text or stock imagery.

If you wanted a single reason why it’s such a good idea to create video content for your brand, let it be this: search engine optimization. Not only is SEO essentially the foundation of your entire online marketing presence, it’s also proven to have a direct impact on your bottom line by increasing engagement, conversions and ultimately revenue. Video is a traffic-generating machine that keeps people on your site longer, helping boost your ranking. From a social-platform perspective, video content performs best since it captures attention for longer. Leaning into the algorithm’s preference for video can provide an extra boost, giving you a leg up on competitors. But before you go all in on video storytelling, consider these important questions, too.

Are you trying to educate consumers? Inspire loyalty? Raise awareness of your services? Clearly defined objectives will help determine the type and style of videos you produce.

Once your goals are defined, do a deep dive on your audience to uncover messaging that resonates, topics they’re most passionate about and anything else you can learn. Developing an inmate understanding of your audience and what drives them to act will help you create the most impactful content possible.

Each platform has different formats, dimensions and considerations that will impact your efforts. Identify where you want to host your video and make sure it’s created to work optimally for that platform.

You don’t necessarily need fancy and expensive equipment to make great video content. As a rule, you want your videos to be well lit (windows work) and have clear picture and audio. Cell phones do the trick, and you can upgrade your equipment as you grow.

When you’re incorporating videos into your strategy, remember that mistakes are part of the process. Keep trying, testing and tweaking. And know that doing so is the catalyst for progress.

Now, get out there and make some great video content.

And when it’s time to share it with the world, reference our right-sized video guide for the specs you’ll need to make it shine.