What to Avoid with Social Media Video Marketing

When creating video content for your brand there are key traits that need to be remembered to get your audience interested and increase engagement. There are times when you see some clever marketing videos and some that should have stayed in the drafts, but that is simply because they did not know the “do’s and don'ts'' of social media video marketing. 

First impressions with video content matter but there is no secret formula for making sure your audience will love everything you post. However, there are key traits to follow to ensure many videos are successful and to bring awareness to your business. 

Things to avoid: 

1. Do not forget a call-to-action 

   A call-to-action is inducing an immediate response or encouraging an immediate sale with the audience. Include the call-to-action at the end of the video since it is likely that the action would be taken right when the video is over. There are different ways to include this in your videos such as adding a “subscribe” button or a link to the product you are trying to sell. 

2. Don’t follow and copy your competitors 

   One thing people love to see is original content, which would make the content you create stand out from your competitors. When you're new to video marketing it is normal to look at the content that other brands are making and take ideas from them, however, do not completely copy their entire video and make it your own. 

   Each brand has different goals from the other and different audiences they are trying to reach. By copying them you hinder your own personal goals and the engagement on each video will not have the outcome you expected since the delivery of the video is not catered to your brand. By directly copying other brand content you are becoming a second-class substitute instead of being your own original self.

   There is nothing wrong with using other videos as inspiration but there are other ways to create your own twist when doing so. Use current trends and sounds to get your audience's attention and add the brand's personality to let your viewers feel like they can get to know you through your content. 

3. Don’t share your content only once 

   One of the biggest mistakes with video marketing strategies is only sharing your content once and thinking you are finished with what was created. When creating videos on Instagram reels or Tik Tok, it is ideal to share your content so you can let your followers know that you posted in case they did not see it on their feed. 

   One way to increase engagement for your videos is to repost your Instagram reels onto your story to let others know that you have posted. Due to the new Instagram algorithm only 10 to 20 percent of your followers will see your content on their feed, which is why it is important to repost posts onto stories. Also, posting your Tik Tok content on your other social media accounts will give followers the opportunity to follow your brand on various platforms increasing your overall engagement on each account. 

   You can also consider different methods to redistribute or repurpose your content across other channels. If your video is going on your Instagram and Tik Tok pages, you could add a teaser section on your company website or also add it to your Youtube shorts for a larger audience to become aware of your brand. This can help maximize your brand ROI on social media and encourage them to buy from your brand or work with you as well. 

Conclusion 

Video marketing is not difficult when you put thought into your distribution strategy instead of going through an easy route. It may be tempting to use other brands' ideas and only share your content once, but in reality, there is a lot more thought and effort that goes into video marketing on social media. You could have the best intentions by posting only once and copying other brands' ideas, however, your video won't do any good unless you have organic material and know the audience you want to reach as well.