Social media has come a long way since its inception. It started as a platform for people to connect with friends and family, but now it has transformed into a tool for businesses and individuals to market themselves and their products. Over the years, we have seen social media content evolve from text-based posts to images and now to videos. In recent times, social media content has taken a new turn, and it’s going video-first. According to a survey by HubSpot, 31% of brands publish two to four videos per month and 67% of marketers say sharing marketing videos on social media (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok) has the biggest ROI. In this article, let’s explore what this means and why it’s important.
Why video content is important for social media
Higher Engagement
Video content is more engaging than text or image/GIF content. It captures the viewer’s attention, and it’s easier to consume than reading long articles or captions. According to a survey by HubSpot, 31% of brands publish two to four videos per month. This shows that consumers are more likely to engage with video content, which can lead to higher engagement rates for brands on social media.
Accessibility on Mobile Devices
Mobile devices have become an integral part of our lives. Most people now access social media from their mobile phones, and video content is more accessible on mobile devices than any other form of content. Videos can be easily watched on-the-go and require less effort from the viewer than reading text-based content. In fact, a study by Facebook found that people are 1.5 times more likely to watch videos on their mobile devices than on their desktops.
Rise of Short-Form Video Platforms
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have taken the social media world by storm. According to a recent survey by Sprout Social, short-form videos are found to be the most engaging and as many as two-thirds of consumers (66%) say they pay the most attention to short-form videos—2.5 times more than long-form videos. They have created a new format of video content that is short, entertaining, and shareable. These platforms have become extremely popular among younger audiences, and they have pushed other social media platforms to adopt short-form video formats. This has resulted in a shift towards video content across all social media platforms.
Higher Reach and Shareability
Video content has a higher chance of going viral than text or image-based content. A recent study by Wyzowl, shows that as many as 91% of consumers want to see more online video content from brands. This shows that video content has the potential to reach a wider audience and generate more leads for businesses. Additionally, videos are more shareable than any other form of content. Social media algorithms favor video content, which can result in more exposure and higher reach for brands.
Conclusion
Social media content has evolved from text-based posts to images and now to videos. The shift towards video content is due to its engaging and entertaining nature, accessibility on mobile devices, and the rise of short-form video platforms. Video content has higher engagement rates, reach, and shareability than any other form of content. Businesses and individuals who want to succeed on social media should adopt a video-first strategy to stay relevant and engage with their audience.
To learn more on how ThinkLab Communications, can help create effective and engaging videos for your social media channels, click here.