A Guide to Social Media Video Production
Written by:
Wilson College
• May 21, 2024
A Guide to Social Media Video Production
Americans spend a lot of time watching social media videos. In 2022, Americans spent an average of almost one hour watching social media videos every day, which is up from 33 minutes a day in 2019, according to data from Statista.
With more than 9 in 10 businesses creating social media videos in 2024, organizations need to know how to use social media video production to their advantage.
To learn more, check out the infographic below, created by Wilson College Online’s business degree programs .
How Are Social Media Videos Used?
Social media is popular around the globe. In fact, active social media users make up nearly 60% of the world’s population, and nearly 4 in every 10 minutes spent online is on social media.
Users spend more time on video-focused social apps, according to a 2023 report on global Android use throughout 2022. TikTok (23.5 hours per month) and YouTube (23.1 hours) came in ahead of Facebook (19.7 hours), WhatsApp (17.3 hours), and Instagram (12.0 hours).
How Does Social Media Marketing Help Businesses?
Businesses can reach 4.76 billion potential customers with social media videos. Social media marketing also helps convert prospects into customers.
That’s because 91% of people use explainer videos to learn more about products and services. After seeing these videos, 82% of people have been convinced to make a purchase and 77% have downloaded apps. Finally, 87% say video quality can change their trust in a brand.
A total of 89% of consumers said they want more videos from businesses in 2024.
The Impact of Social Media Videos
How big is the return on investment (ROI) on social media videos? A survey of video marketers in 2024 found that nearly all reported strong results.
A total of 90% of video marketers reported a boost in brand awareness, while 88% saw an improved user understanding of products or services. A total of 87% said social media videos generated leads, 87% said they increased sales, and 86% saw a boost in web traffic. These results show the value of social media marketing.
Social Media Video Marketing Statistics
Nearly every marketing strategy incorporates video: 91% of businesses report using video in their marketing efforts, and 90% say video marketing has offered a solid ROI.
Today, social media advertising makes up a significant percentage of all digital advertising spending. In 2023, total spending on social media advertising reached $226 billion, an increase of 23.2% from the previous year, according to DataReportal’s “Digital 2023: Global Overview Report.” Social media now makes up nearly 34% of total digital advertising spending.
As annual spending on social media advertising increases, the market grows more competitive.
The most popular video marketing platforms are YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, according to a 2023 survey conducted by Wyzowl. However, video marketers report that the most effective video marketing platforms are YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.
Barriers to Video Marketing
What barriers prevent some businesses from investing in video marketing? According to a 2023 survey, 33% of businesses said they don’t have time to make videos. A total of 20% said videos were too expensive, while 15% said they don’t know where to start.
Other barriers include confusion over the ROI on video marketing (12%) and the belief that they don’t need videos (10%).
In spite of those barriers, 68% of marketers who don’t use videos plan to implement a video marketing strategy in 2024. More than half of social media marketers surveyed in 2023 said they planned to increase their presence on YouTube (59%), Instagram (56%), and LinkedIn (55%).
Social Media Video Production: Tips for Business
What’s the best way to start producing social media videos for your business? Here’s a step-by-step approach to researching, creating, promoting, and optimizing your social media video strategy.
Step 1: Research
Before jumping into social media video production, you’ll need to do your research. Figure out your overall goals, the target audience, and the metrics for success.
Common video marketing goals include boosting brand awareness, generating leads, increasing sales, or launching new products or services.
Social Media Video Content Types
During the research phase, consider which content types best match the overall goals. Popular social media video content types include the following:
- Explainer or how-to. Provide a tutorial or an explanation for your products or services with these informative videos.
- Customer reviews. Create videos featuring customer reviews and testimonials. These videos can boost brand trust and sales.
- Interview or Q&A. Keep viewers informed and answer questions with these content types.
- Behind the scenes. Humanize your brand with behind-the-scenes content that connects viewers with the people on your team.
You’ll also need to consider which platforms best fits your audience and needs. With so many options, you’ll need to research where your target audience spends time and which platforms match your goals.
Step 2: Content Production
Content production requires several steps. With your goals in mind, set a timeline and budget for your social media video production.
During the production phase, you’ll need to assemble a team, write and edit the script, create storyboards for the video, and shoot the video. During postproduction, you’ll create a rough cut of the footage; add voice-overs, graphics, captions, and music; and optimize your video for upload.
Step 3: Promotion
Creating social media videos is only one step in the marketing process. You’ll also need to promote those videos.
Leveraging social media engagement tools can help with promotion, as can scheduling tools for social media posts. Finally, understanding how to use keywords, tags, and hashtags can help your video find your target audience.
Step 4: Check Your Metrics
During the planning phase, you’ll define success and determine the metrics for your campaign. If you’re focused on raising brand awareness, for example, the most important metric may be social engagement and shares. On the other hand, if you’re focused on conversions, measuring leads and sales is key.
Key Performance Indicators for Social Media Video Production
Many video marketers track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as impressions, social engagement, and/or site traffic.
Impressions measure the number of times viewers see your content, while site traffic looks at the number of visitors to your site. Social engagement tracks the number of likes, shares, comments, or other interactions on your social media channels.
Marketers also track leads and sales, including the number of customer conversions and sales that can be traced to social media videos.
Optimize Your Social Media Video Campaigns
After tracking these KPIs, it’s time to optimize your social media video campaigns.
Start by identifying your best content. Which videos connected with your audience? Look at what’s performing well to inform future campaigns.
Then, find areas for improvement. Are you struggling with social engagement or leads? Modify your goals when planning your next campaign.
Finally, check in with customers. Customer feedback can inform your strategies. Look at online reviews, customer surveys, and customer support topics to create useful video content.
Marketing With Social Media Videos
Investing in social media video production can pay off for businesses. By conducting research, prioritizing quality, and tracking ROI, businesses can maximize the impact of their social media video strategy.
Sources:
Biteable, 11 Different Types of Videos for Social Media
DataReportal, “Digital 2023: Global Overview Report”
Entrepreneur, “Video Marketing KPIs That Are Crucial for Your Campaign”
Hootsuite, “Social Media Marketing Tools: The Complete Guide”
HubSpot, “What Video Marketers Should Know in 2023, According to Wyzowl Research”
Insivia, 2023 Report: Most Important Marketing Stats in the Software & SaaS Industry
Sprout, “7 Steps to a Successful Social Media Video Marketing Strategy”
SurveyMonkey, How to Measure and Improve Your Brand Awareness
The Hartford, “How to Create Social Media Videos to Market Your Small Business”
