Did you know that video content happens to do really well on social media? This is true across all the popular platforms you can think of, but it’s especially true of Instagram.
Instagram offers a few different ways to share videos with your audience. Unfortunately, with so many options to choose from, it may be a bit overwhelming to figure out what types of video to share, and where to share them.
If you want to share video content more effectively on Instagram, this handy guide will help you discover some hot tips and tricks on how to use Instagram Stories, IGTV, video posts, and Reels to enhance your Instagram.
Words: Adriana Thani
Why video is important
1. Video performs better than other types of content
It’s been found that video is more engaging than other content on social media. It also turns out that audiences find video a lot more memorable as well – research shows that people retain 95% of a message when they watch it in video format, compared to just retaining 10% of information in written form.
2. Video is really share-able
The key to audiences discovering your brand is to make sure your content can reach more people. Share-able content – things that your followers find irresistible and are likely to share on their Stories or grid – is priceless on Instagram. As it turns out, over 90% of video viewers are likely to share videos that they watch on mobile devices!
3. Video can help generate leads
Instagram is a powerful tool for you to grow your business. We’ve previously explored how Instagram can help you generate leads, and video is astonishingly effective in this regard. In fact, videos can attract 300% more traffic to your website.
Types of video content on Instagram
Instagram Stories
Since Stories are the first thing you’ll see at the top of the screen when you open up the Instagram app, we figured we’d cover this first!
We encourage everyone to share Stories daily. You should aim to share three or four Stories a day. However, make sure you share content at different points of the day – don’t just share all of your Story content first thing in the morning! Spread out the content a little bit.
Why is this so important? Well, basically it’s to ensure that your Instagram account is constantly visible at the very top of your followers’ Instagram feed. Each time you share a new Story, your little profile picture is bumped up to the front of the line. So sharing Stories throughout the day is a great way to improve brand visibility and engagement.
Content ideas for Instagram Stories
- Behind-the-scenes look at your office or studio. An example of this could be a ‘day in the life’ type of video, or even an office tour.
- Case studies, reviews, testimonials, client showcase – these are all different ways of showing your audience that your customers love what you do!
- Personal content from you – people love getting to know the people behind the brand.
- Come up with a weekly Story series – like Self Care Sunday Tips if you’re a wellness brand, or Meat-Free Monday Recipe ideas if you’re a foodie account.
Tips for Instagram Stories
- Keep it casual – Share candid moments, nothing too formal.
- Be authentic – People are drawn to brands that stay true to themselves.
- If you have more than 10,000 followers on a business account, you’ll get the coveted ‘swipe up’ function – make full use of this by sharing useful links
- If you are doing a lot of talking, use captions and subtitles to keep your content accessible to all. Also note that some users actually prefer to watch videos without sound, so you still want them to understand your message
Instagram TV (IGTV)
IGTV is the perfect place to share longer videos that are a little more intentional, curated, and in-depth. Remember to focus on topics that are relevant and helpful to your followers. You should also tie the content to the product or service you’re selling, of course.
Before you get started, please note that you will need to sign up for an IGTV account. Once you’ve got that set up, you can share IGTV videos straight from your Instagram account – there’s no need to download the separate IGTV app if you don’t want to.
Content ideas for IGTV
- Q&A videos where you answer questions from your followers so they can get to know you and your business a little bit better.
- Tips and tricks – this could be related to your products or just content that your followers would find helpful.
- How-to videos are always a fun way to incorporate your products into your content.
Tips for IGTV
- Remember, IGTV content tends to be more formal and intentional, so make sure your videos are beautifully shot and in line with your brand
- Just like Stories, subtitles are a must if there’s a lot of talking
- If you want a preview of your IGTV video to appear on your grid, you have to turn on the option to ‘Post A Preview’ when you upload the IGTV video
- Remember: if this will appear on your grid, you need to create thumbnails that look good on your grid and keep it looking cohesive!
Video posts
Video posts are a great alternative to image posts, as they add a bit of life and movement to your grid. These videos tend to be short – around 3 seconds to a minute long. So it’s best that you create really short and snappy content for these!
With video posts, it’s crucial to capture your audience’s attention from the first few seconds. Don’t wait to get to the point! Make sure you’re doing everything you can to stop the scroll and compel them to keep on watching.
Content ideas for Instagram video posts
- GIFs are easy to create and are a fun way to inject a bit of movement and energy to text posts.
- Short promotional videos for your product or service can be easily squeezed into 60 seconds or less.
- Sneak previews or trailers for longer IGTV videos are a great way to build up a bit on anticipation!
- Boomerang videos are always fun, and feel a little more alive compared to still images.
Tips for Instagram video posts
- Get straight to the point! You want to capture your audience’s attention from the get-go.
- Keep it as short as you can – there are no options to pause, forward, or rewind Instagram video posts, so if people lose interest, they’ll stop watching.
- Make sure the aesthetics of your Instagram video suits your grid.
- When you upload a video post, you still need to treat it like you would an image – remember to craft an engaging caption, and add a call-to-action and hashtags too!
Reels
Reels are a recent addition to Instagram’s video content capabilities, and is definitely catching on fast! Ideal for TikTok style videos that are short and entertaining, the best thing about Reels is that you can record and edit your 15-second videos with audio and effects within your Instagram app itself.
You can share Reels on your Reels tab, and also on your grid if you choose to. We’ve noticed, however, that most accounts will not share every single one of their Reels on their grid, particularly videos that don’t suit their aesthetic.
Just so you know, people can find you through pages dedicated to a specific song, hashtag, or effect, so capitalise on this by using songs, hashtags, and effects that are trending!
The best thing about Reels is that they’re really fun and casual, so make sure you have fun with it.
Content Ideas for Reels
- Time lapse videos are really fun to watch! Show what happens behind the scenes at your business, like a photoshoot or the process of making your products.
- Tips and tricks will never go out of style, so share some videos to show people how to use your product in a creative and unexpected way.
- Participate in trending challenges! This will change over time, of course, so do some research on Reels to see what content creators are doing.
Tips for Reels
- Use audio, including songs and sound clips. There are some amazing audio clips and music on Reels to really jazz up your video.
- Get creative with text, especially if you’re sharing a tutorial. These make your instructions clearer and easy to follow. Keep it short, though.
- Play around with effects! Filters and AR effects can add a bit of dimension and polish to your video.
- Play around with the speed of your video to see what works well for that particular piece of content.
Use videos to elevate your Instagram
Videos are a really powerful tool for you to reach your audience. The key to keeping your audience interested in what you have to say is to create content that is fresh, relevant, and useful to your target market. Video is just one more way for you to frame this juicy content to deliver to your audience.
Not sure how to make your Instagram irresistible to your potential customers? Our Instagram audits, strategy documents, and one-on-one consultations can help you develop a clearer picture of how you can make your Instagram shine. Get in touch with us today to find out more!
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