If you take a look at last week’s blog, you’ll see that we discussed Facebook video. We will continue the focus on video this week, but we will be talking about Instagram videos. We want to share everything we can about video because it is rising in popularity. Instagram, for example, is putting a major focus on video content. They no longer want to be seen as just a photo-sharing app. They want to be everything for everyone, so they have implemented multiple video components into their platform. Because they have so many ways to create videos, we want to remind you not to stress yourself out trying to keep up with everything. Do what you can handle. 

 

Statistics 

 

Instagram video is becoming popular, and most Instagram users watch videos daily. 91 percent of active Instagram users watch videos weekly in stories. 68 percent of video marketers plan to use Instagram video in their strategy this year which is up by ten percent from last year. Marketers are beginning to catch onto how much video can improve their engagement levels. 

 

Stories 

Stories are the photos and videos you see when you click people’s profile pictures on the top of your home page. They stay in your viewers’ feed for 24 hours, but you can save them to story highlights on your profile. Instagram allows people to post videos on their stories that are up to 15 seconds, but they are looking at extending this limit to 60 seconds in the future. We expect to see this change happen. Stories are the videos that help you engage with customers and pull new customers in. 

 

Feed 

 

Videos that are posted onto the main feed are the ones you see on your homepage. They post as normal posts on your profile, but there’s also a section where people can see only videos on your profile. This type of video can be up to ten minutes long. If you have a video file that is less than 3.6 GB you can post up to an hour of it. We recommend that you avoid doing this. Most people will not even stick around for a 20-minute video. Videos on your feed are meant to be seen by those who already follow you. 

 

Reels 

 

Instagram reels have become increasingly popular in the past year. They are 60-second videos that get more engagement than any other form of video on the platform. It is hard to get discovered on the Instagram for you page, but reels are the exception to this. Any small account can have an Instagram reel become viral. It is your best method of reaching a new audience. We have seen more growth from reels than anything else on Instagram. One fascinating thing about reels is that they double as a post and a reel. You can choose to post them just as a reel, or as a reel and a video on your feed. 

 

Live 

 

Instagram lives let you connect with your audience in real-time. You can answer questions and have personable conversations with your followers. Live videos are up to four hours long. It is rare to see someone go live for four hours. Most people will not watch an Instagram live for four hours. 

 

Native Content

Like Facebook, Instagram prefers videos to be created on their platform. If you post a reel that has a TikTok logo, you say TikTok, or TikTok is in the caption, you will get very few views. Our team prefers to make reels on TikTok, so we use an app called Snaptik to remove TikTok logos from our videos. Instagram will reward you with views if you avoid posting content made on another platform. 

 

Quality 

 

Make sure that the video content you post is of good quality. Record your videos in a space that has good lighting so people can see what is happening. Hold your device steadily, or prop it up so that the video is not blurred or shaky. Listen to your videos to ensure you can be easily heard. No one likes bad quality, and people won’t watch it.

 

Be Personable

To make a connection with your audience you have to show your face. You must be a part of your marketing plan. People want to feel like they know you, and they don’t know you if they don’t see your face. We understand that showing your face in videos can be uncomfortable, but it will make a monumental difference in your success with video. 

 

Captions and Subtitles 

 

Most people prefer to watch videos without sound. They may be sneaking their phone at work, or in a space where playing sound isn’t considered polite. Some people have disabilities that make it impossible for them to listen to sound on videos. You want your content to be accessible to everyone, so you should include subtitles. When people can’t watch with the sound on, they can still understand what the video is about. You should also consider adding captions to your Instagram Videos. Captions should describe what your audience should expect when they watch your video. 

 

Hashtags 

 

Hashtags can, and should, be used on stories, posts, and reels. Hashtags are searchable and can help you get discovered by new people. The younger the audience, the more likely they are to find you based on a hashtag search. 

 

Get Out There 

If you haven’t integrated video into your marketing plan yet, now is the time. We would love to see you post a couple of reels a week but just start with one. Build your way up to posting more. The more videos you post, the better they will get. Take slow steps if you need to. Just get out there and get started. 

 

Social University 

 

Our membership program, Social University, has more information on video content. We want to help you integrate video into your content. For more information visit the homepage of our website or check out our Facebook page. If you have any questions please reach out. We would love to hear from you!