Are you using video as part of your marketing arsenal?* Do you know that with 3 simple tips, you can increase your engagement and effectiveness?
*If you answered, 'no', you are missing out on the best performing media on Facebook. But it's still not too late to jump right in.
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According to Facebook, "Making video content for any platform comes with its own unique set of strategies and tactics to succeed. On Facebook, you'll find a deeper community who connects around their interests and passions. It's a community that is authentic and loves to engage meaningfully with you and what you share. We encourage you to always be authentic, stay consistent and always engage your community. Experimentation is key when creating for any platform, and Facebook is no different."
Facebook has just published the best way you can maximise your impact and reach your goals. Let's dive right in.
Tip #1 - Capture your audience interest with a 3-5 second trailer.
They say that first impressions last and the first 3-10 seconds are the most important according to Facebook. Your audience are trying to decide whether your video is worth their time in the first few seconds, so you'll need to captivate them before showing the full video. Here is where Creator Studio can show you where your viewers are dropping off and you should make use of that data to improve you video approach.
Facebook states: "Open up Video Details by clicking on your video in the Content Library of Creator Studio. Look at the Audience Retention curve, and uncheck "only include views over 15 seconds" to see where people are dropping off in the first few seconds of your video. We recommend looking at your retention curves often and aiming to improve your retention over time, as that will help increase your reach on Facebook."
Example: AmbersCloset
With Amber’s video Storytime: Why I’m Afraid of Whales, adding a 3-5 second highlight trailer at the beginning of the video increased 1-minute views by approximately 43%*.
Tip #2 - Try the 4:5 aspect ratio
People view the content on their phones vertically and forcing them to rotate it to landscape just to view your video means you may lose a large number of viewers. If you can frame your video using a 4:5 aspect ratio, you'll find a significant improvement.
Example: Nabela Noor
With Nabela’s video "What I Eat In a Day”, editing the aspect ratio to 4:5 outperformed the 16:9 by 2x*.
Tip #3 - Engage with your community - comment on posts
The final tip from Facebook: "Joining the conversation in the comments section of your own posts can delight your audience and maximize your reach. Longer comments, like sharing your own perspective on the discussion or answering questions, can spark even more engagement with your content.
We also suggest you engage with content from other accounts. Feel free to weigh in, respond to things you enjoy, and re-share posts with your own commentary."
With the new Facebook interface, you can now use the Inbox in Creator Studio to easily respond to any comments on Facebook and Instagram, making for easier management of your accounts.
Finally, you are encouraged to test, experiment and analyse your data for what works best.
Facebook also shared these five general tips for your videos:
