Facebook Video: Best Practices in The Age of Mobile

It’s no surprise that the use of video is becoming a more common practice than ever before; especially in the social strategies of companies both large and small. More video is being consumed now than ever before. Video content, particularly on social platforms like Facebook, yield higher engagement rates and are typically more effective than a static image.

If video content is not a part of your marketing strategy already then you should figure out a way to implement it in order to remain competitive. However, simply using video does not mean you will see automatic success or better results. There are a couple key things to consider when creating videos for your campaign that will make your content better.

Length

One of the most important things to take into consideration is the length of your video. Short content that has a clear message and call to actions is key. People are always on the move or have places to be so their time is limited. Just think, when was the last time you sat down to voluntarily watch an infomercial all the way through. The great thing (and threat at the same time) about Facebook and other social platforms is that users can easily skip through content that does not interest them. This goes for both organic content published by their network and paid content published by businesses and marketers like you.

Typically, the most successful videos on Facebook have a run time of anywhere between 30 and 60 seconds (slightly longer in particular circumstances – informational videos for example). Now, despite any concerns, this is plenty of time for you to get your message across. In fact this is way more time than you actually need! 92% of people use Facebook via mobile device so they are most likely on the move or short of time. You will really only have their attention for 3 to 10 seconds so make it count.

Related: How To Structure Your Facebook Videos & Other Helpful Tips

The First 10 Seconds

The first few seconds of your video are the most important and must be used wisely. The reason for this is; if it doesn’t interest the user right away then they will skip it. As we mentioned earlier, the user is probably on a mobile device which means they are probably on the move or short of time. Those first 10 seconds (really 3 seconds), are your opportunity to capture the attention of the user and present some sort of call to action.

How do you capture one’s attention in such a short amount of time? It’s easy, be clear, concise, relevant and attractive. You want the viewer to understand who you are and what the video is about right away; so be up front without being too pushy. Use attractive or interesting imagery and video to compliment this. You want your viewer to actually want to view the content after all. All of this should be done in an engaging and creative way so think about your audience, your business, and goals and go from there. There is no “one size fits all” approach to creativity, my friend, so I will leave the fun of figuring that out up to you.

Related: Why Your Company Should Invest in Video Marketing

Sound Or No Sound?

I will say it again, and probably again later on in this article; your viewer is probably on a mobile device. You can read more about the “age of mobile” here.

For this reason, you want to optimize your video content to be just as effective without sound as it is with sound. Why would you do this and how does this connect to mobile? Let me explain; if your viewer is on a mobile device somewhere out in public, on the train or bus, or in the office, they probably don’t want the audio of the video blasting out for all to hear.

On the flip side, maybe their surroundings are too loud to hear the audio such as a train station, mall, or outside on the street. Either way, being able to convey meaning without sound will make your video that much more effective. Your video should have some sort of captioning that conveys the message in a concise manner without being too text heavy. This is another opportunity to enhance the creativity of your video content and overall aesthetic.

Key Takeaways

• The best video length for engagement 30 to 60 seconds on Facebook (shoot for the shorter end).
• People can easily skip through your content.
• The beginning of your video is the most important, so make it count.
• You have 3 to 10 seconds to capture the viewer’s attention and include some kind of CTA.
• You really only have 3 seconds.
• Be clear, concise, relevant and attractive in your messaging and content.
• Optimize video content to be effective without sound.
• People using Facebook via mobile device 92% of the time.
• So, always think mobile.