Are you seeking expert social media video tips to gain higher views? ROI Digitally is here to provide 10 effective practices for creating captivating videos that audiences want to watch and share immediately. Let’s dive into each tip to create high-quality social media videos with millions of views!
1. Begin With A Strategy
Every successful video starts with a detailed strategy. Before hitting the record button, what you need is to outline your goals, target audience, and key messages. What is your goal when making this video? Do you want to increase brand awareness, attract new followers, or increase conversions?
Next, identify your target audience. Who are they, what do they care about, and where do they spend their time online? With this information, you can visualize your audience base and tailor your content to their preferences and needs.
Then, it’s time to create your million-view video with clear and compelling messages!
Pro tip: Check out our guidelines on the best time to post on social media to decide when to post your video content for maximum reach.
2. Create Platform-Specific Content
One of the social media video best practices is to tailor your content for each social channel. What works on TikTok may not work on LinkedIn, so adapt your content accordingly.
As cited above, each platform has unique video requirements, especially in terms of size. Adjust your post to each channel’s correct dimensions, orientation, video length limits, and other specifications.
For example, see how Adidas tailored their content for the She Breaks Barriers campaign:
Adidas uses different video ratios for each social media platform.
| Platform | Audience | Tips |
| TikTok | Primarily Gen Z and younger millennials who enjoy quick, engaging content. | – Keep videos short and dynamic. – Use trending sounds, effects, and hashtags. |
| Broad demographic, with a strong focus on lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and travel enthusiasts. | – Use Stories for quick updates, Reels for short, engaging videos, and IGTV for longer content. – Use interactive features like polls, questions, and stickers. | |
| YouTube | Diverse audience looking for a wide range of content, from how-tos and reviews to entertainment and vlogs | – Focus on high-quality production and longer content. – Promote more content using playlists, end screens, and cards. |
| Professionals and thought leaders across various industries. | – Create videos that offer value and insights. – Keep videos professional and aligned with your brand’s expertise. | |
| Comprehensive demographic, including older adults and families. | – Use interactive features like 360-degree videos and Stories. – Keep videos at least a minute long. | |
| Users looking for quick updates, news, and trending topics | – Keep videos short and to the point. – Use captions for sound-off viewing. – Share timely and relevant videos. |
3. Use SEO Tactics On Your Video
Integrating social SEO, like titles and hashtags, keyword research, or CTA to blog or website, into your content strategy can yield long-term benefits to your channel’s digital visibility and create content your audience is interested in.
An experiment from Hootsuite proves how traditional SEO tactics affect social media videos with highlight results including:
- TikTok experienced a 40% increase in views, with 33% more from the FYP.
- Instagram experienced a 33% increase in engagement rates.
(Results are not 100% certain due to a boosted post mishap.)
Look at the table below for more details:
The result of Hootsuite’s experiment
If you still have questions about this approach, contact us and explore our Social Media Marketing Services for tailored solutions.
4. Focus On The Story
How can I make my video more attractive? Be a storyteller, not just a content creator.
Let’s look back to 2012 when Nike released one of the best advertisements ever created:
This campaign, centered around the theme “Find Your Greatness,” sent a clear message: greatness knows no boundaries. Although Nike wasn’t the official sponsor for the 2012 Olympics, their videos were ubiquitous throughout London during the event, capturing the attention of many. Look at these tactics:
- The “Find Your Greatness” ad received over 3.2 million views on YouTube within the first 24 hours.
- Nike’s Twitter following grew by 166,718 during the Olympics, a 16% increase.
- Sales surged by 23% in the UK during the Olympic period.
The success of Nike’s campaign highlights the importance of storytelling in video ads. A strong narrative can captivate audiences, evoke emotions, and leave a lasting impression.
In fact, in a Forbes survey on 7200 consumers, 58% of respondents incorrectly identified Nike as the official sponsor, compared to only 24% who recognized Adidas as the rightful sponsor.
But that’s not all: Storytelling allows you to build a brand identity that resonates with your followers. You can build a personal connection with your audience by delivering a message that touches their emotions and values. This connection goes a long way in cultivating brand loyalty and driving better results for your videos.
5. Focus On The First Seconds
In only 15 years, human attention spans have undergone a remarkable decline. In 2000, they stood at 12 seconds, but by 2015, they had dropped to just 8.25 seconds. This dramatic shift in our ability to maintain engagement with content has profound implications for social media video creation.
Our attention span has decreased significantly.
The “three-second rule” dictates that the first moments of your video must immediately captivate viewers to prevent them from scrolling past. Many experts confirmed that viewers decide whether to continue watching or move on within these critical seconds.
Facebook found that 65% of people who start watching a video will continue for at least ten seconds, and 45% will watch for thirty seconds or more. This underscores the importance of having a compelling hook early on to sustain viewer interest.
So, what should you do? Here are some social media video tips to optimize the first seconds of your content:
- Step 1: Record and analyze emotional reactions to identify positive or negative emotions in the first few seconds of posted videos.
- Step 2: Analyze content second-by-second to determine which moments in the video generate the most engagement and viewer interaction.
- Step 3: Use vibrant colors, fast cuts, and dynamic visuals to captivate viewers instantly.
6. Be Flexible With Video Length
Different platforms and content types have varying optimal lengths. You should tailor your social media videos to each platform’s requirements and best practices:
| Platform | Optimal lengths |
| Instagram Stories and Reels | Between 15-30 seconds |
| TikTok | Between 3 to 10 minutes |
| Facebook and X | Under 2 minutes |
| YouTube | Between 10-15 minutes |
What if you want to increase the engagement rate? According to the 2024 State of Video report, engagement rates for videos of different lengths have shown a consistent trend:
- Shorter videos of less than 5 minutes continue to lead in engagement.
- Videos from 5–30 minutes experience a gradual decrease in viewer interest.
- Videos exceeding one hour in length receive a significant drop in engagement.
This difference reflects the challenge of sustaining audience attention over extended durations.
Average engagement rate benchmarks in 2023
Testing different video lengths is crucial to determine what resonates best with your audience. Short videos drive quick engagement, while long-form videos provide in-depth content.
7. Aim For Natural Lighting
Blurry visuals can detract from the viewing experience and diminish the impact of the content. However, achieving crystal-clear quality is more than shooting in 4K HD; a vital factor in enhancing video quality is the proper lighting setup.
Many experts recommend not relying solely on one ring light for video shooting when sharing social media video best practices. Instead, use natural light or at least three lights.
How to use natural lighting for better video quality
Additionally, understanding optimal shooting times can enhance video aesthetics:
| Time of Day | Lighting Effect | How To Implement |
| Golden Hour | Warm tones and softer shadows | Occur before sunset; allow for the creation of visually appealing content. |
| Blue Hour | Calm, tranquil ambiance with deep blue hues | Before sunset or precede sunrise, bring a calming atmosphere to outdoor scenes. |
| Cloudy Days | Diffused and evenly distributed light | Provide soft, flattering lighting for outdoor shoots. |
8. Use A Clear CTA
A clear call to action (CTA) in your social media videos will boost engagement and drive action. It directs viewers to take the following action: subscribing, sharing, or visiting a website.
There are different types of CTA you can use:
| Type of CTA | Example | Usage |
| Direct CTAs | “Buy Now”, “Download Today”, “Sign Up Now” | Use in sales pitches or product demos. |
| Informational CTAs | “Learn More”, “Read Our Blog”, “Download Our E-book” | Use when you provide information or resources related to the video content. |
| Social CTAs | “Like”, “Share”, “Follow Us” | Use in content designed for wide sharing or promoting social causes. |
| Lead Generation CTAs | “Subscribe”, “Register Now”, “Get a Free Quote” | Use when you want to gather contact information from potential customers. |
| Sales CTAs | “Add to Cart”, “Purchase Now”, “Start Your Free Trial” | Use in product descriptions or demos. |
What you need is a clear CTA:
- Placement: Position the CTA strategically within the video, preferably towards the end when viewers are most engaged.
- Visual and verbal cues: Reinforce the CTA with visual elements and verbal prompts from the presenter.
- Provide value: Communicate the benefit or value proposition of taking the desired action to incentivize viewers.
Let’s see how a big company like Canva encouraged audiences to attend their #CanvaCreate event through a TikTok video:
An example of a clear CTA
9. Design For Sound-Off
To make viewers watch complete social media videos, you must cater to the audience’s viewing preferences. Given that most mobile feed video ads are consumed without sound, we recommend conveying your message more eye-catching.
Besides, research shows that 41% of Facebook video ads lose meaning without sound. Captions, logos, and product displays can effectively communicate your message, even in silence.
Learn from Canva when they produce videos about new features and the best tips for using Canva. On their TikTok account, these videos creatively incorporated text overlays to ensure understanding without sound:
Canva uses captions in most of their TikTok videos.
10. Track The Performance
Finally, don’t forget to track the performance of your social media videos to check what works and what doesn’t. You can’t refine your strategy without analytics to maximize engagement and reach.
In this case, social media analytics tools may become helpful assistants. Not only do these tools track the performance of your videos, but they also analyze crucial metrics such as view count, engagement rate, shares, and comments to understand audience behavior.
Use analytic tools to track your videos’ performance.
By continuously monitoring and analyzing, you can get valuable insights for future content creation and engage your audience more effectively.
Best Social Media Video Platforms
Statista revealed the most effective video marketing channels, according to marketers worldwide. The list includes:
- YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a leader in the social video market. It has expanded to over 100 countries and is the second-largest search engine on the Internet. For this reason, YouTube marketing is a must for brands aiming to produce social media video content.
| Video Formats | Length Limitation |
| Native videos | Up to 15 minutes (verified accounts can upload videos longer than 15 minutes) |
| YouTube Live | Up to 15 minutes |
| YouTube Shorts | Up to 60 seconds |
Facebook is the leading social platform for both B2B and B2C marketers. With an average of 4 billion videos viewed daily, you can reach a massive audience on this platform. Supported video ratios range from 16:9 to 9:16.
| Video Formats | Length Limitation |
| Facebook feed | Up to 240 minutes |
| Facebook Marketplace | Up to 240 minutes |
| Facebook in-stream | 5-120 seconds |
| Facebook search results | Up to 240 minutes |
| Facebook Stories | 1-120 seconds |
Instagram is a vision-oriented tool that mainly supports image/video formats. Its algorithm curates a user’s feed to highlight content they most view and engage with. The platform supports various content types, including:
| Video Formats | Length Limitation |
| Instagram feed | Up to 120 seconds |
| Instagram Stories | Up to 120 seconds |
| Instagram Explore | Up to 120 seconds |
| Instagram Reels | 3 – 90 seconds |
- X (Twitter)
X
Over the years, X (also known as Twitter) has evolved from plain text tweets to incorporating various media such as images, videos, and audio files. One notable feature of this social media platform is the ability to share videos, though the duration is limited.
| Video Formats | Length Limitation |
| In-stream videos | Up to 140 seconds |
| Video ads | Up to 140 seconds |
LinkedIn is the second most popular social media platform for B2B and B2C marketers worldwide. The platform introduces its video marketing tools, including native videos and video ads. You can share videos with your network on the LinkedIn homepage, within a Group, or on a LinkedIn Page. Supported aspect ratios range from 1:2.4 to 2.4:1.
| Video Formats | Length Limitation |
| Native videos | 3 seconds – 15 minutes |
| LinkedIn video ads | 3 seconds – 30 minutes |
- TikTok
TikTok
TikTok has become the go-to place for viral videos and trends, especially popular among Gen Z. In 2019, the app’s downloads surpassed those of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat.
With its unique sound effects, filters, songs, and interactive tools, TikTok is the perfect place for user-generated content (UGC) to flourish. While brands might not always create content, marketers have discovered effective ways to leverage UGC for their campaigns.
| Video Formats | Length Limitation |
| Feed posts | Up to 10 minutes |
| TikTok ads | Up to 10 minutes |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the best settings for social media videos?
The best settings for social media videos are 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution and a frame rate of 30 FPS. Besides, each platform and content type has different optimal ratios:
- 1:1 for Instagram and Facebook
- 16:9 for YouTube and LinkedIn
- 9:16 for Stories and TikTok
- What type of video is best for social media?
9 best types of social media video are:
- Tutorials and How-to videos
- Product demo videos
- UGC
- Announcements
- Interview and Q&A videos
- Event videos
- Behind-the-scenes videos
- Promote exciting offers and deals
- Tell relatable stories
