Video is hot. It’s been hot for a while now but like every trend, the format, length and focus continue to evolve. If you’re a small business owner and you’re not sure where to start, we’re here to help.
What types of videos should you create? Videos that tend to get the most impressions often share a few key characteristics. For small businesses, the best types of videos primarily focus on building brand awareness, engaging with the audience, and driving conversions. Here are some effective video types tailored for small businesses:
Product Demonstrations: Showcase how your products work, highlighting their features and benefits. This helps potential customers see the value in what you’re offering. If your industry supports How-to Guides, create instructional videos related to your industry or products. A fun way to answer questions you anticipate your audience asking is creating FAQ videos.
Behind-the-Scenes: Offer a glimpse into your business operations, team, and daily life. It humanizes your brand and builds a connection with your audience. Employee spotlights that introduce your team members and their roles can add a personal touch to these videos.
Customer Testimonials: Share videos of satisfied customers talking about their positive experiences with your product or service. Social proof can be a powerful motivator for potential buyers. Video testimonials allow your customers to show emotion and this is how your business can showcase authenticity.
Promotional Offers and Announcements: Use videos to announce special promotions, new product launches, or upcoming events. Make these videos attention-grabbing to encourage viewers to take action. Attention grabbing videos can be achieved in different ways and should align with your audiences’ preferences. Some businesses lead with what is most exciting and get to the point right away. Others build up anticipation but whatever strategy you use, be authentic and genuine.
Brand Stories: Share the story behind your business, including your mission, values, and the journey that led you to where you are today. This helps build a deeper emotional connection with your audience. If you are struggling to tell your story, start with sharing your “why”. Why did you start your business and why do you continue to run it?
I’m long winded, can I create long videos? The ideal length for a video can vary depending on the platform and the type of content, but here are some general guidelines:
TikTok: 15 to 60 seconds. TikTok videos are designed to be quick and engaging. Shorter videos that capture attention immediately and deliver content quickly tend to perform best.
Instagram Reels: 15 to 30 seconds. Similar to TikTok, Instagram Reels thrive on brevity and high engagement. Keep it short and snappy to maintain viewer interest.
Instagram Stories: 15 seconds per story. Stories are meant for quick updates or brief content. If you have a longer message, break it up into multiple stories.
YouTube Shorts: Up to 60 seconds. YouTube Shorts are designed for quick consumption, so concise, attention-grabbing content works well.
Facebook: 1 to 2 minutes. While Facebook allows longer videos, shorter videos are often more effective. Aim for concise content that delivers your message quickly.
Twitter: 30 seconds to 1 minute. Twitter users often engage with quick, impactful videos that fit into the fast-paced feed.
LinkedIn: 1 to 2 minutes. Professional audiences on LinkedIn appreciate brief, informative videos that get to the point.
YouTube: 7 to 15 minutes. For longer-form content, such as tutorials, vlogs, or detailed explanations, YouTube supports more extended videos. However, it’s important to keep viewers engaged throughout.
Pinterest: 15 to 30 seconds. Pinterest users often prefer short, visually appealing videos that quickly convey ideas or inspiration.
As mentioned above, the trend in 2024 has been short videos. Whether the platform supports a 1-minute video or not, it’s important to keep in mind short videos will have a higher chance of being watched. Statistics show that videos less than 90 seconds long keep 50% of viewers watching, which is much higher than longer videos. If you are putting the time, money and effort into creating videos you want the best chance of them being watched.
Where should you post your videos?
Once your videos are created you need to post them to channels that will get you the most exposure. A 2024 survey by CrowdRiff surveyed 200 destination marketers and found the social channels marketers are prioritizing include:
These findings are consistent with other Canadian sources with the addition of websites (on this list). A professional website is still table stakes for any successful business and using short videos as a method to drive traffic to your site only makes sense.
Videos are not going anywhere anytime soon and staying on top of the trends is important. We offer many video creation options to support your business objectives. Our experts will meet with you and create a needs-based plan. If you are interested in exploring short (or long) video options reach out today!
-Sarah Elchuk is a member of the Revenue Growth Team at Directwest
2. https://crowdriff.com/trends-2024/
