How to boost your sales with social video

This article was originally published on May 30, 2019. It was updated on October 8, 2021.

Key takeaways

• Video is reportedly the most preferred content online. Of all social media platforms, it is most widely used on Youtube, with Facebook a close second.
• Make sure to create video content that can be shared across different social media platforms.
• Video ideas include tutorials, behind-the-scenes, special event coverage, breaking news or trending topics, or user-generated content.

Do you wish there were a way for your small business to reach even more potential customers than an ad on the Super Bowl? There is — and better yet, you can do it for free. The secret is video — which has been racking up all the views and engagement on social media in the past few years. This comes as no surprise, as 93% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy and 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.

Social media video is having a moment right now. Hubspot found in a recent study that video is the most preferred content online. Not only does online video get customers’ attention, but it can also persuade them to purchase. An impressive 93% of brands got a new customer because of a video on social media, while 84% of people say that they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.

Before you shout, “Lights, camera, action!” here are three tips that can help you get better results from sharing your videos on social media.

1. Build a YouTube channel for your business

In 2021, YouTube was the most widely used platform for video marketers for the seventh consecutive year, with a whopping 87% of video marketers' usage. Half of all social video viewing occurs on YouTube, and this channel is especially popular with millennial consumers. It’s free to set up a YouTube channel. Use relevant keywords in your videos description and be sure to include a link back to your website to drive additional traffic.

Tip! Add a well-made featured video on your YouTube Brand Channel to explain what the channel is about. This video will set the tone of your channel. Also, spend time organizing videos into playlists, so viewers watch more than one.

2. Focus on Facebook

Facebook is reportedly the largest social media video site. Unlike YouTube, which shows everything to everybody, Facebook shows your videos to followers and friends of followers. Facebook has proven to be an effective revenue-generating marketing tool, as well. 62% of people have reported being more interested in a product after seeing it on a Facebook video and considers video promotions are equally as important as photo promotions.

Tip! 85% of people watching videos on Facebook do so with the sound off as many of them are on mobile, on their commute, or in the office without headphones. Make sure that your Facebook videos work well on silent by adding captions or subtitles. You can and should use voice overs, sound effects, and music; but make sure that your video makes just as much sense without them.

3. Create videos that can be repurposed on multiple platforms

Social media videos can be seen everywhere besides YouTube and Facebook. Running very closely behind these social media giants are TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter. So it would be very wise to consider repurposing your video content. Not only does video content have a longer shelf life, cross-uploading on multiple platforms gives your brand more views and more love – from basically all over the Internet.

Read more: 11 Tips for a Powerful Online Marketing Strategy

Need ideas for your online videos? Here are a few to get you started:

• Make a how-to video. People tend to share useful information, so think about how you could help your target audience do something better. For instance, a hair salon could demonstrate how to do fishtail braids. A gourmet food market could create cooking videos (featuring ingredients sold in the store, of course). A website that sells auto parts could post videos on how to replace a car headlight or air filter.

Tip! This type of content is one of the most searched-for video content online. However, you need to be diligent in producing a video that is not too time consuming (noone is going to watch a 40-minute stitching video on Facebook). Get your specs right and this format can be incredibly successful for your brand.

• Take customers behind the scenes. Would people enjoy getting a look at how your product is made? Then give them the inside scoop. How about a video of employees baking your restaurant’s signature dessert or your shipping department beautifully packaging an online order for a customer?

Tip! Run a poll on your social media channel on what your customers would like to see the most. Office tours, going backstage at an event you’re involved in, or sharing new products are perfect topics for behind-the-scenes videos.

• Share a special event. Share a live video of a conference, tradeshow, or other industry event in real time on social media, so those who couldn’t attend can get a taste of the event. Is your business participating in a community fair or holding a contest? Use video of the event to encourage other customers to come on down and join the fun.

Tip! Give your viewers at home an exclusive look at your event by showing what attendees don’t get to see. Think of a virtual backstage pass where they get to watch special interviews with speakers or a peek at prep time.

• Cover a breaking news or a trending topic. Breaking news videos are the top performing video type on Twitter because it’s where many people look first when news breaks or a live event is going on. While you might want to be careful of “newsjacking,” experiment on sharing updates on your business or changes on your company’s leadership.

Tip! While this kind of video content encourages a lot of engagement from viewers, exercise caution on sharing personal opinions. Remember, content that is shared publicly is seen as the whole’s company’s standpoint.

• Consider user-generated content. Creating content is most definitely time-consuming. But a good way to get content is from your loyal fans and followers. It had been reported that user-generated video made up 60% of all videos created. This percentage steadily increased throughout 2021, with the sharpest rise aligning with the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when many organizations moved digital-first.

Want to explore more? Here’s Growth Potential: Small Business Solutions to Acquire New Customers

Get creating!

If you haven’t started churning out video content on your website or brand’s social media channels, the best time to begin is now. If you’re feeling overwhelmed on how to put video content on your website, feel free to contact Web.com’s professional website designers to get a consultation on how to optimize your site for video. As for social media, you can start cracking as soon as you’ve got that one bright idea. Remember, video content is meant to entertain, educate, and inform!

Image Credits:

• Title image: Shutterstock
• Image 2: Web.com Youtube channel
• Image 3: Web.com Facebook page
• Image 4: Shutterstock