Every time I take into consideration social video platforms, the primary ones that come to thoughts are YouTube and TikTok, however these are solely the tip of the iceberg relating to video sharing. There are a number of extra video platforms on the market.
Nevertheless, earlier than we discover the huge choices entrepreneurs have at their disposal, let’s dive into the significance of social media movies, the place customers are watching them, and different essential findings.
The place are customers watching social media movies?
YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are among the many social media platforms with the very best ROI, in response to our 2024 State of Advertising and marketing Report. So, it‘s protected to say that’s the place customers watch social media movies.
In truth, our most up-to-date Video Advertising and marketing Report reveals Instagram is the highest social media platform for ROI, engagement, and lead era for sharing advertising and marketing movies.
Behind Instagram is YouTube relating to ROI and lead era.
In fact, I can‘t pass over TikTok, contemplating it’s the app I discover myself scrolling via for hours on finish. The short-form video platform has the third highest ROI and is available in 2nd for engagement behind Instagram.
Lastly, there’s Fb. Whereas 60% of entrepreneurs sharing advertising and marketing movies use the longstanding Meta-owned platform, it is available in fourth place for ROI, lead era, and engagement.
13 Finest Social Media Video Platforms
1. YouTube
YouTube is the most important video-sharing platform and the second-largest social media platform on the planet, with over 2.7 billion customers. Based on Neilsen, YouTube topped the listing for streaming time for 17 consecutive months in July.
So, for those who‘re questioning if the platform could be a welcome addition to your video advertising and marketing or social media technique—the numbers counsel that’s the correct transfer!
What I really like most about YouTube is how the platform can host numerous codecs of movies, comparable to stay streaming, short-form movies, and long-form movies.
You can even make the most of YouTube’s Neighborhood tab to talk to have interaction together with your viewers in between video uploads.
Different key options and advantages embody:
- AI-generated transcriptions and captions
- Easy privateness settings
- Choice to pay to advertise your movies on YouTube and Google
- The flexibility to curate your movies into playlists
- Knowledge analytics and administration instruments through YouTube Studio
- Monetization choices through the YouTube Associate Program
- Strong audio library
2. TikTok
TikTok is a superb platform for attracting a Gen Z viewers.
Our 2024 Client Developments Report reveals that 48% of Gen Z customers desire to find out about new merchandise through short-form movies on TikTok, and 72% say they’ve used the app within the final three months.
A few of my favourite options of TikTok are:
- Reside stream purchasing capabilities
- A number of monetization alternatives, together with the power for viewers to ship presents
- Hashtags for boosts in engagement and group constructing
- Promoting choices for enterprise accounts
- Consistently rising library of trending songs and sounds
3. Instagram
Instagram can also be well-liked amongst Gen Z, with 72% reporting to have used the app within the final three months. It is an awesome platform for selling merchandise and promoting them in-app.
Listed here are a number of the finest options:
- E-commerce capabilities through Instagram storefronts
- Reside stream capabilities
- Shoppable tales
4. Fb
Fb is understood to be extra well-liked amongst millennials and Gen X, however our Client Developments Report reveals it nonetheless has loyal customers. Our report reveals that 42% of customers contemplate the app their favourite.
Options embody:
- Fb Reside
- Fb Tales
- Paid Video Advertisements
- Neighborhood pages to attach together with your viewers
5. Snapchat
I used to be a junior in highschool when Snapchat launched, and I keep in mind it being extraordinarily well-liked amongst faculty college students a number of years later.
The app remains to be going sturdy amongst youthful customers at present, with 57% of Gen Z customers saying they’ve used the app within the final three months.
It additionally stays fairly well-liked amongst Millennials, with greater than a 3rd (37%) additionally reporting utilizing it inside the previous couple of months.
Advertising and marketing on Snapchat might be difficult for the reason that app‘s important draw is that customers can ship one another movies and images that disappear after 24 hours. It’s extra well-liked for interpersonal communication.
Nevertheless, entrepreneurs can nonetheless leverage the app thanks to varied options like Snap Advertisements, Story Advertisements, and Collections Advertisements.
6. Twitch
Twitch is a stay streaming platform particularly well-liked amongst avid gamers; nonetheless, you don‘t have to be within the gaming business to leverage it.
Manufacturers like Wendy’s and Outdated Spice leverage influencer advertising and marketing by tapping into well-known streamers who can introduce their merchandise to a wider viewers.
My favourite Twitch options and advantages are:
- Monetization choices through its affiliate and partnership packages
- Stream scheduling
- Reside feedback
- Channel analytics
7. X (previously Twitter)
X is generally thought to be a micro-blogging platform, nevertheless it has video posting and sharing talents. Customers with out an X subscription can add movies as much as 140 seconds lengthy.
Subscribers can add movies as much as 4 hours lengthy, relying on whether or not they use iOS, the desktop model of X, or Android.
8. LinkedIn
I solely just lately found the totally different prospects relating to video on Linkedin, and I used to be pleasantly shocked. Customers can add as much as 10 minutes of native video on the platform, stream for as much as 4 hours, and publish video advertisements which might be as much as half-hour lengthy.
Moreover, I’ve discovered that drumming up engagement for movies on LinkedIn is fairly straightforward since you’re relying by yourself community plus the networks of others to share your content material.
Certainly one of my most up-to-date movies is a TikTok I embedded in a LinkedIn publish. In only a week, that publish garnered greater than 1,700 views and reached extra 1,200 individuals.
It is value noting that I solely have about 600 individuals in my LinkedIn community.
9. Pinterest
Pinterest’s video capabilities are particularly useful for retail manufacturers trying to attain customers in search of inspiration. Pinterest is a social media platform that permits customers to create digital imaginative and prescient boards for inspiration relating to fashion, artwork, recipes, and extra.
For instance, Fenty Magnificence makes use of its Pinterest board to publish movies displaying its merchandise in use whereas giving make-up inspiration. Manufacturers may make curated Pinterest boards consisting of a number of movies, all inside the identical area of interest.
Different helpful options are:
- Shoppable video advertisements that includes a video clip selling related merchandise to customers with related pursuits
- Personalised assortment advertisements enable a number of photographs that may embody one video and three supporting photographs selling related merchandise.
10. Reddit
Reddit is an app that focuses on group and discussions. Manufacturers can leverage Reddit video advertisements to construct discussions round their services whereas constructing group within the type of subreddits.
Although movies might be as much as quarter-hour lengthy, I counsel holding them now not than 30 seconds to a minute.
11. Discord
Manufacturers leveraging Discord sometimes use the platform for group advertising and marketing. That is achieved by creating a chosen house (server) that serves as a central hub for interactions between the model and its customers and segmenting customers into totally different channels that attraction to their pursuits.
So, the place does video are available in? Effectively, I put Discord on this listing as a result of the platform permits for video calls, which permits server members to tune in and converse. Manufacturers can host webinars, tutorials, Q&As, and extra through stay video calls and streams.
12. Telegram
Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app that lets viewers ship messages, movies, photographs, and information to one another. Customers may make voice and video calls.
Telegram could be a nice platform for offering customer support, and its video capabilities can enable manufacturers to raised troubleshoot points, reply questions, or present visible tutorials.
13. Vimeo
Vimeo is usually in comparison with YouTube, however I personally consider the previous has some technical capabilities that give it an edge over the extra well-known platform.
Vimeo permits customers to publish movies that may solely be seen by followers or chosen accounts, which might be useful if you wish to construct group through unique content material.
Suggestions for Sharing Social Media Movies
1. For many platforms, zone in on short-form movies.
The world is changing into extra fast-paced on daily basis. Whereas many individuals are watching social media movies of their spare time, some are watching them on the go.
For instance, I typically watch TikTok movies and Instagram Reels on the subway or bus whereas working errands.
My buddies typically watch movies in between conferences or whereas ready for an appointment.
These quick intervals of time do not go away a lot room for customers to observe long-form movies, so many entrepreneurs counsel specializing in creating short-form, or “snackable,” video content material.
“Utilizing snackable movies on social can really drive extra engagement than static photographs,” says Meisha Bochicchio, Content material Advertising and marketing Supervisor at Wistia.
In terms of creating efficient snackable content material, Bochicchio says, “First issues first, remember the fact that most social media platforms will robotically begin taking part in video content material as viewers scroll.
So, ensure your movies are autoplay-friendly. Preserve them quick and put your key messaging within the first few seconds.”
“Keep in mind that most individuals gained’t hear your audio, so ensure your movies are additionally silent-friendly, ”Bochicchio advises. “Think about textual content overlays, or add captions straight on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Fb.”
To be taught extra about this technique, take a look at this publish on snackable content material, or this publish that highlights the most recent short-form video developments.
And if you wish to make snackable content material by yourself, our AI-powered Clip Creator device can convert textual content into skilled movies for your corporation with just some clicks.
2. Take a look at totally different video codecs, too.
Whereas short-form video content material is a superb tactic to harness, you may nonetheless publish longer movies so long as they’re partaking and helpful to your viewers.
For instance, whereas individuals won’t wish to watch a two-hour industrial, they might watch an extended stay video Q&A, an interview with a thought chief, or a video that tells an extended however entertaining story.
When you can definitely check longer-form movies, you can even check out different codecs, comparable to stay streams, interactive movies, and purchasing movies, on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Fb.
It is value noting that 46% of Gen Z customers within the U.S. have participated in stay purchasing occasions, and 47% have bought from a stay stream.
As new video codecs emerge, it may be useful to find out if they may work on your model and design a check round them.
Ensure you establish and monitor the correct success metrics. For instance, for those who‘re testing an extended video, have a look at its views and dropoff charge to see how lengthy viewers keep tuned.
In the meantime, for those who attempt a extra interactive strategy like a stay stream or Q&A you can even be aware of feedback, engagements, and shares on the content material whilst you’re stay.
3. Meet your video audiences the place they’re.
As with all social media technique, some content material will carry out higher on some social media platforms quite than others.
Whereas snackable, consumer-facing content material may carry out nicely with YouTube, Fb, and TikTok’s giant client audiences, a B2B advertising and marketing video or a Q&A with a company thought chief may carry out higher on a professional-facing community like LinkedIn.
Fortunately, to create an awesome advertising and marketing technique, you don‘t (and shouldn’t must) place your movies on each single social media platform.
Nevertheless, it’s best to analysis the demographics of every main community, establish which audiences may interact most together with your content material, and begin publishing movies the place it makes probably the most sense on your model and targets.
Then, proceed to keep watch over platforms you have dominated out in case they proceed to evolve and supply your model extra viewers alternatives sooner or later.
4. Do not at all times lean on repurposed content material.
Throughout my early days as a content material creator, I might typically repurpose content material throughout a number of platforms. That technique was ample for some time, however issues have modified since then.
At the moment, it could actually nonetheless be helpful for manufacturers to repurpose some video content material for various platforms once they have related audiences and options. This will also be an effective way to check whether or not your content material technique for one platform will work with one viewers.
Nevertheless, as a result of realizing your social media viewers is extra essential than ever, you may wish to contemplate having a barely totally different video technique on your most essential video platforms.
Whereas there will probably be instances the place you may simply repurpose content material to avoid wasting time or bandwidth, some platforms like TikTok and Instagram are evolving with algorithms that might deprioritize your content material if it has a watermark from one other community.
5. Embrace influencers and prospects.
Even for those who’ve performed all your analysis and churn out movies every day, it could actually nonetheless be extremely onerous to publish a viral piece of content material that grows your viewers.
Fortunately, there are specialists on each social media platform who know the best way to create movies. And, a few of them will even create movies for you — after which share them with their audiences.
That is why one nice development technique can contain reaching out to influencers or thought leaders with experience in your business and both that includes them in your movies or getting them to endorse your model of their content material.
If you cannot afford to have an influencer assist increase your video technique, you can even look in the direction of completely satisfied customers.
With this technique, you may encourage prospects to share a video about their expertise together with your model on social media, or you may create a video stuffed with a number of items of user-generated content material from completely satisfied prospects.
As a result of at present’s customers crave authenticity from manufacturers, user-generated content material not solely can offer you free video content material however may unfold model consciousness to prospects or individuals researching you on social media.
Navigating Social Media Content material
Greater than ever, social media and content material advertising and marketing are at all times evolving. As a marketer, it‘s essential to remain updated with the most recent developments and knowledge to raised inform your methods — whether or not you’re investing in video or different techniques.
Editor’s word: This publish was initially revealed in June 2021 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.