Social media and online entertainment is always changing. Online attention spans are increasingly short these days. Videos are now created for shorter attention spans, they are made shorter and more engaging, they are optimized for mobile delivery but when video delivery started changing did the process of making the video change?
That has changed how we create videos, but it’s time to rethink it again so we can better engage with users and potential viewers. Facebook, and Twitter are serving up videos that play automatically as you scroll past. That’s great it actually can help increase viewership. But it can also hurt. What’s the big deal? Why should auto play change the game of video creation?
Can you hear me now?
Good. When a video auto plays on social media it plays with out audio. What that changes is how you hook your viewers. Typically you start with a nice title maybe some catchy music or important dialogue. When making a video take into consideration the auto play. Don’t have audio that needs to be heard too early on. Start with imagery that can have just music in the background but makes sense for the story. Now this isn’t an excuse to have no or sloppy audio. Quality audio is still very important in your videos. Don’t get rid of it or make it crap, just wait to put in the important audio that needs to be heard. Like your call to action, more on that later though.
“just wait to put in the important audio that needs to be heard”
Stop the madness
Or just the scrolling. Cinematographers love to create beautiful pictures that have a cool look or that certain wow factor. Start with those shots. Capture your viewer. Stop them in their tracks with your best imagery. Make them take notice. When they take notice of the awesome imagery, they will stop a little longer to watch because that shot peaked their interest. Beautiful cinematography is important, but don’t loose site of the content or story just to make a beautiful image. You almost have them right where you want them.
Stop them in their tracks with your best imagery
Crank it to 11
[iframe id=”https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/KOO5S4vxi0o?rel=0&showinfo=0″ autoplay=”no” grow=”yes”]
The audio that is. The stunning shots have brought them this far, now what? Make them turn the audio on and engage with the video. When they hit the ‘audio on’ button they’re engaged. They want to know what the video has to offer, and it better be good. Don’t have lousy audio, get to the point and get out. This is where brevity for short attention spans still holds true. You have them, don’t loose them. Want more engagement with your video?
“When they hit the ‘audio on’ button they’re engaged”
Bigger, better
They turned the audio on, they’re engaged and interested enough to start listening, great job. There’s not much more that you can do to get more engagement, or is there? keep reading I have a good feeling I mention it later. But when you have them this far keep those amazing visuals coming and make them want to see your video in all its full screen glory. when they decide to watch your video full screen they are invested in it. They watched more of your video than some funny cat video.
“when they decide to watch your video full screen they are invested in it”
They stopped scrolling, turned the audio on and even made it full screen. Great job, but now what?
Make the call
Make them take another step, have a clear call to action and not just at the end. Because face it, even if they go full screen they may not watch the whole thing and that’s just the reality of it. So get that call to action in before its too late. If you can hook them to the point of going full screen, they are more likely to convert on a clear call to action. Don’t preach your call to action out every second and a half but make sure it gets in before it looks like an after thought.
“get that call to action in before its too late”
Remember that this all has to happen very quickly, you have to stop them from scrolling first. That first shot has to be compelling. That first shot shouldn’t last long, feed them another one or two or thee very quickly.
Execute
- Beautiful-Make sure the opening shots still fit the video. They can’t be arbitrarily placed in.
- After about 2-3 seconds I’d start the audio. Then make your visuals pertain to the speaking to help sell them to full screen.
- At about 4-10 seconds try to get a call to action of some sort in.
- Keep the video short, beautiful looking and on point and you are on your way to a fully watched video that gets shared and converts a customer.
Quality video can increase social media engagement and conversion rates.
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