Captivating Video Content

Instagram is a playground for marketing companies to unleash their creative prowess. With its vibrant and fast-paced environment, Instagram offers an ideal platform to let your creativity soar.

When it comes to Instagram videos, the possibilities are boundless. These videos can range from a brief three seconds to a full 60 seconds in length. You have the flexibility to upload them directly from your smartphone or import files from other sources, allowing for innovative approaches and stunning outcomes.

Videos reign supreme as the most frequently shared content on Instagram, owing to the ease with which users can do so. A simple click on the paper airplane icon enables users to share videos with friends privately or on their own stories and live feeds. However, achieving success on Instagram requires more than just uploading a video; it necessitates careful planning.

To maximize your impact, it's essential to plan your content in advance. Here's how:

1. Define Your Goals: Before diving into content creation, establish clear objectives. Who is your target audience, and why are you reaching out to them? Are you aiming to promote a product or convey a compelling narrative? Prior to filming and certainly before posting, it's crucial to clarify your end goal for the video content. This overarching objective will shape the style and tone of your content.

Stories

People like stories, and if you want to attract attention quickly, tell a story within your video. You don't need to make a storyboard for this, but you need you to have some sort of flow. Each second of your video needs to be optimized. You need to learn how to best manage your time, what do you want each second to say. 

Dividing your narrative into three distinct sections often yields significant benefits. These segments comprise the beginning, the middle, and the end, echoing how stories were structured in school. Afterward, it's crucial to determine the duration of each segment. It's worth noting that Instagram videos play automatically as users scroll, so it's imperative to kick off with an attention-grabbing moment right from the start.

Furthermore, remember to incorporate a compelling call to action (CTA) after your video. Encourage your viewers to take action, whether engaging with your content, connecting with your brand, or visiting your website. Always ensure you have a clear CTA in place.

Shooting a Video

The first step in shooting a video should be deciding what sort of camera you'd like to use. Of course, you already have an idea of how you want it to look in the end, and much of this will come down to the camera you choose. However, if you're aiming for high-quality video content, you can use a video editor that will help you customize them with transitions, effects, filters, text boxes, and more. This software can take your raw footage and transform it into a polished, professional-looking product, ensuring that your vision for the video is fully realized. 

Although now you'll find Instagram content is even more competitive, and you might just find that you prefer to start researching drones, high-end DSLRs, and other fun equipment, drdrone.ca is the ideal place for you to start checking to give your Instagram videos a lift.

You can choose between portrait or landscape mode when filming your video, as Instagram no longer restricts videos to square format. However, keep in mind that your audience will be viewing it, so consider experimenting with the orientation and framing of your video. Regardless of your choice, the entire video will seamlessly fit within the Instagram frame.

Exercise discretion in what you choose to showcase; even if all your footage is exceptional, you'll need to make selective cuts. Instagram videos have a maximum duration of one minute, so editing is essential.

If a particular segment doesn't contribute to the story or guide the viewer from point A to point B, it's likely not worth including. You can preserve these outtakes, as they may prove fun to use in future videos.

Lighting

While you don't require a fully equipped professional lighting setup and studio, adhering to some basic guidelines can significantly improve the visual quality of your subjects on screen. These guidelines are particularly relevant for talking head-style or portrait videos where the issue addresses the camera directly.

• Natural light is preferable. Ensure the light source illuminates you or your subject, avoiding backlighting, which can result in challenging-to-edit dark footage.

• Overhead lighting can cast harsh shadows and create unflattering visual effects. Instead, seek light from above and angles towards your subject or from the side, as these angles are more flattering.

• You can get creative with additional lighting sources such as torches, LED lights, softboxes, and reflectors. Experimenting with these tools will give you a deeper understanding of manipulating light effectively in your videos.

Creating a Series

If you have substantial video content to showcase, consider creating a series. Each video within the series can be up to 60 seconds long, essentially serving as episodes. This approach engages your audience and allows you to produce multiple short videos and arrange them in a way that complements your Instagram grid.

Overall, there are various avenues for creativity when producing compelling video content. You can explore different styles until you find the one that resonates most with your brand. Overall, incorporating video content can boost viewership, enhance the overall appeal of your Instagram page, and establish effective long-term video marketing strategies for your brand. Taking the time to plan your Instagram content will result in a dynamic and captivating feed.

6 Tips for Growing Your YouTube Channel

There are currently over 2 billion users on YouTube across the globe. Additionally, the YouTube channel with the largest number of subscribers is T-Series with 148 million. 

When you’re just starting out in the YouTube community, seeing numbers like that can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re struggling to get subscribers and even views on your own channel. 

Thankfully, if you want to know how to get 1000 YouTube subscribers relatively quickly, it isn’t as hard as you might think! Whether you’re building your own personal brand and you’re trying to become an influencer, or you want to grow your marketing strategy for your business by introducing the video, YouTube is an excellent platform for people (and companies) to get noticed. 

So, what can you do to grow your YouTube channel naturally and effectively, without having to blow your budget or give into any gimmicks? Let’s look at six tried and true ways you can attract more views and subscribers. 

Understand that SEO Applies to Video

If you’ve dabbled into any area of marketing, you probably already know how important SEO is when it comes to your website. But, it’s equally important to find YouTube followers and to get your videos noticed. 

With that in mind, it’s a good idea to center your videos around one specific keyword or idea. Think about using keywords in videos the same way you would when writing web content or blogs. 

Try to select your keyword before you even make the video. This will allow you to slip it into the video itself naturally. Like written content, search engines (including YouTube) don’t like it when keywords are overused or forced, or they don’t make sense with the rest of the content. So, having a relevant keyword is great, but make sure your video is still conversational in nature, and people can relate to it without you sounding like a robot. 

Create Relevant Content

Creating relevant, consistent, and continual content is one of the most important things you can do to build a YouTube following. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean you always have to be in front of a camera. 

Many people come to YouTube looking for “how-to” videos or tutorials. They want answers to questions in clear, concise ways. One way to do that is to create simple animated videos. You can even use slides with transitional effects to make it work if you don’t have a lot of editing experience. Utilizing a youtube video editor can make the process smoother and more professional. In these videos, you can answer questions, show how to do something, or give a quick lesson on what people can expect from your product or service. As long as the content is relevant to who you are and what you do and is interesting for viewers, it will likely get views.

Use YouTube as a Social Media Channel

When most businesses and brands think about social media, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram often come to mind. But, it’s important to remember that YouTube is a social media outlet, too. Don’t ignore the people on your YouTube channel or those who leave comments on your videos.

In fact, YouTube is one of the greatest social media platforms to connect with people because you can show off the more humanistic side of your brand. Encourage people to leave comments and ask questions. The more engaged your viewers are, the more YouTube will take notice. The company likes engagement in the form of comments, likes and dislikes, and subscriptions. Leaving a call to action to your viewers to do all of those things can get you noticed quickly, and lead to some great discussions on your videos. 

Additionally, you should promote your YouTube videos on your other social media platforms. For example, if you’re just starting out on YouTube and struggling to get subscribers, but you have a huge following on Facebook, share the link to your latest YouTube video on your Facebook page. Every time someone clicks on it, another view is added to the tally. Plus, if someone is already a fan of yours on Facebook, they are likely to become a subscriber on YouTube. 

Give a Face to Your Brand

Again, YouTube is great because it can show the more human side of your company. Whether you’re building a personal brand or working for a company, don’t be afraid to show yourself on camera. 

That isn’t always easy for everyone, but it’s extremely important to give your brand or business a face. If you really don’t feel comfortable being in front of the camera, then it might be worth it to designate a spokesperson. 

Now, more than ever, people want to feel connected to the brands they associate with. Consider the fact that people see an average of 4,000-10,000 advertisements each day. The last thing they want when actively searching out a YouTube video is for it to feel like yet another ad. 

So, show off anything from behind-the-scenes action to interviews with staff members. Or, don’t be afraid to try a Livestream on YouTube where you take questions and comments from viewers in real-time. The more you can make your brand feel like a personal experience, the better. Viewers will respond accordingly and are more likely to tell their friends and family about your channel. 

Don’t Ignore Thumbnails

Thumbnails are small, simple images that are essentially an advertisement for what your video is about. When you’re on YouTube’s home page, or you’re watching a video, you’ll see thumbnails of other videos on the side of your screen. The best content creators on the platform spend a lot of time creating the “perfect” thumbnail image for each of their videos. Why? 

It’s your only chance to make a first impression on someone who hasn’t seen any of your videos before. So, while thumbnail images are small, you need to pack a lot into each one. It should suggest what your video is about, stay on brand, and be enticing enough for a viewer to click on it. YouTube will automatically choose a still from your video as your thumbnail if you don’t upload your own. That can end up looking unprofessional and sloppy. So, take the time to create appealing thumbnails, and make sure they are at the forefront of what is being seen on your channel. 

Be Consistent When You Post

Uploading regular content is great, and necessary in order to gain followers. But, it’s an even better idea to make sure your followers know when you’ll post. You should be uploading a video at least once a week, and on the same day(s) and time(s), if possible. This gives your subscribers something to look forward to. 

One of the best things you can do after uploading a new video is to stick around for a while and see what people are saying about it in real-time. You can even answer questions or provide responses, and it will help your viewers to know you’re a real person uploading the video, not just a machine. 

Even though the YouTube community is huge and ever-growing, there is always room for more. No matter what your endeavor may be, don’t get discouraged by how saturated the YouTube market is. All you need is interesting content, a unique perspective, and a few ‘cleaning’ skills to make sure your videos look sharp. If you have a product, service, or brand that people are interested in, it won’t take long at all for you to reach 1000 subscribers. Simply put? Be yourself and let the persona of your brand shine through. 

Taking Advantage Of Vlogging And How It Could Possibly Help Your Blog Or Business Thrive

Years ago, no one knew what a blog was. Years ago, starting your own business and creating an online venture was for a select few. But now, fast forward to today and everyone seems to have a blog. While not every blog is a huge success, the market is still oversaturated.

While blogging will always be there, there is no escaping the power of the written word. Many bloggers are now starting to consider other alternatives—video marketing and vlogging are some.

A blog may be an addition to your already functional website, but you will still face the same hurdles—how else can you use a digital platform to advertise your products or your services? You may wonder why you should consider it for your blog or for your business—vlogging is an extension of your written word and the content you already have produced. It’s just a different medium. With that in mind, here are some of the things to think about. 

Image source - Pixabay - CC0 License

So how do you get started?

It’s easier to start than you may realize. For a personal blogger, it can be as easy as just setting up a camera and filming yourself talking about something that you’re passionate about. This might be you talking about an issue or something that you may have blogged about, including anything from fitness routines to recipes to beauty tutorials.

As a business owner, the vlog or video content you create can have a direct advertising benefit, where you highlight your products and services. This is when things like subtitling services can help. Once you’ve published your video content, you can share it on Facebook and YouTube. Some brands love the idea of using video content for reviews or advertising opportunities.

What about live broadcasts?

Bloggers and businesses are now starting to use live broadcasts more often. This is where you broadcast live on YouTube by holding a hangout on Google+. Facebook has also recently launched its own live video application that enables you to broadcast live from your Facebook page. You can now do this for Instagram and Twitter. Live streaming is perfect for things like Q&A sessions, hauls, snippets of your life, business questions, a live review, or just a general chat. Live streaming is a great way to build brand awareness.

Image source - Pixabay - CC0 License 

Are there any reasons why you shouldn’t try video content?

So why should you bother trying video marketing, vlogging, or live streaming? If your blog or business is already successful, what more can video do for you? The answer is simple—you will be able to reach wider audiences. People on Facebook and YouTube oftentimes prefer to interact with bloggers and brands via video because they can see and hear you. Video ultimately humanizes your brand in a way that other mediums simply can’t. Brands also love the authenticity that video provides and how this can be reassuring to customers and clients.

Is it something that you should try?

I suppose the only last question to ask is whether it’s something you are going to consider? In a way, no one will know the success they will have with something until they give it a go. Video content is fast becoming a preferred method of communication, especially as consumers move to use smartphones and tablets.

No matter what you blog about or what industry or niche your business is in, there is an avenue of video content you can explore.  Let’s hope this has inspired you to try something new with your blog or business.