Social media has woven itself into every aspect of the buyer’s journey. Shoppers consult social media for ideas of new brands and products to try, and they often take to social media to air their grievances about a business.
Just as TikTok and its sea of short-form video content breaks 3 billion downloads worldwide, long-form video essays are rising on YouTube. Plus, TikTok just revealed they’ll soon add ten minute long videos–a far cry from the lightning fast clips that made it one of the fastest growing platforms ever. And these are just two of the platforms shoppers go to for guidance on their purchases.
To thrive in this fast-paced environment, companies need a responsive and unique social media strategy. However, for small, local businesses it can be extremely challenging just to keep pace with trends–let alone create content followers crave. That’s why we’re here to break down three important content types to include in your social media strategy.
Short-form video content
Short-form video content has some of the highest ROI according to Hubspot. One reason it’s so lucrative is that it’s much easier for brands to get started. Planning, creating and sharing an Instagram Reel or Tiktok video requires less time and resources, especially if brands use it as a method to repurpose longer content like blogs.
Social media users also like short-form videos because they can stay informed about your brand while continuing to engage with other content. Despite the coming rollout of TikTok’s longer video options, short-form content isn’t going anywhere.
Check out this example of a quick video the Agency 102 team created for our client, TalkingTree Creative. Using content from a blog post, we created a short video sharing valuable tips as well as information about their services.
Content deep dives
On the opposite end of the content spectrum are genres that are rising in popularity just as quickly as their runtimes grow longer: podcasts and video essays. A common criticism of social media is that it’s contributing to shorter attention spans and helps spread misinformation. However, Vox writer Terry Nguyen argues that the rise of long-form content illustrates that people are not only interested in well-researched content, they deeply crave it.
YouTube specifically has begun to shift away from the kind of content that made it big like makeup tutorials, vlogs and cooking shows. Now, many creators are transitioning towards in-depth analyses of niche topics. My personal favorite is a two and a half hour video essay about the Vampire Diaries. It has garnered nearly 7.5 million views in less than a year. If the content is good, people will watch it.
What does this growing demand for long-form content mean in a TikTok saturated world? It means that brands should deploy a multi-faceted approach to video. They can reserve quick and easy tips for TikTok and Reels, while offering a more deep dive into relevant topics in the form of a podcast or video essay.
Plus, there’s no need for them to be hours long. In fact, content around ten minutes can work just fine for brands looking to provide a video case study or repurpose a white paper into the video format.
Your brand values
A recent Deloitte study provides further support to an already substantial amount of research that links customer purchase decisions to their personal values. In fact, Deloitte explains that brands with an approachable and empathetic brand identity are twice as likely to achieve growth. One of their top recommendations to brands? Use your influence to make a positive difference in the world.
Whether your team is coordinating a donation drive in support of an important cause or you’re illustrating your pride in your diverse team, sharing your contributions to making the world a better place goes a long way towards building customer trust and establishing brand loyalty.
Followers love to see businesses getting involved in the community, especially when that effort aligns with your mission. Our client 20/20 Onsite is a dedicated supporter and provider of accessible vision care, so they partnered with other organizations sharing that mission. Together they delivered free eye exams to Boston students, and they documented this effort on social media and in the local news.
Creating memorable content
The most important thing companies can do on social media is be genuine, helpful and unique.
Crafting content that speaks to current trends in pop culture is one way to make your company stand out while sharing your message and reaching new audiences.
By creating content that captures your brand identity and clearly communicates what your business has to offer, you can cultivate meaningful connections with your customers.
Agency 102 helps clients cultivate a memorable online presence. View our social media packages to learn how, and reach out to us to for more information.
