4 Social Media Video Trends to Watch Out For

It’s no surprise that social media is one of the most versatile and cost-effective ways that businesses can reach their target audience and boost sales. In fact, with a mind-blowing 4.74 billion global users using social media in 2022, the reach of social media has never been greater.

One of the best ways businesses like yours can increase brand awareness and reach your desired audience on social media is by creating engaging videos. So, to help you get started, we have compiled a list of 4 current social media video trends you won’t want to ignore.

Here are 4 current social media video trends and how your business can utilise them:

Live videos
Behind the scenes videos
Short-form videos
Interactive videos

1. Live Videos

Live video has been around on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Youtube for a while, but it continues to be a super effective way for businesses to engage with their audience in real-time.

There are a number of ways your business can use live video on social media, such as hosting Q&A sessions, product demonstrations, and other interactive events:

Q&A sessions – Use live videos to hold Q&A sessions with experts in your industry, or customer service representatives. On many social platforms, users can interact with the live video in real-time by commenting and reacting. This will allow you the opportunity to answer any common questions or concerns from your customers/ prospective customers/ followers.
Product demonstrations – If you have any new products or services launching you can use live videos to unveil them and generate a buzz and excitement among your followers prior to the launch. You can also use this time to show your followers how the product/service works and demonstrate why they need it.
Workshops – Live videos are also commonly used for training workshops or webinars, providing expertise and value to their followers. Free education sells, so this is a great opportunity to capture the attention and interest of your social audience.
Influencer collaborations – Another way you can utilise live social videos is through influencer collaborations. By this we mean businesses can partner with social media influencers and use live videos to showcase their products or services. This can help businesses reach a wider audience by tapping into the influencer’s followers.

2. Behind the Scenes Videos

Another video trend that has taken social media by storm this year are ‘behind the scenes’ videos. These videos give your audience a sneak peak into your brand – how it operates, the company culture, how products are made etc.

By offering a glimpse into the inner workings of your company, you can help build trust and a sense of authenticity with customers and prospect customers, who may feel more connected to your brand as a result.

This type of ‘authentic’ video can also make customers feel like they are part of a special group that gets to see the real side of the business and those involved in it.

Authentic videos create a sense of exclusivity and therefore make customers feel more valued, leading to increased loyalty and repeat purchases.

Some popular and successful examples of behind the scenes videos include:

Meet the team style videos
Showcase business challenges
A day in the life style videos
Tell your brand story
Showcase how a product is made/packaged up
Show daily business activities or events

3. Short-Form Videos

Short-form social media videos are typically videos that are 60 seconds or less, designed to capture the audience’s attention quickly and convey a message or tell a story in a short amount of time. It is recommended that, when creating content for social media, businesses use short-form videos to create engaging and shareable content.

There are a handful of reasons to love short-form videos, both for the audience and your business:

They Grab your Attention

With a whopping 80% of people claiming that they prefer video content to text, short-form videos are great for quickly grabbing the attention of the audience.

That said, while more people prefer video content, you must equally ensure that you’re creating high quality scroll-stopping videos that hold their attention. Hiring a professional media production company, like Buffoon Media, can help you get started on this creative journey. We have social media video producers situated in London, South Wales, Manchester and Birmingham.

They Increase Engagement

Short and snappy videos are easily shareable and encourage engagement from viewers, such as likes, comments, and shares. Getting your followers to share your content is the ultimate goal as it will widen your audience, increase exposure and brand awareness. A win win!

They Can Educate Viewers & Enhance Storytelling

Short-form videos can be used to provide short snippets of information and educate viewers on industry topics, product features, or how-to guides.

What’s more, they are also a great way to tell a story or convey a message. They can be used to create emotional connections with viewers and help build brand loyalty.

According to Wyzowl, 68% of people prefer to learn about a product or service through a short video.

4. Interactive Videos

Last but certainly not least, interactive videos are another popular way to get your audience engaged and involved in your content. But what exactly are they? Well, interactive videos encourage active engagement from viewers, allowing them to participate in the content in some way. They can take many forms, such as games, polls, quizzes or virtual experiences, for example.

As well as significantly increasing engagement, interactive videos provide a unique and creative way for businesses to stand out on social media and create memorable experiences for their viewers. Social media is saturated with businesses trying to win the attention of prospect customers, which is why standing out and being memorable is absolutely essential for success.

And there you have it! For more tips on creating social media videos for your business, check out our blog.

We’re Buffoon Media: a bilingual media production company based in Port Talbot and London, producing and live streaming content across the globe. Learn more about our podcast production services, as well as the other services we provide on our website.

Written by Kate Jones for Buffoon Media.