One of the biggest trends in social media right now is video, and Instagram has answered the clarion call for more. The time users have watched video on the photo-sharing app has increased 40% since its inception in 2016. In answer to this demand, Instagram has stepped up to the plate extending their video times from a scant 15 seconds to a whopping full minute. What does this mean for you? An exceptional opportunity to engage with mobile audiences like never before while skyrocketing your brand to soaring heights.
According to the latest metrics, YouTube viewership trails off around the one-minute mark, and the average Facebook video spans about 1.5 minutes. The sweet spot seems to be around the hallowed 60-second span. Within this small window of time, companies are showcasing real estate, demonstrating how to whip up a quick salad dressing, and highlighting illustration skills. Here, a few key ways brands are using the updated video and how you can hop on board.
Influencer marketing
Move over, celebrity endorsements: with TV viewership plummeting and social media stardom rising, the star of the show now belongs to the Insta-famous. By partnering with popular Instagrammers, brands now have the power to leverage huge audiences and attain real life relevancy in 60 seconds flat. Raising brand awareness can be as simple as getting your product into the hands of an Instagram user with a loyal following, with tons of brands already launching successful marketing campaigns through Instagram.
Mini-documentaries
Forget purchasing advertising on Instagram’s channel and let your brand speak for itself. Instagram is all about capturing moments and resonating with your audience. What better way to showcase your business than a 15-60 second highlight reel of a company picnic, a day-in-the-life at the office or a compelling and humorous narrative? A minute’s worth of video is pretty much eternity in our fast-paced digital age, and the extended length offers fresh creative freedom for conveying messages and affecting audiences.
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Q & A
Capture naturally paced moments that you weren’t able to squeeze into the 15-second time frame through Q&A sessions, employee profiles, FAQs, or product demonstrations. Users want more than static images, and now with Instagram’s extended video time, the ability to meet the demand with relevant content is now within your grasp. Show your audience why you’re different than the rest by displaying your company culture in the form of a human face. By consistently feeding users bite-sized tidbits of information from a trustable, likable, and recognizable face, your brand’s transparency and openness gets further established, which in turn increases customer loyalty.
With more than 400 million users at your disposal, Instagram has the ability to reach untold masses of potential clients. Whatever your social media strategy, now is the time to start using Instagram’s video platform.
