The window to the world is now in the palm of your hand. Smartphones have surpassed their basic functions to make calls and send texts, and are now ingrained in nearly every part of our lives. Smartphones also took the popularity and necessity of social media to the next level. Ten  years ago it wasn’t imperative that businesses be on social media. Now, having a social media presence across multiple platforms is so important that some companies dedicate entire departments to manage content. You may also notice that video is now more prevalent on social media than it was ten years ago. People want to see videos! And, they do not want to turn their phones horizontally to do it. In fact, people hold their phones upright 94% of the time.  

The vertical video trend is leading content creators to create engaging, interesting, and creative video content. Some of the most popular apps, like TikTok and Instagram, are also embracing the use of vertical video. Even Youtube has its own platform featuring these types of videos called “Youtube Shorts”.  Producing good quality videos is crucial for growing engagement on social media. Better engagement means more followers and more customers for your business. If you are looking to hop onto the vertical video trend here are some tips for success.

Keep it simple

Have you ever wondered why apps like TikTok and Instagram traditionally have a one minute limit on their videos? People have short attention spans and the point of watching a video rather than reading a post is the simplicity that video offers. Your followers/potential customers want to learn, laugh, or be entertained in a relatively short amount of time. Don’t make videos  that are excessively long. Viewers tend to keep scrolling if the video drags on. If you do need to make a long video, let your viewers know at the beginning by giving an overview of the content you are about to provide. You can also encourage them to stick around by providing something extra at the end of the video. 

Bullet points

Having text on a video isn’t always bad. For educational videos, text can help the viewer better understand the messaging or shape the context. If you choose to include it, try using bullet points or cue points that make the correct text pop up at a certain time. Keep the text short and easy to read. 

Start talking/start the content immediately 

Keeping in line with traditional media like TV and Radio, people don’t like dead air silence.  When making your videos be sure to start with the content immediately and have something to offer from the very beginning. With the short, vertical video trend each second is precious and can be used to draw in more views and expand your audience.  

Live

Don’t underestimate the value in going live on social media. Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter all have options for most users to broadcast live videos to their followers. Sometimes the urgency of going live can draw  in more eyes on your content. Try promoting an upcoming live video in advance with an exclusive educational or tangible offer for those who attend. 

One thing is certain, the vertical video trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. As long as social media dominates the marketing world, being innovative with new trends can be essential to a businesses success. The key to mastering vertical video is being creative and consistent with your content while staying true to your company’s branding and practices.

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