Once upon a time, a captivating picture and a smart line was all you needed to advertise your business. Now, those times are long gone.
We all know that Facebook, who still leads the way in social advertising, recently came up with a feature that requires ads to be moving images rather stills.
Today, all marketers and social platforms agree that video content is of utmost importance for success on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Video is also a key ingredient on LinkedIn and Twitter.
We’re pointing at Instagram because, in April 2018, a record 23 million UK users were on the platform and 74% of consumer shared branded video content. Why are they sharing it? To laugh (71%), to see a good story (59%), and to feel inspired (51%).
Sure, you want to be fun, but also you want to create an effective storytelling environment that directs users to your services and products. So, with a focus on video content, businesses can reach users on the constantly growing Instagram platform with two video formats – square posts and vertical video Stories.
Considering majority of consumers watch videos on mute, it’s vital to have captivating visuals to deliver results. The option of square or vertical video means you need to rethink the framing and plan the editing execution accordingly.
Square is a peculiar format that might favour central framing, symmetrical architectures or portrait. Also rotating the subject can induce a subtle twist in the picture tone. The frame should be almost filled with the subject. If you are placing the subject using the rule of thirds, position it in one of the 9 squares rather than where the lines are crossing.
To obtain the best look for 9/16 videos, move the horizon below or above the middle of the shot as the rule of thirds still applies. Be aware of the crop factor when using text and titles.
Some subjects, if they develop vertically for example, might be better suited for vertical framing and new interesting perspectives.
To conclude, the key to an efficient Instagram video strategy is to design your content to have a “unique value” for the consumer, be it vertical or square.
If you want to drive user engagement and content-sharing, then deliver content that’s fun, adequate, relevant and released consistently.
