Every time I take into consideration social video platforms, the primary ones that come to thoughts are YouTube and TikTok, however these are solely the tip of the iceberg concerning video sharing. There are a number of extra video platforms on the market.
Nevertheless, earlier than we discover the huge choices entrepreneurs have at their disposal, let’s dive into the significance of social media movies, the place customers are watching them, and different essential findings.
The place are customers watching social media movies?
YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are among the many social media platforms with the very best ROI, based on our 2024 State of Advertising Report. So, it‘s protected to say that’s the place customers watch social media movies.
Actually, our most up-to-date Video Advertising Report reveals Instagram is the highest social media platform for ROI, engagement, and lead technology for sharing advertising movies.
Behind Instagram is YouTube concerning ROI and lead technology.
In fact, I can‘t omit TikTok, contemplating it’s the app I discover myself scrolling by way of for hours on finish. The short-form video platform has the third highest ROI and is available in 2nd for engagement behind Instagram.
Lastly, there’s Fb. Whereas 60% of entrepreneurs sharing advertising movies use the longstanding Meta-owned platform, it is available in fourth place for ROI, lead technology, and engagement.
13 Greatest Social Media Video Platforms
1. YouTube
YouTube is the biggest video-sharing platform and the second-largest social media platform on the planet, with over 2.7 billion customers. In keeping with Neilsen, YouTube topped the checklist for streaming time for 17 consecutive months in July.
So, should you‘re questioning if the platform could be a welcome addition to your video advertising or social media technique—the numbers counsel that’s the appropriate transfer!
What I really like most about YouTube is how the platform can host numerous codecs of movies, akin to dwell streaming, short-form movies, and long-form movies.
You may also make the most of YouTube’s Neighborhood tab to talk to interact along with your viewers in between video uploads.
Different key options and advantages embody:
- AI-generated transcriptions and captions
- Easy privateness settings
- Choice to pay to advertise your movies on YouTube and Google
- The power to curate your movies into playlists
- Knowledge analytics and administration instruments through YouTube Studio
- Monetization choices through the YouTube Companion Program
- Strong audio library
2. TikTok
TikTok is a superb platform for attracting a Gen Z viewers.
Our 2024 Client Tendencies Report reveals that 48% of Gen Z customers choose to study new merchandise through short-form movies on TikTok, and 72% say they’ve used the app within the final three months.
A few of my favourite options of TikTok are:
- Stay stream procuring capabilities
- A number of monetization alternatives, together with the power for viewers to ship presents
- Hashtags for boosts in engagement and neighborhood constructing
- Promoting choices for enterprise accounts
- Continuously rising library of trending songs and sounds
3. Instagram
Instagram can also be widespread amongst Gen Z, with 72% reporting to have used the app within the final three months. It is an incredible platform for selling merchandise and promoting them in-app.
Listed here are a few of the finest options:
- E-commerce capabilities through Instagram storefronts
- Stay stream capabilities
- Shoppable tales
4. Fb
Fb is understood to be extra widespread amongst millennials and Gen X, however our Client Tendencies Report reveals it nonetheless has loyal customers. Our report reveals that 42% of customers contemplate the app their favourite.
Options embody:
- Fb Stay
- Fb Tales
- Paid Video Advertisements
- Neighborhood pages to attach along with your viewers
5. Snapchat
I used to be a junior in highschool when Snapchat launched, and I keep in mind it being extraordinarily widespread amongst faculty college students a number of years later.
The app continues to be going robust amongst youthful customers right now, with 57% of Gen Z customers saying they’ve used the app within the final three months.
It additionally stays fairly widespread amongst Millennials, with greater than a 3rd (37%) additionally reporting utilizing it inside the previous couple of months.
Advertising on Snapchat will be tough because the app‘s fundamental draw is that customers can ship one another movies and images that disappear after 24 hours. It’s extra widespread for interpersonal communication.
Nevertheless, entrepreneurs can nonetheless leverage the app thanks to numerous options like Snap Advertisements, Story Advertisements, and Collections Advertisements.
6. Twitch
Twitch is a dwell streaming platform particularly widespread amongst players; nevertheless, you don‘t should be within the gaming trade to leverage it.
Manufacturers like Wendy’s and Previous Spice leverage influencer advertising by tapping into well-known streamers who can introduce their merchandise to a wider viewers.
My favourite Twitch options and advantages are:
- Monetization choices through its affiliate and partnership packages
- Stream scheduling
- Stay feedback
- Channel analytics
7. X (previously Twitter)
X is usually thought to be a micro-blogging platform, but it surely has video posting and sharing skills. Customers with out an X subscription can add movies as much as 140 seconds lengthy.
Subscribers can add movies as much as 4 hours lengthy, relying on whether or not they use iOS, the desktop model of X, or Android.
8. LinkedIn
I solely lately found the completely different potentialities concerning video on Linkedin, and I used to be pleasantly stunned. Customers can add as much as 10 minutes of native video on the platform, stream for as much as 4 hours, and put up video adverts which can be as much as half-hour lengthy.
Moreover, I’ve discovered that drumming up engagement for movies on LinkedIn is fairly straightforward since you’re relying by yourself community plus the networks of others to share your content material.
Considered one of my most up-to-date movies is a TikTok I embedded in a LinkedIn put up. In only a week, that put up garnered greater than 1,700 views and reached extra 1,200 folks.
It is price noting that I solely have about 600 folks in my LinkedIn community.
9. Pinterest
Pinterest’s video capabilities are particularly useful for retail manufacturers seeking to attain customers in search of inspiration. Pinterest is a social media platform that enables customers to create digital imaginative and prescient boards for inspiration concerning fashion, artwork, recipes, and extra.
For instance, Fenty Magnificence makes use of its Pinterest board to put up movies exhibiting its merchandise in use whereas giving make-up inspiration. Manufacturers also can make curated Pinterest boards consisting of a number of movies, all inside the similar area of interest.
Different helpful options are:
- Shoppable video adverts that includes a video clip selling related merchandise to customers with comparable pursuits
- Personalised assortment adverts permit a number of pictures that may embody one video and three supporting pictures selling related merchandise.
10. Reddit
Reddit is an app that focuses on neighborhood and discussions. Manufacturers can leverage Reddit video adverts to construct discussions round their services and products whereas constructing neighborhood within the type of subreddits.
Although movies will be as much as quarter-hour lengthy, I counsel retaining them now not than 30 seconds to a minute.
11. Discord
Manufacturers leveraging Discord usually use the platform for neighborhood advertising. That is achieved by creating a delegated area (server) that serves as a central hub for interactions between the model and its customers and segmenting customers into completely different channels that enchantment to their pursuits.
So, the place does video are available in? Nicely, I put Discord on this checklist as a result of the platform permits for video calls, which permits server members to tune in and converse. Manufacturers can host webinars, tutorials, Q&As, and extra through dwell video calls and streams.
12. Telegram
Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app that lets viewers ship messages, movies, pictures, and recordsdata to one another. Customers also can make voice and video calls.
Telegram could be a nice platform for offering customer support, and its video capabilities can permit manufacturers to raised troubleshoot points, reply questions, or present visible tutorials.
13. Vimeo
Vimeo is usually in comparison with YouTube, however I personally imagine the previous has some technical capabilities that give it an edge over the extra well-known platform.
Vimeo permits customers to put up movies that may solely be seen by followers or chosen accounts, which will be useful if you wish to construct neighborhood through unique content material.
Ideas for Sharing Social Media Movies
1. For many platforms, zone in on short-form movies.
The world is turning into extra fast-paced on daily basis. Whereas many individuals are watching social media movies of their spare time, some are watching them on the go.
For instance, I usually watch TikTok movies and Instagram Reels on the subway or bus whereas working errands.
My pals usually watch movies in between conferences or whereas ready for an appointment.
These brief intervals of time do not depart a lot room for customers to look at long-form movies, so many entrepreneurs counsel specializing in creating short-form, or “snackable,” video content material.
“Utilizing snackable movies on social can truly drive extra engagement than static pictures,” says Meisha Bochicchio, Content material Advertising Supervisor at Wistia.
On the subject of creating efficient snackable content material, Bochicchio says, “First issues first, remember that most social media platforms will mechanically begin taking part in video content material as viewers scroll.
So, be sure your movies are autoplay-friendly. Preserve them brief and put your key messaging within the first few seconds.”
“Keep in mind that most individuals gained’t hear your audio, so be sure your movies are additionally silent-friendly, ”Bochicchio advises. “Contemplate textual content overlays, or add captions instantly on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Fb.”
To be taught extra about this technique, try this put up on snackable content material, or this put up that highlights the newest short-form video developments.
And if you wish to make snackable content material by yourself, our AI-powered Clip Creator instrument can convert textual content into skilled movies for what you are promoting with just some clicks.
2. Take a look at completely different video codecs, too.
Whereas short-form video content material is a superb tactic to harness, you possibly can nonetheless publish longer movies so long as they’re participating and priceless to your viewers.
For instance, whereas folks may not wish to watch a two-hour business, they may watch an extended dwell video Q&A, an interview with a thought chief, or a video that tells an extended however entertaining story.
Whilst you can actually check longer-form movies, you may as well check out different codecs, akin to dwell streams, interactive movies, and procuring movies, on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Fb.
It is price noting that 46% of Gen Z customers within the U.S. have participated in dwell procuring occasions, and 47% have bought from a dwell stream.
As new video codecs emerge, it may be useful to find out if they may work to your model and design a check round them.
Be certain you establish and observe the appropriate success metrics. For instance, should you‘re testing an extended video, take a look at its views and dropoff charge to see how lengthy viewers keep tuned.
In the meantime, should you attempt a extra interactive method like a dwell stream or Q&A you may as well be aware of feedback, engagements, and shares on the content material when you’re dwell.
3. Meet your video audiences the place they’re.
As with all social media technique, some content material will carry out higher on some social media platforms somewhat than others.
Whereas snackable, consumer-facing content material would possibly carry out effectively with YouTube, Fb, and TikTok’s giant shopper audiences, a B2B advertising video or a Q&A with a company thought chief would possibly carry out higher on a professional-facing community like LinkedIn.
Fortunately, to create an incredible advertising technique, you don‘t (and shouldn’t need to) place your movies on each single social media platform.
Nevertheless, it is best to analysis the demographics of every main community, establish which audiences would possibly interact most along with your content material, and begin publishing movies the place it makes essentially the most sense to your model and objectives.
Then, proceed to keep watch over platforms you have dominated out in case they proceed to evolve and supply your model extra viewers alternatives sooner or later.
4. Do not all the time lean on repurposed content material.
Throughout my early days as a content material creator, I might usually repurpose content material throughout a number of platforms. That technique was enough for some time, however issues have modified since then.
Right now, it may well nonetheless be helpful for manufacturers to repurpose some video content material for various platforms after they have comparable audiences and options. This can be an effective way to check whether or not your content material technique for one platform will work with one viewers.
Nevertheless, as a result of figuring out your social media viewers is extra essential than ever, you would possibly wish to contemplate having a barely completely different video technique to your most essential video platforms.
Whereas there will likely be instances the place you possibly can simply repurpose content material to avoid wasting time or bandwidth, some platforms like TikTok and Instagram are evolving with algorithms that would deprioritize your content material if it has a watermark from one other community.
5. Embrace influencers and prospects.
Even should you’ve performed all your analysis and churn out movies each day, it may well nonetheless be extremely exhausting to put up a viral piece of content material that grows your viewers.
Fortunately, there are consultants on each social media platform who know the way to create movies. And, a few of them will even create movies for you — after which share them with their audiences.
That is why one nice progress technique can contain reaching out to influencers or thought leaders with experience in your trade and both that includes them in your movies or getting them to endorse your model of their content material.
If you cannot afford to have an influencer assist enhance your video technique, you may as well look in the direction of comfortable customers.
With this technique, you possibly can encourage prospects to share a video about their expertise along with your model on social media, or you possibly can create a video stuffed with a number of items of user-generated content material from comfortable prospects.
As a result of right now’s customers crave authenticity from manufacturers, user-generated content material not solely can offer you free video content material however also can unfold model consciousness to prospects or folks researching you on social media.
Navigating Social Media Content material
Greater than ever, social media and content material advertising are all the time evolving. As a marketer, it‘s essential to remain updated with the newest developments and information to raised inform your methods — whether or not you’re investing in video or different techniques.
Editor’s word: This put up was initially printed in June 2021 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.