Social media has become the go-to way to advertise and promote products and services, and rightfully so. Over the past few years, social media has grown exponentially in popularity, now boasting over 2 billion users worldwide. If you’re like most businesses, you’ve embraced social media to market your product or service to this vast audience of potential customers. If you want your social media efforts to be as effective as possible, you should consider using animated videos to get your message across on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter—here’s why…
Step in Creating Your Social Media Plan
Figure out who you’re trying to reach. Your social media strategy should be centered around your audience, so it helps to have a good understanding of who they are before you get started. Answering questions like these can help: Who is my target market? What places do they frequent online? What kind of content are they likely to share? Based on that information, where might I find them online? These are all important things to consider when developing your social media plan. But there’s one more thing to think about: How will animated video fit into my overall strategy?
The best way to integrate animated video into your plan is by identifying what role you want it to play in reaching your audience and then brainstorming how you could use it for that purpose.
Set Goals
One of your first steps in creating a social media strategy is to set goals. Once you’ve got your goals down, it’s easier to devise an effective plan for achieving them. That said, some strategies work better than others—and that’s where animated video comes in. The beauty of animation is that it captivates audiences with motion and sound before they even have time to consider if they should take action or not. When done correctly, animation can drive more traffic to your social media channels and help you accomplish your business goals faster. Here are three ways to make sure your social media strategy includes animated videos:
Market Plan & Strategy
It’s not enough to just want your business to be successful. To actually accomplish that, you need a plan. If you want to use social media as part of your marketing strategy, it’s crucial to figure out how exactly you plan on using each platform—and how you will measure your success. For example, are you looking to drive more traffic to your website? Do you want people to buy something right then and there? Or do you simply want more followers? Once you have an idea of what you hope to achieve with each channel, consider who is most likely to follow through with your goals and what type of content they might respond best to.
Content Creation Strategy
Determine your tone of voice, who you’re trying to reach, and what you want them to do. Knowing all three things can help you create content that speaks to your target audience and helps them take action on your call-to-action. If you don’t know where to start, think about how other brands in your industry are creating content and try to emulate their style. It may seem like common sense, but it really is worth taking time out of your day to plan out exactly what you want people to know about your brand before diving into creating anything at all.
The Role of Animated Video
Video has become an integral part of how we communicate, especially on social media. According to a study done by Animoto and Wistia, 73% of marketers said they used video in their marketing campaigns in 2016. But which type of video is best? Some argue that live videos are better because they capture your audience at a specific moment in time, but others believe that animated videos are more effective because they can be shared repeatedly without getting old. The answer is that it depends on your goals for your social media strategy—and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Animated Video Cost-Effectiveness
An animated video can reach many more people than other forms of marketing. Reach your audience on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all social media platforms with an animated video! Plus, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to market your business online. For example, you could pay $5 for a single post on Facebook that reaches 200 people—or you could create an animated video that reaches thousands for less than $100. The choice is yours! (It’s also important to note that 90% of Internet users watch videos every day.) So, what are you waiting for? Make your first animated video today!
Animation est practices
There are two main types of animated video: explainer and branded. A great place to start is with your brand values and voice. If you’re a startup or small business, go for something light-hearted and fun with plenty of personalities—those are your greatest assets in building trust between you and your audience. If you’re an established company, consider using real-life footage as well as animation for more polished branding. Think about what makes your product unique and interesting; show it off! And finally, don’t forget to include a call-to-action at some point during your video. After all, that’s why people are watching!
