As you’re probably aware thousands of videos are published daily on social media, and any videos that you publish are going to be facing a lot of competition. That is why it is important that you try to make your videos as engaging as possible so that they’re able to keep viewers interested and encourage them to react.
Although that may sound fairly difficult, there are actually several ways in which can be done:
- Create videos that are short, direct and get to the point
Most viewers on social media prefer short, bite-sized videos – so that’s what you should try to create. Generally it is best to keep your videos under a minute in length, and possibly even create videos that are 15 seconds long for some social media platforms.
To accomplish this you’ll have to be direct, focus on the message that you’re putting across, and get to the point quickly. Every second counts, so be sure to use them wisely.
- Try to provoke an emotional reaction
In general the most engaging videos are the ones that are able to provoke an emotional reaction and make viewers feel something. That is why funny, inspiring, touching or even sad videos tend to be so engaging.
One way to provoke an emotional reaction is to tell a story. If used effectively, you will be able to make viewers invested in the character and the outcome of the story, which in turn can provoke an emotional reaction.
- Deliver the message visually
It goes without saying that visuals are important to every video, but if you want to increase engagement then it is crucial that you try to deliver your message as visually as possible. For every point that you put across you should carefully think of the best way that you can ‘show’ it – whether that involves using a screen recorder, game recorder, or recording it from a different perspective.
Additionally you may want to consider using captions or subtitles to provide context, and so you don’t rely too heavily on a voiceover. Many viewers on social media watch videos on mute nowadays, and using subtitles is the perfect way to reach out and engage those viewers.
- Attract attention and give viewers a reason to keep watching – quickly
The first 6 to 8 seconds of your video are arguably some of the most important, as they need to not only attract the attention of viewers but convince them to keep watching. With that in mind, you should get straight to the point and immediately let viewers know what your video is about and (more importantly) how it will benefit them to keep watching.
Each of these tips should help you to make your social media videos more engaging in their own right, and if you use them all the results should be convincing. As you start to get to know your viewers and their preferences better you may even be able to improve the engagement level of your videos further by experimenting and trying new things.
