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Instagram launched their video feature in 2013. Back then, videos were restricted to a modest 15 seconds. Now, in 2019, both businesses and individuals are allowed a seemingly ‘epic’  60-second video post. These exciting changes equal more interesting ways of posting content about your brand, or amazing lifestyle. And, that you should brush up on your video creation, editing and posting skills. The more diverse your video ‘toolset’, the more interesting your video posts will be. Perfecting the components of a successful Instagram video post will help you generate social media leads, gain new followers and keep people engaged in your Instagram profile. Here are seven ways to ensure you’re posting terrific videos.

1: Choose the Type of Video You Want to Make

You can create different types of videos on Instagram. The type you create will depend on your goals and content.

• Brand Videos —raise awareness of your brand via branded storytelling. Aim these at cold audiences and new leads.
• Product Videos — videos that features your product and its benefits, including a ‘call to action’.
• How-to-Videos —videos that demonstrate (in 60 seconds or less) how customers can use a particular product in the most beneficial way.
• Educational Videos — videos that focus on your niche instead of your product. These videos are great for inbound marketing as they position you as an expert in your industry.

2: Set the Mood

Now that you’ve chosen the type of video you want, decide which emotion you would like to evoke. Instagram videos may not be blockbuster films, but they should still make their audiences feel something. Pick an emotion that makes sense for your video: it could be joy, heartbreak or even trust. Try to interpret what you would feel while looking at your video and what formal features are aligned with those feelings. For example, a video of a dog looking for its owner might evoke sadness, pity or helplessness. What colour, sounds, lighting and setting would help evoke those feelings? To better set the stage try using a video editing app that allows you to edit footage, colouration, duration and other details. If you are using a video production team to create the video, ensure that the mood and feel is discussed early and often to ensure that all the variables come perfectly together.

Source Image: Instagram@henrythecoloradodog

Also, remember, most people watch Instagram videos in silence: they don’t turn the sound on. This means that your video needs to look amazing enough that people will want to ‘click’ on them; editing apps can help you with all of this. Sparkhouse also has a great piece on how to make silent videos successful.

3: Pay Attention to Duration

Instagram allows you to post 60-second videos, but, that doesn’t mean you have to every. single. time. In fact, studies have shown that the optimum Instagram video lasts twenty-six seconds. Twenty-six seconds means that you need a clearly defined and focused message. Back to the example of the dog video: what is the message? Is it that people don’t take care of their pets? Is it that dogs are loyal? Choose one and stick to it using footage that relays only that specific message.

4: Use Subtitles

As mentioned earlier, Instagram videos play automatically with the sound turned off. A way to work within this limitation is to add subtitles or text to the video.

You can even make the text a focal point of the video if you think you need to say something very, very clearly.

5: Use Descriptions

Pictures are worth a thousand words. But descriptions are still necessary. Descriptions allow you to say exactly what you want your audience to know about your video. And, they allow you add details that the viewer might not glean directly from the content and, possibly even make them ‘click’ play!

Source Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/BygVqyhjXut/

6: And Use Hashtags!

Adding hashtags to your video post will generate 12.6 per cent more engagement than posts without hashtags. The more specific the hashtag, the better; you want to reach an audience that is already interested in your content. You have the option of creating hashtags yourself or using the hashtag sticker button for popular hashtags.

7: Experiment with Special FX

Special effects can make your video posts more engaging and noteworthy. Fast, slow or stop motion, time-lapse and interesting scene transitions can help transform your video from looking like an amateur vacation vid to something with a post-production budget. Using special effects is easy with a video editing app and a couple of easy tutorials. For bigger effects and productions, discuss with video production teams who can advise the feasibility of certain effects and scenes based on your budget. Keep in mind, slow motion is typically used to create emphasis while fast motion is probably best for making a scene seem light and exciting. Check out @BuzzFeedTasty for examples of how speed can really make things fun! Sparkhouse, also has an entire piece dedicated to attention grabbers in Facebook that can also be used for Instagram.

Source Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bysw_1on5G1/

The key to Instagram video success is to really have fun with it!

Instagram became famous for its creative approach to sharing images, so keep experimenting to find the best techniques and strategies that work best for you! Check out our social media video production services and learn how we can help you.

Author’s bio:

Natasha Ponomaroff is the Senior Marketing Director of Instasize – a content creating tool kit for anyone editing photos and online content on mobile. A weekly contributor on the site’s blog, Natasha tracks social media trends and updates the millions of “creatives” who are currently using Instasize to curate awesome online content. When she isn’t writing up the latest trend, Natasha is overseeing a team of 10 over at the Instasize HQ – ensuring that the marketing content on the apps various social platforms is ready to go.

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