10 Creative Storytelling Strategies for Social Media Video

Gone are the days of only finding long, blog-like Facebook posts and terrible food photography on Instagram. (Don’t worry, they’re still there. You just have to look a little bit now.) 

Social media video marketing used to be an optional part of your strategy, but now it’s critical to stand out. Think about the last time you opened up Instagram or Facebook — which have traditionally been photo- and text-based platforms — did it show you a video within the first few posts? 

Most likely, the answer is yes! Since people enjoy and spend more time watching video content on social media, platforms are prioritizing it. Now, video-first platforms, like TikTok, are emerging and previously text- or photo-focused platforms, like Facebook, are rolling out more video-related features. 

Today’s audiences have a ton of content to sift through, which means your business needs to share video that stands out. While the thought of creating a video strategy can be daunting, your business needs to take this as an opportunity to improve your branding, showcase your products, and attract new customers. 

Not sure where to start? See how our video production platform can help your business.

---

Why Do I Need To Use Video on Social Media? 

1. Video reaches more people. According to Statista, “During the third quarter of 2021, online videos recorded an audience reach of almost 86 percent among internet users in the United States.” A vast majority of internet users engage with video content online, so why not give them what they want? 
2. Videos are the top content marketing format. For the third consecutive year, Hubspot found that videos are the leading content marketing media format. More specifically, they reported, “Short-form video content like TikToks and Instagram Reels are the most effective type of social media content.” 
3. Video popularity is rapidly growing. Insider Intelligence reported that roughly one-third of people watch more video content on social media or through livestream services than just six months ago, making this a huge priority for these platforms. 

Simply, people are more likely to engage with videos than with many other forms of content. Because of this increase, it’s critical to include social media video marketing within your strategy. 

Now that you know why video is crucial, let’s dig into some ways you can use video to capture your audience’s attention on social media.

Related: Social Media Video Ad Specs & Placements Guide

What Video Types Should My Business Use on Social Media?

1. Testimonials

Testimonials are an effective way to tell viewers more about your product while simultaneously enacting social proof. Popularized by a psychologist in the 1980s, social proof occurs when consumers see or hear about someone enjoying a product or a professional recommending a service, and that testimonial encourages them to want it for themselves.

For example, in this Aveda ad, the actor describes her positive experience with the product right from the beginning. She also discusses the difficulty of finding vegan or cruelty-free products for her hair, a pain point that Aveda immediately solves. This allows viewers to learn multiple things about the product quickly, including the name, benefits, and why other people love it. 

2. Event Coverage

Social media is a great platform to showcase more information about your brand, including event coverage. With this video style, you can create an uplifting experience for your audience, who likely doesn’t get to see much of your business’s internal events. 

Plus, consumers — especially those in younger generations — want more transparency from brands. With event coverage, they can better understand and trust your business. 

For example, this Meta video showcases event coverage of their Fitness+ Wellness Summit. In addition to the influencers and speakers, they also show activities that utilize Meta’s technology, including VR workouts and meditation with Meta Quest, to promote their products. 

3. Informational Videos

Informational videos are an effective way to get (and keep!) your audience’s attention — but first, you need to know what they want to know. Ya know? 

Once you figure out what your customers want to know about your product or service, you can provide them with those details. This information can entice your customers to visit your website, take a look at everything you offer, and, ultimately, complete their purchase. 

For example, this :ratio ad provides a significant amount of information in a short time. This ad opens up by solving a problem many people deal with — only being able to find bland healthy foods that fit into their diet. Right away, the on-screen text tells viewers they don’t have to decide. With :ratio, they can have both! After addressing this pain point, the ad shows the numbers that matter to people counting carbs, including the sugar and fat content. 

Want to learn more about Facebook Marketing? Explore our Ultimate Guide here.

4. Promotional Videos

When you think about creating videos for your business, promotional videos might be the first thing that comes to mind. And with good reason — they’re effective in creating brand awareness, attracting new customers, and increasing revenue. 

Promotional videos can explain more about your business, your services, and who you can help. Plus, these videos can be beneficial to your branding strategy. As Forbes stated, “One of the most obvious reasons that businesses need branding is to help them get recognized more often.” Without promotional or branding videos, your business won’t be as easily recognizable, which can cause your customers to, instead, look for a brand they know. 

For example, this CBRE video showcases many of their services, including utilization and occupancy management, which can help your office more efficiently use your space as your team adapts to staffing changes. After watching this video, viewers associate CBRE with sleek designs, informative promotions, and occupancy management services. 

5. Live Action Videos

There are several ways to tell stories through video, including animation and live action. While both are effective, live action videos can help create a more relatable experience for your viewers. 

With the rise of user-generated content, influencers, and one-person Youtube videos (like unboxing content), it’s no surprise that live action videos are effective in today’s market. People want to see other people engaging with the brand, using the products, and genuinely enjoying their experience. 

For example, this Insurify advertisement uses a live action video format to create a humorous, eye-catching introduction that leads into a scenario many people have experienced. By showing users how to use Insurify, examples of what insurance companies they can compare, and how to switch providers when they find the right one, they’re also showcasing their simplified user experience. Since Insurify knows the insurance buying process can be difficult and time-consuming, they want users to know simplification of that process is one of their most important value propositions.

6. Product Spotlight Videos

Another effective type of social media video is a product spotlight video! These promotional videos can help potential customers get acquainted with your brand while ensuring you stay top of mind with current customers. 

With several possible variations of product spotlight videos, your brand can create a unique experience for your audience. You might want to showcase a high-level overview of your product or even dive into specific features. You can even use these types together for content serialization or different customer segments! 

Plus, product spotlights are another video type that helps strengthen your branding. Because of this, these videos need to feature authentic characteristics of your business. 

For example, beverage brand Roar focuses their product front and center the entire time in this video. They also feature upbeat music, lively graphics, and value props that stay consistent with their brand personality while simultaneously promoting the benefits of their products. 

7. Short-Form Videos

Half of the dilemma surrounding social media is about making sure your videos are the right length. Too short, and you can’t get across enough information. Too long, and your customers have stopped watching. So, what’s the sweet spot? 

It depends on several factors, including the platform you’re using, your audience, and your industry. But in general, short-form videos are incredibly effective on social media. 

HubSpot found that 95% of marketers already using short-form will increase or maintain their investment, while “26% of all social media marketers plan to invest more in short-form videos than any other format this year.”

This quick 15-second Farmgirl Flowers video ad example is compelling for several reasons, including: 

• Branding. The Farmgirl Flowers brand is bright and cheerful, which is reflected well through the upbeat music, colorful flowers, and optimistic on-screen text. 
• Timeliness. Near the end of the video, the on-screen text reads, “Be there when you can’t be there.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions, and general health concerns, many people have paused seeing friends and family in person over the last few years. With this call to action, they’re enticing people who may not be able to travel to, instead, send flowers that shows they care. 
• UGC. By using real photos of customers with their flowers throughout the video, the brand is showcasing the happiness of existing customers to entice others to also make a purchase. 

8. How-To Videos

MNTN Research found that 96% of consumers have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. How-to videos are an effective social media video format for brands to tell potential and existing customers exactly what they need to know about using their products. 

But don’t overthink these tutorial videos! It doesn’t have to be an in-depth, scientific explanation of why your product works — though, those can be successful with the right audience! 

This Not Your Mother’s video is a great example of a simple and effective how-to video. They show an actor in the shower, applying the Not Your Mother’s Smooth Moves product onto her hair. On-screen text (accompanied by upbeat yet relaxing music) explains what to do while throwing in an on-screen benefit at the beginning. 

9. Problem Solving Videos

As a business, one of your key goals is to know who your customers are and what problems they have. This, of course, is so your business can solve them! 

By highlighting your customers’ pain points and then resolving them with your solution, you’ll drive customers to learn more about your business. Keep in mind that your videos don’t have to be incredibly complicated. You may want to answer this simple question that many potential customers have: how does this product improve my day? 

This Otter.ai video, for example, does a great job of answering just that. It simply walks you through a user’s day while working from home, while noting the situations that make them step away from the computer. No matter why they have to miss part of a meeting, Otter.ai ensures users that the platform has their back. 

10. Trending Videos

Video trends are on most social media platforms now, but they’re especially prevalent on TikTok and Instagram. 

You’ve likely come across many social media video trends, including TikTok dances and Instagram Reel audios. By paying attention to trends and implementing them yourself, you can create video content that engages your audience, maybe makes them laugh, and helps them remember your brand. 

In this Lumin video, for example, they used a meme format that’s been popular across social platforms. Within that format, they highlighted one of the most important benefits of their product — that your skin will look good! These components work together to reach the brand’s audience and encourage them to learn more about the product. 

But when you’re following trends, remember that timing is everything. Make sure the trend you want to use is up to date — you don’t want to be the next brand that gets dragged online for sharing a joke that would have been funny a year ago. 

Have Confidence in Your Video Content

The video production process can be overwhelming in itself, let alone creating effective content. So, where do you start? 

With data! You don’t have to create a video and cross your fingers that something works. At QuickFrame, we believe the future of video creative is data-driven, allowing your business to use the information you have to get the results you want from your video marketing strategy. 

Ready to create a data-driven video strategy for your business? Download Creative Analytics: The Next Frontier of Data-Driven Marketing today to get started!