10 Tips for Effectively Using Video in your Social Media Marketing

Video continues to be one of the most powerful marketing tools available to law firms. With the number of viewers growing exponentially and the new video features now available on virtually every social media platform, adding video to your social media marketing is a no-brainer. Here are ten tips to help you easily add video to your social media marketing arsenal.

1. Capture Immediate Attention

It’s important that you grab viewers’ attention right away, before they scroll past your post. Many social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram offer an autoplay feature. When enabled, your video will automatically play as a user scrolls past your post. Make sure your video is visually interesting right from the start so viewers are encouraged to stop to watch the full video. Featuring movement within the first few seconds of your post is a great way to grab attention quickly.

2. Include Subtitles

According to multiple publishers, up to 85% of all videos on Facebook are viewed without sound. Editing your videos to include subtitles lets users watch them even when they can’t or won’t play sound.

3. Present a Clear Call to Action

Have a clear goal in mind when creating your videos. Do you want visitors to share the video, register for a seminar, or visit your website? Then make sure you clearly state that at the end of your video. You can even include a clickable button if your video is posted on YouTube.

4. Make it Interesting

The content of your video will depend on your goal, but there are some types of videos that are more engaging:

• Answering frequently asked questions (FAQs) is a great way to establish your authority.
• Offering a sneak peek into your firm allows viewers to get to know your brand. Video introductions of you and your staff, footage from seminars and client events, and even a tour of your offices can increase familiarity and loyalty, which are huge benefits.
  
• Telling a compelling story is a powerful way to connect with your audience. Hearing your account of a recent successful case or sharing why you do what you do can be incredibly inspiring.
• Sharing breaking news offers value to clients and prospects. Whether you discuss a change in tax law or new legislation that potentially impacts your audience, discussing news keeps your audience informed and further solidifies your firm as an authority. Don’t forget “breaking news” could include announcements about your law firm – new staff, office changes, and client events.

5. Ensure Good Video Quality

While your video doesn’t need to be as well made as a Scorsese flick, you should make sure it’s visually appealing. If you’re recording a live-action video:

• Use a high-definition camera or webcam and record in 720p (720 pixels tall) or 1080p (1,080 pixels tall).
• Make sure the room is well-lit to avoid a dark, grainy video
• Pay attention to what’s visible in the background
• Camera should be positioned at eye level. Looking down into camera or recording from above will make you appear uncomfortable and lessen the impact of your message

You can use video editing tools to improve the quality of your video or make them more interesting. Some tools are available right in your social media accounts. Facebook offers you the ability to add captions and subtitles, Instagram lets you pause and resume while filming, and even delete frames of your video, and Snapchat has full editing capabilities.

6. Ensure Good Sound Quality

Nothing will detract from your message as quickly as inaudible or uneven audio that fades in and out. Background noise can also be distracting and will usually result in viewers clicking away. While you can often create high-quality video with your smartphone, tablet, or webcam, the default microphone may not be adequate. Consider using either a wireless or wired external microphone to improve the sound quality. Most video editing software also allows you to adjust the volume and otherwise enhance the audio.

7. Choose the Right Headline & Thumbnail

As with any type of content, your headline should capture the attention of your audience and compel them to take a closer look at your video. Using keywords in your headline will help increase rankings on each platform.
The thumbnail image you choose should be visually dynamic. It’s the first thing viewers will see, so be sure the image is high-quality and captures what your video is about. Virtually all social media platforms allow you to select a high-quality thumbnail to represent your video, so don’t take the easy way out and just use the default image.

8. Post Native Video

Previously most law firms would post their videos on YouTube, then share them on social media, but with the increasing popularity of social media videos, more and more platforms are offering a native video feature. You can now upload your videos directly to sites like Facebook and Twitter.

There are several advantages to posting native video. They typically perform better on most platforms – Facebook’s algorithm actually gives preference to native videos. Additionally, posting native videos allows you to take advantage of special features, such as Facebook’s Featured Video option.

9. Optimize for Search Engines

In many ways, social media platforms are becoming more and more like search engines themselves. Each are searchable and have their own algorithms that dictate which content is shown and which isn’t. Optimizing your video can improve the chances of it being found and shared.

Any text that’s contained in the video itself won’t be indexed or searchable and therefore can’t be found, but the headline and description you add will be. Be sure to include keywords and phrases in those fields. Adding relevant hashtags can also boost search rankings.

10. Track Performance

Tracking metrics such as views, engagement, and clicks can provide valuable insight into what’s successful and what needs to be improved.

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube all provide video analytics data, including reach, views, likes/shares, and average view completion rate for each video.

According to Cisco, online video traffic will comprise 55 percent of all consumer Internet traffic by the end of this year. If you aren’t using video in your social media marketing yet, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to reach and engage with a significant audience.

Rita Chaires
Director, Web and Online Marketing Services
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com