We hear a lot of things regarding video marketing from not just onlookers, but also professional marketers (probably new to the world of video marketing) that doesn’t have any support in research or in our own experience as a professional video production company. Misinformation can lead to wasted time, money, and be very discouraging for the whole team. At Vivid Imagery, we know how to get results from video content. That’s why we decided to shoot down these myths one by one so you can avoid the pitfalls that many companies find themselves in when creating video content.
Video Marketing Myth #1: Videos Need be 30 Seconds or Less
This one is a peeve for me, and what makes it worse is that a lot of marketers sell this idea. Yes, if your content sucks, nobody will watch it for more than 15 seconds. That’s because believe it or not, people are stingy with their time on social media (kind of ironic, I know). They can determine in the first 5-10 seconds if a video is going to waste their time. However, if you get their attention early and the content is useful or entertaining, research is finding that people can be engaged upwards of 3-5 minutes on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, and even 20+ minutes on YouTube. Certain types of content perform better for longer, like something with an educational element to them on YouTube or something with an entertainment value on Instagram. Longer engagement is a useful statistic in understanding how much your audience likes the content or finds it useful.
All of this to say, longer videos aren’t necessarily better than short ones. There are several factors to think about when it comes to determining the best length of videos (Check out our “Video Marketing Guide For Businesses” to dive in deeper on this subject):
- What platform will it play on and in what format? Reels and Shorts are better for quick, punchy, short-form content. Posts and YouTube videos tend to be more accepting of longer format videos. There’s more of this in our video marketing guide.
- What is the goal of the video? If it’s to educate people, keep it long but structured. What college lesson do you know of that is 5 minutes or shorter? If it’s to entertain, keep it short and punchy. Entertaining people for long periods of time takes a TON of planning and work. Think of all the things that happen in a 20-minute TV episode.
Here is a great video on the ideal length of YouTube videos with Think Media:
Video Marketing Myth #2: Post Daily or Even More
We've all been there—marketers urging us to churn out "more and more content." Some even suggest posting daily as just the starting point. Do they really think you have that much time? I've seen people actually lose followers because their feeds are flooded with too many posts from the same account.
The solution? Quality over quantity. If you can afford to post something great every day, go for it! But if your content quality dips from posting too often, it’s time to scale back. Personally, I find that posting once a week hits the sweet spot for my audience, and sometimes even less. It really depends on your content type and audience. High-end content like what we make at Vivid Imagery can have a much longer shelf-life than other content.
Instead of constantly creating new posts, consider boosting a well-performing one. With millions of users on these platforms, many assume a post's life ends at 1,000 views. Not true! The mistake people often make is not boosting their posts. Yes boosting costs money, and that's exactly why these platforms can limit how your content does. But boosting lets you see how a post truly performs. If it does well, boost it again. If not, try another. This helps you understand your audience and what content resonates with them. If something really clicks, consider developing more content around that idea—maybe even a series!
Video Marketing Myth #3: You Need to Be on Every Platform
Another myth that marketers like to sell people because it gives them more work after all! No, you do not need to be on every platform. The primary question is where is your target audience? Is your target audience other businesses? Use LinkedIn. Is your target audience middle-aged adults? Facebook & Instagram. Are you trying to reach millennials? Instagram. Gen Z? TikTok works great. Don’t waste your time and energy reaching a clientele that is altogether disinterested in your offering. Be specific and know your audience! (We cover audiences in another shameless plug for our Video Marketing Guide)
Video Marketing Myth #4: Video Only Work for Big Brands
Not true. Small businesses can achieve great results with targeted video content. Video is a great way to connect with local and niche audiences as well. Taking the time to figure out your messaging and where you put your content will help even more as a small business, because you don’t have the budget to simply put it in front of everyone.
Video Marketing Myth #5: You Need Fancy Equipment
While this might sound brave for a video production company to say “you don’t need fancy equipment”, there is truth behind it! The thing is to pick where and when to use content shot on a phone vs professional content. We’ll be covering this in another blog post “When to Make Videos on Your Phone vs Hire a Professional Videographer”
There are a lot of other myths out there, so stay tuned on our email list! We’ll continue to give you guided advice on how to find success in your video marketing and achieve your business goals.
Vivid Imagery is a video production company that helps businesses, brands, and nonprofits create stunning videos that get them results. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! You can text us at 720-819-7678 or email us at hello@vividimagery.video
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