Publishing your video content

There's a lot to consider when choosing the ideal platform to publish your video.

First you have to get really familiar with who you are targeting your video at, because only than can you decide which platform those individuals are most likely to be hanging out on. Each platform tends to lend itself to a ‘typical' audience & style and it’s important to bear this in mind when making technical decisions about your video, for example:

➡️ Facebook - Think of facebook as the platform to start conversations with your customers, which means you should try to be responsive to any comments you get. Something I would encourage businesses to consider is utilising facebooks live video option, as it carries with it much more authenticity and' human-ness' over pre-recorded and edited content.

➡️ LinkedIN - if you work b2b (business to business) then linkedIN is probably the place where you’ll find most of your customers. I would recommend you consider publishing informative and insightful videos that will help to solve your customers problems. Again, be ready to respond to comments and encourage interaction here.

NOTE - Upload videos natively to your LinkedIN or facebook feed (rather than linking to Youtube for example).

➡️ Instagram - think of Instagram as being your shop window, a place for audiences to get a quick flavour of who you are and what you do very quickly. With this in mind I would avoid videos that are anything of an information overload, instead opting for brief snippet type videos with lots of relevant and inspiring visuals. (You can post videos of up to 60 seconds on your grid, typically formatted in 1-1- ratio. IGTV allows videos of a longer duration).

➡️ Stories - behind the scenes videos work really well here, as well as sneak peak or unveiling videos. Stories are a very social and current way of inviting customers to feel connected and close to your business and your brand. Keep them short though - remember a story lasts for only 15 seconds (although a longer video can always be split across a number of stories).

➡️ YouTube - The great thing about creating and uploading to a YouTube channel is that your videos can be found and delivered to search queries made on google. I wouldn’t let renumeration become your motivator for YouTube though. Instead, focus on sharing valuable content that will help your customers find you, appreciate your credibility and therefore trust and remember you.

Finally, remember that you can create different iterations of the same video, formatting them perfectly for each platform.

We’ve set up a free supportive WhatsApp group. It’s a safe space to ask questions and share advice between small business and third sectors employees who’re looking for support in creating great video content. You’re welcome to come and join in the conversation anytime.