I’m admittedly video-averse. This is not the first time I’ve whined about it either. Here, and everywhere I can write about how much I loathe the idea of putting my mug in front of a recording feed, I do.
I’m a writer, not a talker. Unless you’re sitting across a table from me sharing a bottle of wine, of course. And then I’ve got plenty to say! But I’ve got a shrink-worthy problem going on when it comes to talking to a camera. But you know what? I know I’m not alone.
Broaching video is hard. But we have got to get over it, or through it. And here’s why:
No.1 on Buffer’s 2017 State of Social Report from this week was… Video. And they didn’t pull punches. Like, at all. No seriously, read it:
[quote]Video is HOT. It’s popular and cheap, but it won’t be forever. 83% of marketers say they’d be making more video if they could.[/quote]
And they’re right as rain! My own clients are seeing upwards of 12% CTR on video ads, as opposed to 2.14% on images. For 1/10th of the price (CPM). Yeah, it matters. That much! If you’re impressed by those numbers, it’s just because I’m awesome at FB ads. You should be getting at least that… just call me.
But back to the point…
Now is the time to “up your video game.” There’s no question about it. Just take a moment to settle in to this face – we have to. This isn’t a fad, it’s what’s happening, and if you take too long to think about it, social will have moved on to something else. I like that I’m asking you to make video. This article could also be about VR.
I like the way Buffer put it, “Figure a way to create quality video easy – you win.” I’m a fan of simplicity in copy, and in action, as much as I’m a fan of winning. But the key words here are quality and easy. And these words do not go together like peanut butter and jelly. They go together like fine wine and pork rinds. Tasty, but tricky.
That doesn’t change what we need to do. We need to get creative. We need to break a lot of rules. But we’re all on the same page, right? You’re hearing this? You needed video yesterday.
No.2 on Buffer’s Report is (allow me to paraphrase) “Yes, Facebook is still sitting on the social media throne.” 93% of marketers are advertising on Facebook. For good reasons, that I’ve also whined about and written about, and lauded a lot.
Anyway, take #1, mix it with #2 and sprinkle in some spice… and brings us to FB Live. I’m on record booing the likes of Periscope and such. And I’m still standing behind that decision. I think the test of time has backed me up on that call. I wasn’t against the idea, just the fact that we needed a new platform to deliver it.
So here’s FB Live. No need for a separate app. Instant alerts. Built-in audience. And now we can track FB Engagement Audiences. And yeah, it’s coming to Instagram, too. Prepare yourselves.
I have seen FB Live work. I’ve seen it work hard for clients like comedian Eric Schwartz, in this belly-busting bit right here. You’ll want to skip to 25:30 for a killer parody of Drake. Backtrack to 10:50 if you wanna watch him pee. Boom! Live stream!
I’ve seen it work for fellow marketer Pia Larson, who hosts her FB Live under the rubric of “Pia’s Pet Peeves.” Yeah, I’m a little sorry I didn’t think of that first. And Dallas financial go-to Holly Signorelli, The Money Therapist ®, who makes time in between podcasts and live streams twice a week under “Ask Holly!”
I also met Stacy Spensley, who uses FB Live to drum up up video book reviews… and yes, sales of course! The cool thing About FB Live is that you can save it. Or not. If it goes well, you can re-use it for education or marketing. If it goes badly, you just delete it like the 4 donuts you regret eating yesterday. Now that everybody’s keen to the fact that systems and webinars and funnels don’t work, the world is wide open for our experiments. It’s time to break the rules.
We’ve got to get over ourselves, and try something different. FB Live is probably the best place for us all to test that. FB Live – at least right now – is like the PostIt note of social media. It’s where you throw your ideas against the wall, and see if they stick!
And it doesn’t cost a dime! I’m ready to get over myself and do it. Are you?
You might also like
More from Experts Talk
The Reality of Careers in Social Media: Insights from Hootsuite’s Latest Report
What’s it really like to work in social media? Hootsuite’s CMO, Elina Vilk, delves deep into the current landscape of …
Do Google SEO Tactics Work on Social Media?
Do the SEO tactics we use on Google also work on social media? In this article, Hootsuite's Inbound Marketing Strategist, Liz …
Does Custom Alt Text Improve Reach On Instagram?
In this month's experiment, we set out to find out whether adding custom alt text on Instagram posts improves reach.
Does Cross-Posting YouTube Links On Other Platforms Result In Lower Reach?
In this month’s social media experiment, we set out to find out whether posting YouTube links on other platforms results …
Do LinkedIn Pods Work? Performance Insights And Key Learnings
In this month’s social media experiment, we set out to find out what LinkedIn pods are and whether they actually …
Instagram Reels: Do Longer Captions Lead To More Engagement?
Do longer Instagram Reels captions generate more engagement? Amanda Wood, Senior Social Marketing Manager at Hootsuite, and her team find …
Does Boosting Instagram Posts Increase Profile Reach And Engagement?
Does boosting your Instagram posts lead to increased profile reach and engagement? This month, Amanda Wood, Senior Social Marketing Manager …
TikTok’s 7-Second Challenge: Performance Insights And Key Learnings
Does TikTok’s 7-second challenge generate more engagement? Hootsuite's Senior Social Marketing Manager and her team seek the answer.
How Do Link Stickers In Instagram Stories Affect Engagement?
How Do Link Stickers In Instagram Stories Affect Engagement? Hootsuite's Senior Social Marketing Manager, Amanda Wood, and her team seek …
