The new marketing tool of Instagram videos: how they work, and how to increase the views you get
Instagram is a great social site. After all, you get to see what your friends are up to, but in a visual format. It is a site that encourages beauty, and so if you are on it and active, there is probably a certain element of fame that you enjoy.
However, it also follows that its visual basis makes it very easy to market different products, much more than other social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook. The site works on picture posts, and recently began to incorporate videos more often. The videos also gain views, similar to pictures, although the mechanism of how they do so is slightly different from picture formats.
How do Instagram videos operate?
When you post a video on your account, every person is able to see it, since it is set to public consumption. However, Instagram will not count the video as having gotten views unless people have viewed it for a minimum of three seconds. In addition, if the video is set to loop, Instagram will not include the loops in its counting.
There is a common opinion that the platform likes to show posts that have high views and engagement levels, because of the algorithm. That also means you can utilize the measurement it uses for views, and use it to increase your own reach. If you want to get Instagram video views for all your posts, here are some tips that can help you maximize it.
Utilize hashtags in your videos
The use of hashtags was common in Twitter, but it spread to Instagram as well. They are useful because they help you attract more followers, increase your own visibility, increase your likes (a very important metric of engagement), as well as enhancing your own engagement with potential followers and customers. All of these will result in greater traffic for your brand, which means you get more business.
However, you cannot simply use any hashtag that comes to mind. They must be selected wisely, and remain popular enough to cover different terms that Instagram users will search, while remaining specific enough for your specific targets.
If you need help in getting proper hashtags for your videos, do not struggle too much in this. Your competitors are the best wealth of information you can get, and you can also use hashtags research tools (these are widely available as well).
All videos that you post are just like regular photos; they allow you to use your creativity and help you stand out. Do not be hesitant to use current hashtags that are popular as well. You have a maximum limit of 30 hashtags, so use them wisely.
Run some Instagram video adverts
This is not accessible for personal accounts, but if you have a business profile, it can give you additional benefits. Among these is the permission to advertise as much as you want. If you consider the number of Instagram users on the site, both daily and monthly, it is very difficult to simply rely on organic content to expand your reach.
That is where paid ad options step in. when you use them, they can help to spread your brand to bigger audiences, which helps to increase your following greatly.
When you use this advertising, it allows you to enjoy the targeting Facebook offers. That means it gives you demographics data, helping you to tailor your ads to the demographic that enjoys your content. It also helps you upload email lists that use lookalike audiences, which are people you have not yet reached but exist. The more people that can see your content, the more followers you get.
Posting your content at optimum times
This is a no-brainer – when you post your videos at optimum times of the day, more people will see your content. This is not a standard timing, as it will depend on the location you are in, the audience you are targeting, the industry you work in, and the service or product you offer.
When setting the time, it is important to put yourself in the shoes of your audience and think about their own mobile behavior. For instance, when do they like checking their phones and catching up on the news of the day? Are they usually busy people for their whole day, or do they have breaks in their day? Are they urban professionals, who check their feeds when heading to work?
After answering these questions, you should examine the engagement metrics, as they will give you the best time of day for you to post to your followers. For instance, if the target market is students in college, then you can consider posting during the middle of the day (like lunch breaks) and later in the night. If your customers are working professionals that are young, then you can put the posts early in the evening as they are heading home, and so on. Examine your engagement and post correctly.
Avoid relying on sound in the videos
Since these videos need to be tapped so that the sound unmutes, make sure that the video can send the intended message clearly without the sound. Elements you can use include eye catching action, beautiful colors, flashes of interesting and engaging text, your brand logo, and many more.
In addition, keep in mind that not everyone will listen to your video, so make sure you keep that in mind.
Do a behind the scenes video
You may not have thought much of it, but this is part of the reason social media is engaging and interesting. Consider doing a behind the scenes video, where you explain how you made the video, and watch your followers increase. You make them feel like they are a part of your process, and make them feel valued – which will increase your sales as well.
Final thoughts
It may be difficult to succeed without a definite plan, but Instagram is a good platform for using videos and photos, and making your brand look interesting. These tips can help you make your content interesting enough for your followers, and create interest from others in your business.
