Video marketing on social media is here to stay.
In fact, over three billion internet users reported watching or downloading a video at least once a month in 2020. That number is projected to increase to three and a half billion by 2023. Yup, we’re gasping too.
And with an online usage reach of over 90%, integrating video marketing into your brand strategy is a no-brainer.
But here’s the deal with video … it has to be good.
You could record 100 videos a day. But if they don’t align with your ideal customer, lack engagement, or don’t add value — it'd be a waste of time.
That’s why it’s crucial to be aware of the hurdles that can impede your success with video marketing on social media.
If you’re ready to uplevel your game, stick around to learn five challenges of video marketing on social media to watch out for.
Ready to learn what they are?
Let’s begin.
PS: Wanna skip the “what not to dos” and go straight to learning how to make awesome videos? Then you’ll love our video below called 7 Secrets to Making Super-Successful Videos.
1. Trend fails
It might be tempting to jump on every trend that comes your way. But following trends for the heck of it isn’t a healthy strategy.
So, how can you know which trends to capitalize on and which ones to ditch?
The answer is simple.
It honestly doesn’t matter which trends you follow. What matters is providing value.
Creating video content that adds value to your specific target audience is critical to producing videos that help increase brand awareness and build trust.
For instance, if you have an online game store that sells PC game keys, then be sure to dig into audience insights to see what kind of content strikes them most.
In this example, you might find that your audience gobbles up gameplays, game reviews, and game streams hosted by influencers.
Whatever the case may be, understanding your audience is the first step to producing videos with them in mind.
2. Audience personalization
And speaking of creating videos with your audience in mind, personalization is pivotal to producing content that converts.
But it’s not always easy, is it? With thousands of marketing gurus spitting out different advice, how can you know what real personalization looks like?
We recommend staying focused on your audience’s needs, core values, pain points, messaging style, and personal preferences.
For instance, if you sell CMDB software to healthcare businesses, you might:
- Highlight common healthcare industry pain points and how to solve them
- Touch on your audience’s core values and how they relate to your company’s values
- Use common healthcare terms and positioning in your messaging style
3. TikTok videos omitted from Instagram feeds
If you love using TikTok for video marketing, we don’t blame you.
In fact, the social video app reported 1 billion monthly active users worldwide in September 2021, making it one of the largest social networks worldwide.
But if you’re going to repurpose TikTok videos on Instagram, be careful.
While Instagram might not remove videos with TikTok logos (yet), it will omit them from the feed.
In other words, the only way your audience will see your videos is if they head to your Instagram profile to find your content.
The solution? Remove the watermark before posting your TikTok videos on Instagram stories.
And speaking of TikTok, did you know that the social media app isn’t available to audiences in India?
That’s right. If you have an audience based in India, they won’t have access to your TikTok content — so make sure to have plenty of native Instagram video content to show them instead.
4. Poor repurposing
While it’s easy to copy and paste the same video from one platform to another, that doesn’t mean you should.
Repurposing content is a strategic way to make the most of your marketing efforts, but you have to do it right.
The easiest way to repurpose content without sacrificing quality? Make sure it feels native to every platform you're repurposing it on.
In other words, pay attention to sizing requirements, image ratios, and other production guidelines every social media channel has.
Make sure the video you’re repurposing meets all of the requirements and looks like it was produced specifically for the platform you’re publishing it on. Utilize customized cover art and thumbnails for each medium and A/B test different styles. Try out different design templates to see what your different social media audiences respond to more.
5. Production quality challenges
There’s nothing that kills a video’s spirit more than production quality issues.
Shaky cam? Static? Grainy images? They’re enough to turn any viewer away.
That’s why it’s critical to produce videos like a pro.
To produce videos your audience will look forward to digesting, keep an eye out for the following production challenges:
- Technical issues: Be sure to test your equipment before recording. Never publish a video that has tech issues unless you can edit them out.
- Poor lighting: Use a natural light source and/or a ring light to keep your subject visible.
- Distracting backgrounds: Keep your backgrounds clean and free of distractions.
- Noise: Avoid shooting outside or near loud noises.
- Poor video equipment: You don’t need the best, but you shouldn’t buy the worst. Make sure your equipment is up-to-date and produces clear and crisp videos.
- Choosing the wrong music: You must be careful when using music in your videos to avoid legal troubles. For this, you can rely on royalty-free music to create captivating videos.
- Choppy transitions and jump cuts: Practice recording smooth transitions from the get-go to avoid editing nightmares.
- Voice cut-offs: Never stop a video or start a transition if your subject is still speaking.
- Missing or bleeding text: Make sure all video text and captions stay within the frame. You may have to adjust your text margins for every social channel.
Wrap up
And that’s it for today! We hope these five social media video marketing challenges have inspired you to uplevel your production efforts.
Remember, as long as you focus on delivering value, personalizing your videos, producing native content, and keeping an eye out for common production challenges, you’ll create videos your audience can’t get enough of.
PS: Need help scripting, recording, and styling your videos? Then you’ll love BigVu. Try it out for free, today.
Author Bio: Shane Barker
Shane Barker is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing, content marketing, and SEO. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Content Solutions, a digital marketing agency. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.
