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Date of Publication: 12 June 2023
Short Format Videos – Importance of Reels & Shorts for Small Businesses & Brands
Small businesses are continuously looking for efficient ways to market their goods and services to a wider audience in the new normal, the modern digital age. In order to reach their target market, businesses now have a wide range of options thanks to the growth of social media platforms. YouTube Shorts and Facebook Reels are two platforms that have recently seen tremendous growth. We’ll explore why small businesses need to concentrate on utilising these short format videos to strengthen their online presence, engage their audience, and eventually increase traffic and conversions in this post.
Anirban Guha
Digital Marketing Expert | Media Strategist | Entrepreneur
Table of Contents
Sayantani’s passion for native tribal art led her to leave her job and travel across India, living with tribal communities to learn about their art and their struggles. She too had her own challenges in face of dwindling financials and lack of support.
But she kept herself motivated and focused on her dream of turning the tribal art forms into a start-up business. All she wanted was exposure. One evening, while waiting for her ride to a railway station she stumbled upon a video that would change her life forever. It was a reel, a short, captivating video showcasing an artist at work. Intrigued, she delved deeper into this social media trend and discovered that these bite-sized videos were taking the world by storm on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
Soon she set up her own to jump on the bandwagon and began creating reels, sharing not just the art but also her journey and the stories of the tribal artists. Her videos started gaining traction, and and followers started poring in. Soon her initiative helped her get all attention she needed from national and international media, art enthusiasts, buyers and investors. The reels took the art scene by storm, transforming her initiative into a sustainable business. Sayantani’s hard work paid off, and she got to live her dream while also helping to uplift the tribal communities she had grown to cherish.
Do you dare to dream, want to share your story, let people know about your business, your ideas, what’s new?
Leverage these bite-sized videos call reels.
Small and medium businesses can leverage the power of reels like what Sayantani had done. Sharing behind the scene stories, how-to-guides, company milestones, stories on the employees and stakeholders, trends, news and more.
If the story sounds fiction then let me put some rationality and perspective to how you can leverage the power of the reels for your business.
The Rise of Short Format Videos - Reels & Shorts
Captivating Attention in a Busy World
Businesses must engage their audience within seconds in the modern era with attention spans getting shorter and all it takes is the swipe of the finger to go to the next. YouTube Shorts and Facebook Reels provide the perfect solution with their short format videos. These platforms enable businesses to convey their message concisely, making it more likely for viewers to engage and take action.
Harnessing the Viral Potential
Both YouTube Shorts and Facebook Reels offer immense potential for content to go viral. With their algorithmic-driven recommendations and extensive user bases, businesses can gain significant exposure for their brand within a short period. Going viral can result in increased brand visibility, wider reach, and enhanced credibility, all of which are essential for small businesses looking to grow their online presence.
Few key statistics that demonstrate the significance of short videos
- Short-form ranks #1 for lead generation and engagement.
- For information on a product or service, 96% of consumers prefer to watch short format videos.
- Nearly 30% of short format videos are watched 81% of the way through
- 85% of marketers believe short format videos to be the most effective tool on social media
- 47% of marketers believe short format videos have a greater chance of becoming viral
- 63% marketers say content related to cultural moments (viz, Mother’s Day, Ganesha Festival or Independence Day) and news stories (viz, Panchyat Election, etc) generates most video engagement
Content Ideas for Short Format Videos - Reels & Shorts
When creating short format videos for brand promotion, it’s important to keep in mind that these videos have a limited time to capture and engage the audience.
Here are some content ideas for short format videos that can effectively promote your brand:
1. Product Demonstrations:
- Showcase your products or services in action.
- Highlight their features, benefits, and how they can solve customers’ problems.
- Keep the demonstration concise and visually appealing.
2. Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peeks:
- Offer an exclusive look into your business or production process.
- This creates a sense of transparency and authenticity, allowing viewers to connect with your brand on a deeper level.
3. Customer Testimonials:
- Share short snippets of satisfied customers expressing their positive experiences with your brand.
- Authentic testimonials build trust and credibility, influencing potential customers to choose your products or services.
4. How-to Guides:
- Create quick tutorials or tips related to your industry or products.
- Provide valuable information that viewers can immediately implement, positioning your brand as a reliable source of expertise.
5. User-Generated Content:
- Encourage your audience to create and share their own content related to your brand.
- Curate the best submissions and feature them in short videos.
- This not only promotes engagement but also fosters a sense of community around your brand.
6. Limited-Time Offers and Promotions:
- Announce exclusive deals, discounts, or upcoming sales in short videos.
- Use eye-catching visuals, compelling copy, and a sense of urgency to encourage viewers to take immediate action.
7. Storytelling:
- Craft short narratives that align with your brand’s values and resonate with your target audience.
- Tell stories that evoke emotions and leave a lasting impression, connecting viewers with your brand on an emotional level.
8. Quick Tips and Hacks:
- Share bite-sized tips, tricks, or life hacks that are relevant to your industry or products.
- These quick and practical insights can attract viewers seeking immediate solutions and position your brand as a helpful resource.
Remember to keep the videos visually appealing, concise, and focused on delivering value. Use captions, subtitles, and engaging visuals to grab attention and convey your message effectively within the short time frame. Additionally, optimize the videos with relevant keywords and hashtags to enhance discoverability and reach a wider audience.
By utilizing these content ideas, you can create short format videos that effectively promote your brand, engage your audience, and drive results.
Facebook & Instagram Reels: The Power of Social Engagement
Leveraging Facebook’s Massive User Base
Facebook (Read Meta), with billions of active users, provides an unparalleled opportunity for businesses to connect with a diverse audience. By utilizing Facebook & Instagram Reels, small businesses and brands can tap into this vast user base and increase their reach exponentially. The ability to create and share engaging Reels allows businesses to grab users’ attention and spark meaningful interactions. Remember the first phase of the flywheel marketing model – attract.
Amplifying Reach Through Sharing & Promotion
One of the remarkable aspects of Facebook & Instagram Reels is the sharing feature. When users come across an intriguing Reel, they can easily share it with their friends and followers, creating a ripple effect of engagement. By crafting compelling and share-worthy content, brands can amplify their reach and attract new followers, expanding their audience organically. Add promotion to it by leveraging the Meta Ads and you can reach more people than almost all the traditional media – newspapers & tv channels put together.
Promoted Reels have the potential to generate higher engagement and interactions. By leveraging advanced targeting options and aligning Reels with the interests of their target audience, businesses can attract more likes, comments, and shares. This heightened engagement not only strengthens the relationship with existing followers but also attracts new users to interact with the brand.
Enhanced Brand Visibility and Awareness
Promoting Reels can significantly enhance brand visibility and awareness. Through strategic promotion techniques such as running targeted ads, and collaborating with influencers, businesses can reach a wider audience and establish a stronger presence. The increased exposure helps build brand recognition and familiarity, laying the foundation for long-term brand loyalty.
Engaging with a Visual-Centric Community
Among Meta Platforms, Instagram has established itself as a platform where visual content thrives. Instagram Reels leverages this visual-centric community and allows brands to express their creativity, share their stories, and connect with their target audience through compelling videos. By embracing Facebook & Instagram Reels, businesses can showcase their products, services, and brand personality in an engaging and authentic manner.
Utilizing Trending Challenges and Hashtags
Reels often revolve around trending challenges and hashtags, providing an excellent opportunity for businesses and brands to ride the wave of popular trends. By participating in relevant challenges and using trending hashtags, businesses can increase their visibility, attract user-generated content, and foster a sense of community around their brand.
Driving Website Traffic and Conversions
A well-crafted and strategically promoted Reel can serve as a powerful tool to drive website traffic and conversions. By including clear calls-to-action and providing valuable information in the Reel, businesses can entice viewers to visit their website, explore their products or services, and ultimately make a purchase or take the desired action. Promoting Reels can significantly increase the chances of driving qualified traffic and boosting conversions.
YouTube Shorts: Unlocking New Possibilities
YouTube Shorts has emerged as a dynamic feature on the popular video-sharing platform, offering exciting opportunities for businesses to connect with their audience in new and engaging ways. In this article, we will explore the advantages of YouTube Shorts and delve into the best strategies for promoting these shorts using Google Ads, empowering businesses to maximize their reach, boost brand visibility, and drive growth.
Advantages of YouTube Shorts
1. Expansive User Base
As the second-largest search engine globally, YouTube provides access to an enormous user base. YouTube Shorts allows businesses to tap into this vast audience and connect with potential customers. By leveraging Shorts, businesses can increase their brand exposure and attract viewers who prefer short, captivating videos.
2. Enhanced Discoverability
YouTube Shorts offers robust discovery features that enable businesses to expand their reach organically. By optimizing Shorts with relevant hashtags, attention-grabbing titles, and engaging descriptions, businesses can improve their discoverability on the platform. This increased exposure can lead to higher traffic, increased visibility, and improved conversion rates.
3. Viral Potential
One of the significant advantages of YouTube Shorts is their viral potential. With Shorts being showcased in the dedicated Shorts shelf and appearing in the Shorts player, there is a higher likelihood of reaching a broader audience. When a Short resonates with viewers, it has the potential to gain significant traction and be shared widely, amplifying brand visibility and attracting new followers.
4. Creative Expression in Bite-sized Format
YouTube Shorts allows businesses to showcase their creativity and convey their brand message in a concise and engaging format. With the time limit of 60 seconds or less, Shorts provide an opportunity to capture the audience’s attention quickly and deliver a compelling message. Businesses can experiment with different storytelling techniques, visual effects, and music to create captivating Shorts that resonate with their target audience.
Promoting YouTube Shorts Using Google Ads
To maximize the impact of YouTube Shorts, businesses can leverage the power of Google Ads to promote their Shorts effectively. Here are some strategies to consider:
1. Create Targeted Campaigns
Set up targeted campaigns on Google Ads specifically for promoting YouTube Shorts. Utilize the available targeting options to reach your desired audience based on demographics, interests, or keywords relevant to your business. Narrowing down your targeting ensures that your Shorts are shown to the most relevant viewers, increasing the chances of engagement and conversions.
2. Utilize Video Discovery Ads
Video Discovery Ads on YouTube can be a powerful tool for promoting your Shorts. These ads appear alongside YouTube search results, related videos, and on the YouTube homepage, offering ample visibility to your Shorts. Craft compelling ad copy, engaging thumbnails, and clear calls-to-action to entice viewers to click on your Shorts and explore more.
3. Leverage In-stream Ads
Consider using In-stream ads, which are skippable video ads that play before, during, or after other YouTube videos. These ads can be an effective way to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. Keep the ad concise, captivating, and aligned with the content of the Shorts to encourage viewers to engage with your brand further.
4. Optimize for Mobile Viewing
Given that Shorts are primarily consumed on mobile devices, ensure that your Shorts and associated ads are optimized for mobile viewing. Make sure the content is visually appealing, the text is legible, and the overall experience is seamless on mobile screens. Mobile-optimized ads have a higher chance of capturing viewers’ attention and driving engagement.
5. Monitor and Optimize Performance
Regularly monitor the performance of your YouTube Shorts ads using Google Ads’ reporting and analytics tools. Analyze metrics such as views, engagement, click-through rates, and conversions to gain insights into what is resonating with your audience. Use this data to refine your targeting, ad creatives, and overall strategy to continuously improve your results.
Did you get it??
...Not Sure!!?*&#
....NO!!
Let me then give you 10 reasons to start Attracting-Engaging-Delighting your customers with short format videos
10 Reasons to Invest in Short Format Videos like Reels and Shorts
Short format videos, such as Reels and Shorts, have taken the digital world by storm, revolutionizing the way businesses engage with their audience. If you’re contemplating whether to invest in this dynamic content format, here are ten compelling reasons that highlight the value and benefits of incorporating short format videos into your marketing strategy.
1. Captivating Attention in Seconds
In today’s fast-paced world, capturing attention is more challenging than ever. Short format videos excel at grabbing viewers’ attention within seconds. With their concise and visually appealing nature, Reels and Shorts have the power to captivate your audience and make a lasting impression, ensuring your message doesn’t get lost in the noise.
2. High Engagement Potential
Short format videos are designed to encourage engagement. Whether it’s through likes, comments, shares, or saves, Reels and Shorts invite viewers to interact with your content. This high level of engagement fosters a sense of connection, increases brand awareness, and boosts your overall online presence.
3. Growing Popularity
Reels and Shorts are experiencing exponential growth in popularity across various social media platforms. Investing in this content format allows you to tap into the rising trend and capitalize on the vast user base actively consuming short videos. By being an early adopter, you can establish your brand as an innovative and forward-thinking presence in your industry.
4. Viral Potential
The viral potential of Reels and Shorts is unparalleled. When a short video strikes a chord with viewers, it has the potential to be shared widely, reaching an extensive audience in a short amount of time. The ability to go viral can significantly increase brand visibility, attract new followers, and open doors to exciting opportunities.
5. Showcasing Authenticity and Creativity
Short format videos offer a platform to showcase your brand’s authenticity and creativity. Whether it’s sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses, showcasing your products in action, or expressing your brand’s personality through storytelling, Reels and Shorts provide an avenue for creative expression that resonates with your audience on a personal level.
6. Easy Production and Accessibility
Creating short format videos is relatively easy and accessible, even for businesses with limited resources. With user-friendly tools and features available on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, you can produce professional-looking videos without the need for extensive equipment or technical expertise. This accessibility allows businesses of all sizes to leverage the power of short format videos.
7. Increasing Mobile Consumption
With the widespread use of smartphones, mobile consumption of digital content is on the rise. Short format videos are perfectly suited for mobile viewing, fitting seamlessly into the vertical orientation of mobile screens. By investing in Reels and Shorts, you can cater to the preferences of mobile users and ensure your content is easily accessible and engaging on their devices.
8. Staying Relevant and Competitive
To stay relevant and competitive in the digital landscape, it’s crucial to adapt to evolving consumer preferences. Short format videos have become a dominant form of content consumption, especially among younger demographics. By investing in Reels and Shorts, you position your brand at the forefront of digital trends and ensure you’re not left behind by your competitors.
9. Versatility and Adaptability
Short format videos offer versatility and adaptability, allowing you to repurpose content and tailor it to different platforms. You can repurpose longer videos, teasers, or snippets of your existing content into engaging Reels and Shorts. This versatility enables you to reach a wider audience across multiple platforms, maximizing the impact of your content.
10. Boosting Brand Recognition and Recall
Consistently creating and sharing short format videos helps reinforce your brand identity, increasing brand recognition and recall. The repetitive exposure to your brand through Reels and Shorts reinforces your messaging, logo, and overall brand aesthetics in the minds of your audience. This familiarity builds trust and loyalty, making it more likely for viewers to choose your brand when making purchasing decisions.
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About the Author - Anirban Guha
Anirban Guha is an MBA graduate from Amity University, Noida. Starting his career with The Times of India Group, he has spent over 16 years in advertising and has been the founder-director of an award-winning digital marketing agency, Tejom Digital for over 6 years. He has worked with some of the top brands in India and beyond. He is an expert in creative design and digital marketing. He is passionate about helping businesses reach their goals. Beside his professional life, Anirban is an avid reader, a movie buff, a passionate gardener, an art enthusiast, and a foodie.