New Year, New Marketing Content Strategy
It’s 2020, a chance at new beginnings and ways to achieve them. What better way to give your business a start in the right direction than to strategize about getting your message out there? We live in the Information Age, a time when it is easier than ever to give your business a voice. And one of the best ways to do that is by using a video platform.
We have already covered how YouTube advertising works, how much revenue it makes and what sort of marketing campaign it is best suited for. There are two more major platforms that use video as content creation or social media advertising, Instagram and Facebook. But how effective are they compared to other platforms? What strategies are best for them? This week, we are covering Instagram.
Just like YouTube, there are over 1 Billion monthly active users. So far, so good. But it changes when you realize where those users come from and just how engaged they are with the content in front of their faces. According to Hootsuite, ” 63% of users log in once per day. Also, 89% of those users are outside the United States.” This emphasizes that not only the user base is active, but it is also global. Already, we see that this is a different platform from YouTube, who consistently compartmentalizes who views what content based on geographic location and language barriers.
How Instagram Video Works, and Who Watches It
So, what is the video marketing format for Instagram? What makes them accessible to that global audience and who makes up that audience in the first place? A typical Instagram video has a maximum length of 15 seconds. This means that any content that people make with that platform needs to be fun, quick, and easy for users to follow. The platform is strictly tailored to mobile phone users. This creates a fast-paced format with a “Show Don’t Tell” approach to marketing. Ads that meander and brands with no telltale identity or message will see less success compared to ones that are to the point.
This is most likely why it is great for internet users with short attention spans. It is also less intrusive than the advertising method used by YouTube videos. A 15-second video format with the explicit intention of presenting an advertisement is just easier to garner audience reception. Especially against a message smack in the middle of other content that can last up to 10 minutes long.
This means that the target demographic is the people that use mobile phones the most, Generation Z. Over half the average Instagram user base is between ages 18-29 years old. They are the Digital Natives, a generation unafraid of shopping or doing anything online. There is also a mix of both men and women on Instagram with a 2% split difference. This group of people combined with the accessibility of mobile devices creates an era of unprecedented e-commerce. And it is done through pictures and video advertising on Instagram.
Which Businesses Work Best on Instagram
Given what we know about the platform and the target demographic, the best strategy is a basic mass marketing campaign of an already recognized brand. The quick nature of the video content does not have enough time for explanation or introduction towards something new. But it is great for mass awareness of something that needs no introduction. Especially if it is a brand that is known for meeting the specific needs of a young adult. But what are those needs? What businesses are more likely to prosper under the Instagram umbrella of video marketing platforms?
Businesses that see the most amount of money are typically a combination of both customizable goods and services. Because most Instagram users are part of the Gen Z demographic, the platform often reflects and caters to that. The prevailing attitude of most people on Instagram running on the logic of, “If I need this stuff anyway, I might as well buy something that I know will fit my standards. ” So, instead of creating a strict line between needs and wants, there is a merging of the two. Meaning that the brands that succeed on Instagram not only address the needs of the user but also the user’s personal taste.
So if you want to get an Instagram Video Marketing Strategy out the gate successfully you will need these things:
- A strong business identity, preferably one that already has a customer base
- A clear and concise message
- A mobile-friendly sales page online for people to go to after they watch your video.
If you have these three things, then Instagram might be the video marketing platform that you go to. However, if you are struggling to find identity, or maybe don’t have an online sales page, save video advertising for your business until you get those things. Because there is no sense on using a tool that makes it harder for yourself than it already is.