You’ve conquered the Instagram photos, but now it’s time to tackle videos. With an estimated 1 billion users on Instagram, you want to get the best engagement for your time and effort. And video will help you build that engagement as an essential part of your social media strategy. But what type of video?
Instagram has four major types of video options:
- Stories
- Posts
- Live Video
- IGTV
Stories: Instagram Stories is a feature that only has a lifespan of 24 hours, unless you decide to save it to your profile as a highlight, which will then be pinned to the top of your profile with a cover image. These videos can be only 15 seconds, or Instagram breaks them into 15-second segments.
Posts: Posts are published to your feed for people to see on a more permanent basis and can be between three and 60 seconds in length. That means the expectations are higher for a clean cut, purposeful video.
Live Videos: Both stories and posts are pre-recorded options that go through an editing process. However, another option—live videos—are exactly what they sound like. For one-off events or Q&As, you can do live videos that build engagement with your brand.
IGTV: What about long form videos? Instagram has a way to publish them too—IGTV. For videos at least one-minute and up to one hour, IGTV provides an opportunity to do documentaries, interviews, and more (it’s only limited by your creativity).
But how do you build engagement around these different Instagram video types? First, making sure your video is the right specs for the type:
- Stories should be 15 seconds in length in a vertical format.
- Posts should be three to 60 seconds in length in a vertical, horizontal, or square format.
- Live videos should be three to 60 seconds in length in a vertical format.
- IGTV videos should be a minimum of one minute, with differences between phone and computer uploads. From a computer, it can be up to 60 minutes. From a phone, it can be up to 15 minutes.
Once you’ve got the right specs, you need to ask yourself these questions:
- What’s the purpose of this video?
- Is it the right place for the video?
Each video should tell the unique story of your brand, and should have a purpose. If you can answer the purpose of your video, and why it should be on Instagram, then you’re ready to get started with recording (unless it’s live—then you should do the next step first).
If you’re going to do a live video—or your pre-recorded video is ready to go—then you’ve got to tease the audience. Let them know something is coming. For live videos, teasing the when, where, and what will tell people where to tune in. For pre-recorded videos, a teaser will build anticipation.
When you’re posting, it’s important to think about the perception of the video. Use the most engaging piece of the video first; take the time to create subtitles and captions; and think in possible series. Does the video get enough engagement to warrant a series?
If you’re uncertain about where to start, a social media manager like Aliya Hammond Consulting can help put you on the path to success. Contact us for help with creating engaging Instagram content and for all your social media marketing and training needs.
You’ve probably realized by now that Social Media is no longer an option. In fact, it is a vital and highly successful tool for building a business. Aliya Hammond Consulting is an online Digital Marketing, Training, and Consulting Company headquartered in the greater Philadelphia area. We specialize in Social Media Management and Marketing, Social Media Training, Blog Writing, and Graphic Design Services for small and large businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations. If you are looking to improve or increase your online presence, you can rest assured you are in good hands with us. Contact Aliya Hammond Consulting today to find out how we can help your business grow!
