Is this surprising or predictable?
5 Tips You Need to Make Your YouTube Videos Better, a recent post, is one of my highest-performing posts this year.
Considering the current trend of presenting information in video format, the results should not surprise you.
Are you interested in video production? YouTube is one of the best social media platforms for videos. Maybe you are interested but not sure you want to use YouTube. Guest author Arpin Gajjar analyzes the strengths of four of the best social media platforms for videos.
After reading this post, you will be able to compare the strengths and weaknesses of YouTube with the strengths and weaknesses of Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. All four are considered the best social media platforms for videos today.
How to Decide Between Social Media Platforms for Videos
By Arpin Gajjar
2016 was the year of the video. Facebook’s live video came into its own; Instagram allowed videos to be a minute long, and a whole host of video-focused features was launched across the social media jungle. The start of 2017 has seen consolidation in this direction. Facebook launched Messenger Day to compete with Snapchat Stories, while YouTube allowed its biggest content creators to stream their content live on mobile.
The verdict is still out on how the story of videos online will unfold. A lot of experts are predicting the demise of Snapchat, given the slowed-down growth of the platform ever since Instagram launched its own version of stories. While that may or may not turn out to be prophecy, if you are a brand, you will do well to have a focused video strategy than just throwing your money at just about everything. “Video for all platforms” is not a strategy that is going to work anymore. Every platform attracts a certain type of audience and is fit for a certain type of content. As users get tired of being bombarded with the same kind of content everywhere, eventually, they will start to expect content that is in tune with the platform that they are browsing. That’s where the importance of choosing the right social media platform for your video strategy comes in.
Pros and cons of top video platforms
YouTube
Geared towards: The video giant does not have your modern social media beginnings. It began as a community and that’s what it still is. The most successful YouTube content creators have been the ones that have managed to create a strong community around their content. Typically, the platform is geared towards long-form content. Think explainer videos, analytical content, or even purely entertaining content that has a fleshed out story.
Perfect for: The video platform is perfect for brands who are looking to build a community. It is also great if you want to understand your audience a lot better since YouTube has in-depth analytics that content creators can leverage.
Not great for: Brands that have a video strategy based on breaking trends. The ranking algorithm of YouTube is a little slow for that to work.
Geared towards: With the launch of Stories and increasing video limit to one minute, Instagram focussed on live content, much like its big daddy Facebook. The content is less produced and more impromptu here. Since the platform is very recent and has a longer learning curve compared to something like a Facebook or YouTube, it primarily attracts a young audience (read millennials).
Perfect for: Instagram is perfect for brands that want to show their human side and want to target millennials. It is especially brilliant for engaging fans with behind-the-scenes footage.
Not great for: Brands that are creating long-form content.
Geared towards: Unlike YouTube, where you can search for video content, Facebook is geared towards content discovery for viewers. The social media giant shows videos in a person’s feed depending on his past browsing history. The idea of virality is in-built on Facebook, given that it works on the ripple effect. Live videos also work particularly well here.
Perfect for: Brands that want to increase their reach via potentially viral content or live videos. The platform has particularly attracted a lot of music festivals and musicians due to its live streaming capabilities.
Not great for: Brands who are looking for more engagement and building a fan base. Facebook is ideal for increasing your reach, not so much for building a strong community.
Snapchat
Geared towards: Young audience between the ages of 16 and 25 form the majority of Snapchat users. Like Instagram, Snapchat too has impromptu, no-frills content that looks more real.
Perfect for: Brands that want to target younger audiences and give them a peek into what happens behind closed doors. The platform has especially worked well for artists.
Not great for: Brands that want deeper insights into their audience. Snapchat is limited by way of metrics and data.
It is important that you select a platform that is most aligned with your video strategy. It is going to get really crowded, so only brands that pay heed to users’ intentions and personal space are going to get ahead. For instance, there is no point posting a socially-conscious video on Snapchat. It just won’t work.
About Author
Arpin Gajjar is a Digital Marketing Specialist at Bonoboz which is a dedicated digital marketing company based in India that enhances brand’s and individual’s online presence. We cover search experience optimization, social media management services, web designing and web development services. Our astute experience of scaling business digitally and socially with accurate profitable execution can help enterprises and brands strengthen their online potential. Find Me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Reader, please share so other vloggers know the advantages and disadvantages of using each of these social media sites for videos. They are all considered among the best social media sites for videos but each has different strengths and weaknesses depending on your goals.
Are you planning on using videos? Which site will you pick? Are you already using videos? Which site are you using? Would you recommend it to other vloggers?
I look forward to your answers in the comments section.
Related Posts:
How to Use YouTube to be a Better Blogger
Your Blog Needs Video Content: Here’s Why
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