Video for Instagram may only have a couple of weeks under its belt, but many people are all ready putting out some super creative 15 second video clips. A few companies have even jumped on the band wagon, most likely due to the recent popularity of Vine. Video on Instagram gives companies a unique ability to reach out to their followers in a new way. Since this is such a unique way for businesses to get their message out, a unique approach needs to be taken so as not to scare off your loyal followers (and gain new ones!)
Don’t be boring
15 seconds may seem short, but you can still alienate someone in such a short time. Commercials are boring, so don’t just rehash your old campaign, and definitely don’t show a video of your cat sleeping.
Do get creative
Forget posting elaborate, professional video-clips, this is Instagram! Meant to be creative and in the moment, videos on Instagram get much forgiveness when it comes to polish. In order to get those likes then, you’ll need to get the creative juices flowing. Remember those childhood days when all you had was a simple camcorder, the record button, and a couple of cool filters at your disposal? Well, those days are back! Kind of. Use Instagram’s limitations to your advantage.
- Grab an action figure or some play dough and make some stop motion shorts.
- Show your beautiful scenery with some unique angles.
- Make an instructional video related to your biz.
- Show something behind the scenes from your company that wouldn’t get attention otherwise, like what you do for fun on your break or after work. Maybe some office pranks? A quick, simple movie of how you make your product can enlighten your followers to how human you actually are…
Don’t be shaky
It can be hard to hold your camera still, add on top of that all the different cuts in between scenes, and you got your self one headache-inducing 15 seconds.
Do steady your shots
- Set your phone on a ledge for each take.
- Hold your phone with both arms and stretch them all the way out while filming.
Don’t rely on your phone’s flash for proper lighting
A dark, pixelated, murky mess can really bring a video down, and even the best cell phones can easily take a turn for the worse when it comes to lighting conditions.
Do use extra lighting
- Go outside whenever possible to make your video. The best time of the day for filming can be right after sunrise or right before sunset, but bringing your iPhone out to a bright sun anytime of the day can greatly improve the detail of your video.
- Turn on all the lights, just make sure there are none directly behind your subject.
- Use a desk lamp on smaller subjects.
Don’t forget about the comments section
This is an article about video marketing after all, and if you don’t use your comments section to leave a caption for your video, you will be missing out.
Do leave a call to action
Time constraints may make it difficult to have many words in the video itself, but there is no limit to what you can say in your comments section, use care though:
- Ask a question related to your video in your comment, prompting your followers to comment away.
- Think of an original hash tag that will take your viewers to more of your videos and prompt them to make their very own videos related to your business. Take for example Surfer Magazine; at the end of some of their videos, they asked everyone to share some their own surfing photos using the tag #mygreatestride.
Video on Instagram is still a new medium for creative marketers and thinkers, show us your first Instavideo in the comments below and for the notorious doings of Explanatory Videos, please follow us on Instagram @explanatoryvideos
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Marc Lindner
Marc Lindner is a Marketing Consultant here at ExplanatoryVideos.com
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