Which platform is best for video? Facebook or YouTube?
Would it surprise you to learn that 1/3 of time spent on line is viewing videos?
- 82% of Twitter users watch video content on Twitter
- YouTube has over a billion users, almost one-third of total internet users.
- 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week.
- More than 500 million hours of videos are watched on YouTube each day.
- More video content is uploaded in 30 days than the major U.S. television networks have created in 30 years.
- 87% of online marketers use video content.
- 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
- Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
- Sixty-four percent of consumers make a purchase after watching branded social videos (via TubularInsights).
- 59% of executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic, they are more likely to choose video.
- Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined.
There's no question that video ads continue to be popular. Whether you are demonstrating a product, describing a service or just driving traffic to your website, it matters where you place your video. Many advertisers test all types of social platforms, with the top 2 being Facebook and YouTube. Recently,
Social Media Examiner
announced that they would no longer be placing their video series on Facebook; they found that although the viewing audience was smaller on YouTube, more of their viewers watched the entire video on YouTube.
Which one is right for you? This info may help you decide (stats from
Wordstream
):
Video on Facebook
:
If you're going to use Facebook:
- Choose an engaging title that will draw in the viewer (but make sure it accurately describes the content - no baiting and switching!!)
- Keep it short. Although a current format is 60 seconds, that's probably too long to be fully viewed on Facebook.
- Add copy and subtitles that will let the viewer understand the video even without sound.
- Have a purpose; make it engaging. No pauses or slower movement. Pack content into every second.
- Bonus! Link the viewer to your website and include a special offer, discount, something free with purchase or other "bonus" that rewards the viewer for buying.
Video on YouTube:
If you're going to use YouTube:
- Make sure your title includes appropriate key words. YouTube is also a search engine.
- Longer videos make more sense on YouTube than Facebook, but make sure to grab the viewer in the first few seconds (according to above stats, 20% leave in the first 10 seconds)
- Keep in mind that about half of your audience is viewing your video on a mobile device.
- Also use subtitles and text here in case the viewer is not using sound.
Video does not have to be expensive. While professionally shot videos may be appropriate for national brands, self-recorded videos are also highly effective, especially when demonstrating products.
Viewers retain 95% of the message when viewed on video vs. 10% retention when reading content. Test video ads and join the 87% of marketers that are using video to increase revenue as well as return on investment!
Next month: top apps for creating your own videos!
