Video content is king in social content strategy today. Every major social platform now has a dedicated space for scrolling through videos. As marketers, business owners, and individuals, we all have an opportunity to grow our reach through social content optimization. But how do you actually optimize your social content?

Three elements are essential to social video optimization: the purpose, the audio, and the editing.

The Purpose

Start by asking yourself, "What am I hoping, or even asking, viewers to do as they watch this video?" Whatever it is, grab their attention within the first three seconds.

What's the takeaway from this video?

  • More followers on your account?
  • Engagement in the comments?
  • Clicks on the link in your profile bio?

Once you have their attention, you need to build trust. The best way to do that is with content that is well executed and entertaining, so viewers feel they spent their time well by watching your video.

Finally, end with a call to action. Tell viewers exactly what to do now that the video is over.

The Audio

You might think the top trending audio or song is essential to performance, but that isn't necessarily true. The videos that perform best, and the accounts that see the most growth, focus on their voiceovers.

Voiceovers show personality and make videos feel real, relatable, and authentic. There is an art to them, though.

Try not to just describe what's happening on screen. Instead, connect the video to a trending or relatable topic. For example, if your video shows someone using your product, the voiceover could highlight one or two of the product's top benefits and go into depth on them.

The Editing

More clips are almost always better than fewer. Viewers have short attention spans, and quick cuts with multiple angles and viewpoints hold attention much better than one static shot. Social content strategy hinges on holding that attention.

When you're filming, record each b-roll clip for at least 10 to 15 seconds. You can always trim the beginning and end in editing, but you can't add footage you didn't capture.

Purpose, Audio, Editing: Start There

Social content optimization may sound daunting, but breaking your videos down into these three elements is a great place to start. Perfect your purpose, your audio, and your editing, and your social media video marketing will grow with them.