Optimizing Video Marketing: Long-Form on Website, Short-Form on Social Media
Why Longer Videos on Your Website and Shorter Clips on Social Media are the Perfect Duo to Drive Conversions
Learn how to create a winning video marketing strategy that engages your audience, tells a compelling story and drives traffic to your website. With the right approach, you can transform your video content into a powerful tool for building your brand and boosting your bottom line
Video marketing has become an increasingly important component of any digital marketing strategy. Videos allow marketers to engage with their audience in a more immersive and interactive way, convey complex information in a more digestible format, and build a deeper connection with the audience.
But when it comes to video marketing, one size does not fit all. While longer form videos are great for providing in-depth information, they may not perform as well on social media platforms where shorter attention spans are the norm. This is where the combination of longer videos on your website and shorter clips on social media comes into play.
In this blog, we will explore why longer videos on your website and shorter clips on social media are the perfect duo to drive conversions.
At Bennett Creative, we focus on producing video content for clients that serve as an awareness spot in its short form, and a consideration explainer video in its long form.
First things first, a review on the different types of video content – micro-video, short-form, and long-form videos:
Micro-Video - short videos, 10 seconds or less, posted on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. They're designed to engage viewers quickly, fun, quirky, and easy to share.
Short-Form - videos 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length, ideal for social media ads, explainer videos, and marketing campaigns. They introduce products, explain concepts, or highlight customer success stories.
Long-Form - videos longer than 2 minutes used for in-depth content, such as webinars, interviews, and documentaries. Ideal for educational or informative purposes, allowing viewers to explore a topic in-depth.
Why Longer Videos on Your Website?
Longer videos on your website provide an opportunity to convey complex information, tell a story, and build a deeper connection with the audience. They allow viewers to engage with the content in a more in-depth and comprehensive manner. For instance, if you are an e-commerce brand selling technical products, longer videos can be used to explain the features and benefits of the product, and how it can solve the customer's problem. Longer videos can also be used to showcase customer success stories, provide educational content, or give a behind-the-scenes look at the company.
By having longer videos on your website, you provide a valuable resource for your audience. People who are interested in your product or service are more likely to spend time on your website and engage with your brand. Longer videos also help improve your website's search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines like Google favor websites with longer dwell times, meaning the longer a person stays on your website, the better your website ranks on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Why Shorter Clips on Social Media?
On social media platforms, shorter attention spans are the norm, and users are more likely to engage with short and digestible content. This is where shorter clips of longer form videos can be used to drive conversions to your website. Shorter clips are more likely to capture viewers' attention and encourage them to click through to the website for more information.
Shorter clips can be created from the longer form videos that are already on your website. The clips can highlight the most interesting or attention-grabbing parts of the video and provide a quick summary of the content. The clips can be shared on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts also prioritize short form content and are great places to share these clips.
By creating shorter clips, you can create a more cohesive and effective video marketing strategy that reaches a wider audience. Shorter clips also make it easier for viewers to share the content with their friends and followers, which can further increase the reach of the content.
4 Reasons Why Cutting Down Videos Into Clips Drives Conversions To Your Website:
Increased Engagement - One of the main benefits of using video clips is that they are more engaging than longer videos. Attention spans are short, and viewers may not have the time or patience to watch a long video in its entirety. By breaking down longer videos into shorter, more focused clips, you can increase viewer engagement and ensure that your message is getting across. This is particularly important when it comes to social media, where users are more likely to engage with shorter, punchier content.
Improved Accessibility - Shorter video clips are easier to share and distribute across different platforms, such as social media and email. This means that your content is more likely to reach a wider audience, including those who may not have seen the longer, original video. By creating a library of video clips, you can also make it easier for your sales and marketing teams to find and use the right content for different campaigns and channels.
Targeted Messaging - By selecting specific clips from a longer video, you can tailor your messaging to different audiences and marketing channels. For example, you might create a shorter clip that focuses on a specific product or feature, which can be shared on social media or included in a targeted email campaign. This allows you to reach your audience with more targeted and relevant content, which can increase engagement and drive conversions.
Better Analytics - By breaking down longer videos into shorter clips, you can track engagement and conversion rates more effectively. This allows you to identify which clips are resonating with your audience, and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. For example, if you find that one particular video clip is generating a lot of engagement on social media, you might feature it more prominently on your website.
How to Cut Down Longer Videos into Shorter Clips?
Identify the key moments
Review your long-form video and identify the key moments that will resonate with your audience. These could be moments that are particularly informative, emotional, or engaging.
Trim the clips
Use a video editing tool to trim the longer video into shorter clips that highlight the key moments you identified in step 1. Aim to keep the clips between 10 and 60 seconds in length.
Add captions
Many social media users watch videos with the sound off, so it's important to include captions on your video clips. You can use the captions to highlight key points or quotes from the video.
Add branding
Make sure to include your branding on the video clips. This can include your logo or other visual elements that are associated with your brand.
Share on social media
Once you have created your video clips, share them on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Make sure to use relevant hashtags and engage with your audience to encourage conversations and drive conversions.
What platforms prioritize short-form vs long-form video content?
Long-Form Video
YouTube - prioritizes longer-form video content, such as tutorials, webinars, and documentaries. The platform prioritizes videos that keep viewers engaged for longer periods of time and have a high watch time. But with the rise of short-form content, YouTube has started to prioritize short-form content too with YouTube Shorts, as it seeks to compete with other short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
Vimeo - priorities long-form high-quality video content, geared towards professional filmmakers and creatives and is known for hosting video content such as short films, music videos, and documentaries.
LinkedIn - prioritizes long-form video content over short-form content. The platform is primarily focused on professional networking and career development, and its users tend to engage more with longer-form content that provides valuable insights and information. However, LinkedIn also supports short-form video content, and it can be effective when used strategically to promote thought leadership, company culture, or other engaging topics.
Short-Form Video
Instagram - prioritizes short-form video content, particularly with the introduction of features such as Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories. While Instagram does support longer-form video content on IGTV, it is not as heavily prioritized as short-form content.
TikTok - prioritizes short-form video content. Its entire platform is built around creating and sharing short, engaging, and entertaining videos that capture viewers' attention quickly. TikTok's algorithm is designed to promote videos that are highly engaging, frequently viewed, and shared by users.
Twitter - prioritizes short form video content, with a maximum video length of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. However, the platform also allows for longer video content through its live streaming feature and Twitter Amplify, which allows advertisers to promote longer videos on the platform.
Both Long-Form and Short-Form Video
Facebook - prioritizes both long-form and short-form video content, depending on the audience and the purpose of the video. In general, short-form video content tends to perform better on Facebook because it's easier for viewers to consume and share. However, Facebook also supports longer videos and offers tools for creators to monetize their content, such as through ad breaks and fan subscriptions.
Overall, cutting down videos into clips from long-form video content can be an effective strategy to drive conversions to your website. When posting short-form video content, be sure to include a clear call-to-action that encourages viewers to visit your website. As well as engaging with your audience by responding to comments on your video. This helps build relationships with potential customers and encourages them to visit your website.
By following these tips, you can effectively use short form videos to drive conversions to your website from social media platforms!
Don't miss out on the opportunity to boost your video marketing strategy and drive conversions to your website. Contact Bennett Creative today and let us help you create long-form video content and cut it down into shorter clips optimized for social media.
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Andrew Bennett is an award-winning, published, commercial photographer based in Austin, Texas. He has worked with Absolut Vodka, T-Mobile, Brinks, Adobe and 100's of other brands seeking colorful, story-driven content. He and his wife, Dorothy Bennett, are the directors of Bennett Creative, an Austin video, animation, & photography agency.
Follow along @andrewbennettphoto