Video marketing is on the rise and a popular way to get your business noticed on social platforms including Facebook. All social media platforms are encouraging the use of stories and quick videos that give a sense of the user and inspire viewers to learn more. With the increase in video speeds and WIFI availability it has never been easier to watch videos and clips on the go.
Facebook video can be a great marketing tool for your business. It can get your physical therapy brand noticed and offer informative advice to clients and other potential customers. But how do you get your videos off the ground? Here are some tips on how to use Facebook video effectively.
By uploading videos to Facebook directly, you can ensure your videos are played automatically in news feed where they will start to play as soon as people scroll through their Feed. They start off without sound then the sound is turned on once they tap on the video to play it. This means you are more likely to receive views an engagement as viewers have already started to watch your content without having to do a thing. Thinking about this you will want the very start of your video to pull in the viewer from the very beginning, so they click and watch the rest of your content.
The way people view social media is shifting more and more towards mobile devices. So, if you are thinking of marketing your business with video, it is important that it is viewable easily and without issue on mobile phones and tablets. Think about using closed captioning or subtitles when producing your videos so that you still get your message across even when the viewer has their sound turned off. You should also consider the ratio size of the video you are sharing, making sure it fits all screen sizes and content isn’t lost on mobile devices due to a sizing issue. When you share you can preview your video for both desktop and mobile devices so you can see how your video advert will look to those viewing in different modes.
The length of the video you choose will be down to your own business and what you want to get across in the time. However, videos that are between sixty and ninety seconds long usually have the best engagement. With this you need to consider who is watching your videos and why. If it is a pain management video for physical therapy clients, you should keep it to the point but ensure to include enough content to make the video worthwhile and helpful for your customers. You should experiment with your video length to find the right fit for you and use insights to build a bigger picture as to what works for your brand.
As mentioned above, captions can be a great way to engage and keep a viewer even when they are not listening to the sound of have this function switched off. When you share a video on Facebook it is easy to add captions to your videos on page with a function which automatically generates captions in English. You can also add your own custom captions if you want a more tailored approach to what your video says without sound. Compare the marketing results of captioned compared to non-captioned videos and see if that makes a difference to your overall views and engagement. Using keywords that relate to your business and brand is also a top tip to improve organic engagement for your videos.
With so many different videos out there on Facebook, you need to make your video stand out. However good your marketing skills are if the content is not up to scratch then people wont watch or will tune out before the video is finished. Taking the time to create excellent, interesting and informative videos is essential to getting views and engagement with Facebook video. It may be trial and error to find the right format, length and type of video that suits your viewers. But by analysing what works and what doesn’t you will improve your content, viewership and in turn your business conversion. Remembering that content is key is an important factor when using video to promote your business.
When sharing video content, you should always think about the organic shares that can be generated as well as paid advertising. So, tagging other pages, especially those who are involved or feature in the video is a great way to encourage organic views. It also shows that you are not just promoting your brand per say but tagging other brands such as equipment pages or therapists personal pages will increase your credibility too. It gives you a different reach, as if content is shared by the tagged pages, you are reaching their demographic as well as the one specified by your own advertisements and marketing plan. This can filter on to other social media platforms too giving you an even greater audience for your videos.
Of course, when sharing a video for marketing purposes you will want to include a call to action whatever you choose that to be. Perhaps it could be to book and appointment so linking to your bookings page, to direct to patient education or further reading on your website about the topic or simply to learn more about your business and brand on your website. It is important to include this as not only will it generate business which is your marketing goal, but it will also give you an idea of how well your video is working as a marketing too. Measuring your success will help you to build on your marketing strategy for the future.
With each video you post on your page, you will be able to view the metrics associated with that video. These include the number of views the video has received, how many unique video views as opposed to it being viewed over and over by an individual and the average duration people viewed your video for. By analysing these results not only can you see how the video is performing, but you can use the data for producing future videos too. For example, if your viewers don’t tend the watch the whole of the video, perhaps make your next one shorter. You can also compare insights from one video to another to see which style and type of video works best for your business.
If you analyse your page views and which content does better and when, you can calculate the best time to share your videos. Facebook gives you the option to schedule your posts so they can go out and be shared at the optimum time for you. Make sure you share your videos at a time that will be most well received by your followers and the wider audience you have chosen. Scheduling posts gives you that freedom to create the advertisement at a time that suits you but also share it at a time when perhaps you wouldn’t be able to physically do it yourself.
The audience you want to share with will depend on the reason for you using this marketing method. If you want to share content with those already following you, wanting to reach new customers or maybe both. You don’t want to waste your advert time on those who will not be interested so with Facebook you can choose from many demographics and interests which will help to narrow down your target audience. Knowing your target audience and sharing to this group is key to getting the maximum engagement and conversions for each video you share.
When you have decided on the content you are going to upload for your video you can choose a thumbnail image from your video to act as the cover photo. It can be an important image as it will be the first image seen by the viewer even if the videos start to play upon scrolling. You can also upload an image that is not part of your video such as a brand logo or image which includes your business. Choose the best image that showcases your brand and that will optimise engagement from your viewers.
When you create a video, don’t assume it will be seen just because it is on your page. You need to encourage the sharing of your content over all platforms including your website and other social media pages. This is how you get your brand noticed and the more shares that show up on your video the more viewers are likely to share again. So if you are creating great engaging content filled with interesting information your viewers will want to share that with their friends.
As you can see there are many different ways you can use Facebook video to improve your engagements and conversions for your business. Video is a great tool for promoting your brand if you use it in the right way, so following these tips should improve the way you create and share video content on Facebook. You can also use these tips for other social media platforms too.
Do you need some help with your physical therapy website and marketing? Download our Free Evergreen Marketing Blueprint for Physical Therapists and start creating long-term assets that generate new patient bookings for years to come.
