Standard text posts are a thing of the past. Almost every social media post now contains an image or video. The goal is to catch attention with the image or video and get the person scrolling to stop and look at your content. To catch that attention, should you use an image or a video?
The short answer is both. Videos and images should be used to help you achieve your social media marketing goals. Each one has its own advantages and uses for certain scenarios. For either a video or image to perform well, you need a social media marketing strategy.
Let’s explore the benefits of using a video versus an image on social media.
Social Media Benefits of Video
Video is quickly becoming the preferred content on social media platforms. Facebook users watch 100 million hours of video on Facebook every day.
There are several reasons video content performs so well. Videos are easily digestible, so you can deliver a lot of information in a short amount of time. If you asked someone to read and absorb the same information, it may take much longer.
Video is more engaging than other types of content, especially if you keep the length under two minutes. Plus, videos give you more time to attract and retain viewers’ attention. Viewers typically decide in 10 seconds or less if they will watch or not.
Videos also have a longer “shelf life” than images. Videos can be used on multiple platforms, where images tend to be made for specific uses and may only be used on social media. The same video produced for social media can live on your website, be sent out in newsletters, posted on YouTube, or embedded in a blog.
If videos perform better, why isn’t everyone using them? Videos tend to take more time to plan, shoot, and edit. It’s easier and less time consuming to make an image - unless you’re working with the right partner.
Is the extra time, planning, and money worth it? When you consider how video can be used on so many different platforms and how well it works, the investment is worth it. If you’re not convinced yet, check out these resources: Video Marketing Statistics that Deserve Attention and Driving Digital Engagement with Video.
Social Media Benefits of Images
While it may seem like videos are the way to go on social media, images can still grab a viewer’s eye and get them engaged.
Images are easily scannable, giving a viewer time to look at it quickly without spending time watching a video. With images, a viewer typically decides within three seconds if they’re going to click or read for more information, so you want to make sure it’s interesting.
Images are easier to produce than videos. If you involve a graphic designer, images may take more time to develop, but there is a wide selection of high-quality stock photos on the internet to get started.
Both videos and images can enhance your social media strategy. If you focus on a variety of content and place the priority on serving your customers, your social media strategy will succeed. To build your strategy, talk to the experts at Lucie Content. We’d love to discuss how we can help you create your news.