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People like to be engaged with the content they consume, and videos are the king of engagement. Video marketing is becoming increasingly important as video-based platforms rise in popularity and younger generations turn to videos for information and advertisements. Some recent studies even state that a significant portion of Gen-Z prefers to see ads in short-form video format.
As a marketer, you likely already know that one of the best ways to capture your audience’s attention and grow your business is with entertaining, informative, high-quality, and easily digestible video content. In this article, we will talk about the best video marketing channels and how they can help you grow your business.
Must-Use Video Marketing Channels
Thankfully, we aren’t lacking in popular platforms to upload content on. However, some platforms remain superior to others, and below, we will be talking about which platform you should use depending on your end goal and what kind of videos you want to create.
Best for Long Form Videos
YouTube
When it comes to long-form videos, YouTube remains the leader. Unlike many other platforms which come and go, YouTube has maintained its popularity over several decades, meaning it’s impossible to talk about video marketing without including this platform.
YouTube remains your best bet if you’re looking to create longer-form videos, like Q+A sessions, behind-the-scenes videos, and product demos. Along with that, studies show that it is a high-platform performing platform when it comes to ROI and it provides higher ROI than television ads in 80% of cases. Additionally, YouTube has a large base of active users that can be targeted using advanced ad targeting.
Instagram also has a high ROI for video marketing and performs well with lead generation and engagement, which means that spending the time to post your video content on this platform will pay off! Additionally, Instagram is a great platform for increasing brand awareness, building a community around your business, and nurturing brand loyalty.
Best for Short-Form Videos
TikTok
Over the last few years, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media applications out there. In 2022, TikTok has an astonishing 1 billion monthly active users. Up until this year, many marketers dismissed TikTok and saw it only as a children’s platform for dancing and lip-synching. However, this has quickly changed, and now TikTok is considered to be one of the best platforms for creating engaging content.
TikTok is also one of the top performers when it comes to ROI and engagement, and numbers show that people spend more time on TikTok on average than on any other social media platform. This means its user base is undoubtedly engaged! TikTok is expected to continue gaining popularity as more age groups use the platform, so dedicating your efforts to creating TikTok video content isn’t a bad idea.
Instagram Reels
When TikTok started gaining popularity, Instagram decided to develop its own short-form video feature called Reels. Reels are similar to TikTok videos, as they give users all the same functionalities and enable them to create engaging short-form content.
One major benefit of Reels is discoverability, as Reel videos appear on IG’s explore page and are thus able to reach a much wider user base. Along with that, Instagram is currently heavily promoting this new content form, which makes Reel videos virtually impossible to escape from if you’re an IG user.
Best for Live Videos
YouTube Live
In order to give an alternative to Twitch, YouTube created its own platform for live videos, and it's a great option if you want to participate in some live conversations with your audience. The platform is quickly getting more and more features that enable you to easily engage with your audience and monetize your live streams, if appropriate.
Instagram Live
According to Earthweb, “among the 28% [of] live social media viewers, 13% watch Instagram Live.” In other words, Instagram Live is one of the most popular live-streaming platforms. IG live allows you to stream from anywhere in the world, and it enables you to invite guests and have live chats with them. The best thing about Instagram live is that it notifies all your followers that you’re going live, so everyone knows they can join the video immediately.
Other Places to Share Videos
Along with using those platforms, you can use other resources such as your website, blog, or your Twitter and Facebook account to share the video content you’ve created and make it more popular amongst people who may not otherwise get to enjoy it on platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
In Conclusion
Video marketing is a terrific way to connect with your audience, get more reach, grow engagement, and build brand loyalty. Knowing which platforms to use depending on what kind of videos you want to create will allow your content to perform better and help your business grow.
