5 Ideas for Creative Facebook Videos

Who doesn’t like a great video? YouTube knows this better than anyone. From babies to cats, amazing physical feats to how to put on makeup, everyone seems to be seeking out and watching these videos. Now Facebook has grabbed onto the video idea, but in a different manner — in your News Feed. So even if you are not looking, you’ll see video from your friends, advertisers and news outlets. And what’s really cool is they start to play when you get near them ... but without sound. Then simply click on the video to hear the sound. Most likely, you know this already. The question is have you USED video yet? Have you uploaded any videos? Do you have any to upload? This leads to random idea No. 1 ... 1. Create a Video From Pictures Okay, we’re not all videographers. Nor do we know a videographer. Or maybe can’t quite afford one now. So how can you take advantage of video on Facebook? Use a slide show! Creating a video slide show is very simple. Choose “Share a photo or video” when you go to your page. Then choose “Create Slideshow” and have three to 10 photos ready for upload. Just remember one thing: They will be automatically cropped to a video size and proportion. Next, you’ll choose the duration each photo stays on screen and if you want them to fade or cut from picture to picture. You can also rearrange the order of photos, too. The last step: Add music. You can choose from selections Facebook has or upload your own. (Just remember, you must have rights to any music. No uploading your favorite Stones, Sting or Ed Sheeran songs.) The good news is there’s lots of “rights-free” music on the Internet. Then all you do is hit “Create Video” and once it’s ready, Facebook emails you. Viola! You now have a video on Facebook. You can use this for products, real estate, entertainment or just about anything where up to 10 photos will get your message across. [caption id="attachment_64371" align="aligncenter" width="491"] This slideshow video created for Sleep Woodstock Motel was made from 10 photos and a Facebook music selection[/caption] 2. Add Text to the Beginning of Your Video Wait, it’s a video. Why would I want to add text to it? The simple answer is there’s no sound unless someone clicks on the video. If you want them to get your message right from the start, add text. This could be the difference between zooming past it or actually clicking on it. Camtasia used text in its video very effectively below. 3. Use CTAs IN Newsfeed Videos Make sure to add a call to action (CTA) to your Facebook video. Make it easy for the viewer by taking them to a Web page where they can learn more, watch more or even buy. Examples for the CTAs include: Book Now, Learn More, Sign Up, Download, Watch More, Shop Now and as the MasterCard video below uses very effectively, Apply Now. Choose your CTA wisely as your selection can help or hurt your engagement and clickthrough rates. 4. Use the Cover Image 'Watch Video' CTA Your cover image can become a powerful tool to feature a video. If you’re introducing a new product, promoting an upcoming event or featuring a new service, the Facebook CTA button on your cover image brings powerful attention to a video hosted on a micro-page or website. HGTV teamed up with Ellen for a design challenge. The cover image CTA button takes viewers to the video on their website. 5. Embed Facebook Videos in Blog Posts and Websites Just like YouTube, Facebook videos have an embed code that you can use to post your video in your blog or on a Web page. When visitors go to this link, they’ll not only see the video, they’ll see all of the comments and interactions on the post, too. To get the embed code, go to the full video and look for the three dots in the upper left. Click on them and choose “Embed Code.” You’ll see the window below with the embed code. You can copy it and embed away. A Few Tips For Video Here are some general tips for any video, not just on Facebook: Keep It Short. No longer than two minutes, but shorter is better. You might want to test length to see how short or long you can keep it without affecting results. Look Professional. Use tight editing and good lighting in the video. To learn more on how to shoot your own, Wistia has great training videos that are a must-watch, even if you hire a pro. Have Movement Right Away. This will attract the attention of people who have Autoplay. Choose a Good Thumbnail. Make sure when setting up the video that you choose an interesting and engaging thumbnail preview — the screen seen before the video starts. If you’d like a few more Facebook-specific tips, Social Media Examiner has a great Facebook video you should watch. Facebook Has Figured It Out I’ve never been a big fan of Facebook’s UI and it’s lack of thought toward businesses. But it seems they’ve turned the corner and are now making the tools easier. This is especially true with video. With Facebook’s recent announcement that people are posting 75 percent more videos to Facebook than a year ago — and U.S users are posting even more, at 94 percent —video is taking over your News Feed. A Socialbakers article, "Facebook Video is Now Bigger Than YouTube for Brands," reported that brands are now uploading more videos to Facebook than to YouTube. Even more importantly, Facebook videos are getting greater engagement than YouTube. The bottom line: Lights, camera, take action! Start developing and testing a video strategy on Facebook.

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5 Ideas for Creative Facebook Videos

Patrick Fultz

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Patrick Fultz