What are Instagram Video Formats?
Over the last couple of years, Instagram video formats have become increasingly popular and crucial to content development. Instagram currently ranks as the second-largest social media platform, making it a great tool for businesses to reach and connect with their audience. Currently, the platform offers four different formats of video content including Stories, Instagram Videos, Live, and Reels.
Video content is rising in popularity as seen through Tik Tok, and now Instagram offers features similar in order to engage with younger demographics. The use of Instagram video formats not only helps to show off products in action but also helps form a deeper relationship with consumers as they promote brand trust. In order to best utilize the video features for your account consider the strengths of each format and which will work best for you.
Instagram Stories
Instagram stories are considered ephemeral content, meaning it is a visual content that only lasts for a set period of time. This type of content has been growing in popularity as seen on many other platforms as well. Instagram stories allow your audience to get a real feel for the brand. They are captured at the moment and do not have the polished feel that normal posts do.
This type of content can help build trust with consumers as it provides a real, inside look at the brand to which the audience can connect. You may want to utilize this format for showing snippets of an event or day in the life of your company. Stories also have features that allow viewers to engage with the content. This includes voting in polls, responding to questions and even a swipe-up feature to be taken to a website.
Instagram Video
Instagram videos show up on your profile under the new ‘videos’ tab. These videos can show up to an hour’s worth of content. When utilizing these videos make sure the first couple of seconds are engaging in order to keep your audience watching when it shows up on their feed. You can also make a 60-second trailer for this format of video showcasing what to expect when watching the video and to entice the audience to keep watching.
Instagram Live
Instagram Live gives businesses the opportunity to broadcast to their audience in real-time. This live stream can be beneficial for showcasing events, product launches, product reviews, tours, etc. Like stories, live video allows you to be authentic and engage with viewers.
Through audience comments, you can have a genuine conversation with the consumer. Sharing live content does come with risks, but preparing what you will talk about beforehand can help mitigate these risks. Adding an element of storytelling to your Live can help create a connection to your brand for the audience.
Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels take on a similar format to Tik Tok, using a vertical-video layout. These videos can range from 15-30 seconds and can be made of multiple clips edited together. Trending effects and music can also be incorporated to have a better chance of reaching a wider audience. This video format will show up in the ‘Reels’ tab on your profile and they can be found on the explore page.
Instagram can be overwhelming, but only if you let it!
For those who may not be up to date on every social media platform capability, do not fret! With the constant development of these tools, it would nearly impossible for everyone to always know what is happening in the social media space. Instagram is a tool that you can use to amplify your social media strategy.
As stated before, by utilizing Instagram video formats you are connecting with your target audience and building more transparency between you and your consumer. That does not go to say you have to drive yourself crazy trying to use each offering of Instagram, but you can pick and choose which tools will complement your business best. Down below you will find a resource that breaks down each resource and how to use it!
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