Top Three Ways To Use Video In Your Facebook Marketing Strategy

Are you considering implementing video in your Facebook marketing strategy? Here are the top three ways to use video and ignite your Facebook strategy plan...

Are you considering implementing video in your Facebook marketing strategy?

If you are consistently evaluating your Facebook marketing strategy template, you are not alone, and you are headed in the right direction!

Focusing only on the impact of video, here are some statistics that should raise your eyebrows:

• Video will account for 80% of Internet traffic by 2019 (Cisco Systems)
• Video is expected to drive 80% of total global Internet traffic in 2020 (Cisco)
• 66% of marketers say B2B video generated good quality leads (BrainShark)
• 92% of B2B marketers use video for demand generation (BrainShark)
• Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined (Brightcove)
• In 2016 there were 8 billion Facebook video views per day (Facebook)
• In Q3 2016, 3 million small business posted a video on Facebook (Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO)

Also consider, including a video on a landing page can increase conversion by 80%.

Facebook is usually part of any social media marketing strategy.  Based on the above numbers, video seems like a good way to go with your Facebook marketing strategy, right?

This article will help you understand more about video opportunities on Facebook via:

• Facebook Live
• Facebook Stories
• Promotional & Edited Video (organic uploads)

While Facebook is a constantly changing social landscape, at time of publish those are the top three ways to use video in your Facebook marketing strategy.

Let's go through each in a bit more detail...

Facebook Live

A popular Facebook video feature.  Many popular brands and public figures have actively used Facebook Live in their Facebook marketing strategy.  Some of the reasons they like it:

• Fans and connections get a notification when they "go live"
• It is a way to really connect with fans and followers
• Live can be used at any time for any length of time
• Facebook Live videos can be saved, re-purposed, and embedded on blogs and websites

Did you know people will view live Facebook video five times longer than any other type of post?

Here, Food Network goes live showing Facebook fans how to make Cotton Candy Ube-Bae Bar:

As you can see, fans can ask questions and comment during the Live presentation.

Facebook Marketing Strategy Tip: Brands and public figures that do use Facebook Live have the opportunity to be found on the map of Facebook Live Video happening at any moment every day.  Facebook users can easily access the map with visual locator on their Home screen on the left side bar.  Commenting on live videos could be an effective Facebook marketing strategy for small business, as it allows geo-targeting -- Connecting on a local level.

Facebook marketers are waiting with much anticipation for the 2-person Live feature.  Until then, some have turned to platforms like BeLive.tv that offers this function with cool display features.

An example:

We talked about finding Technology's Moral Compass - Watch and listen if you like.

Facebook's strategy is to ramp up options for this feature.  They are currently testing the 2-person Live feature with select users, so look to see that released to more people by the end of 2017.

Facebook Stories

One of the newest marketing tools on Facebook - Think of Facebook Stories as "quick real time" video on Facebook.

For Facebook users, this is a fun way to share slices of your life with your friends.  For business owners and public figures, Facebook Stories is a way to nurture relationships and optimize the know/like/trust factor with your fans and followers.  Ideas for Facebook Stories:

• Sneak peeks of projects
• Experiences at events you attend
• Quick words of enthusiasm from team members
• Industry and niche tips

Your canvas is limitless!

You access Facebook Stories at the top of your Facebook mobile app Home screen:

To add a video story, you click the camera at the upper left, choose the video option, and hold the button down at the bottom of the screen to record.  Choose any frames, filters, etc. beforehand.

Facebook will take you through the choices of publishing.  You can opt to post a story and also post to your profile.  However, Stories offers you a way to separate and vary content.  So, you might only post to both Stories and your profile when it is something important or time sensitive.

Here is an example of a video story I posted to Facebook Stories and my personal profile:

This was my last post before we headed into a webinar, so making it available in as many places as possible was important.

The effect is potentially a larger audience since some may only look up at the top of their home screen, while others might get a notification that I posted something to my profile and click to head straight there.  It is a good bet only a small segment of your connections will check both.

Again, more eyeballs are better, but varying content and opportunities to view is also essential for intrigue and engagement.

Facebook Marketing Strategy Tip: Facebook Stories are new, and not every user has access to them yet.  However, they will in time.  Starting to use this now will ensure you are placed well as more Facebook users have access.  Plus, you have an additional way to educate and entertain your fans and followers.  Those that utilize Facebook Stories will - literally - Rise above the noise on the Facebook Platform (something that is harder and harder to do).

Here's a Quick Guide To Facebook Stories for more details on functions and using filters.  For those that need to work up to video, Facebook Stories will also allow you to take and share photos.

Organic Video Uploads

Many times these will be promotional or edited videos.  But this can easily be something you record on your laptop or mobile device and upload to Facebook.

While live video will be most advantageous for gaining visibility in the news feed for Facebook Pages, organically uploaded video is your second best choice.  Facebook does give priority to organically uploaded video in the news feed.  Especially longer video that is quality oriented and offers value to the viewer.  If you can hold fans' attention for five minutes, this would be a productive effort for your brand.

Here is an example from the Simplilearn video library on Facebook:

Watch the video: How Social Media Impacted Super Bowl 51

Keep in mind that as Facebook heads into their Facebook TV project, launching in June 2017, they will work to optimize the video on the platform, prioritizing it over other types of posts and media.  Best to start utilizing this opportunity now.

Facebook Marketing Strategy Tip: Most people view video with the sound off in their Facebook news feed.  Be sure to either automate or add subtitles.  Also optimize each video for title and key words on Facebook in edit mode for each video.  Make play lists and use the Featured Video option.

Also note that uploading video to Facebook is different than posting a link to a YouTube video, and will get entirely different results.

Facebook Marketing Strategy Sum Up

You should now have an understanding of the opportunities to use video in your Facebook marketing strategy, and why using it is a good investment for your business.

• Live video can bring a lot of engagement
• Facebook Stories allows you to utilize content with lower production effort
• Organic Uploads lets you showcase your brand

Regardless of your content style, there is a way to connect with your fans and followers in new and meaningful ways at a time when our society is more and more visual every day.

Your Turn

Do you have any new thoughts on your Facebook strategy plan?

How will you use video in your Facebook marketing strategy?

Beginners and experts: What did we leave out?  What additional questions about Facebook video can we answer?

Please share your questions and comments below...  :)