What kind of content is best for your brand? While it’s common to think about messaging, appearance, and creator partners, there are other details to consider about how you want your content to function. Many brands will need to consider whether their content will debut in the form of video or still content, like images or text.
It’s strategic, dear Watson
You know video content when you see it. It’s vibrant, compelling, and is inherently eye-catching with its use of movement. Video content is consistently ranked as a top format because it performs better and is typically more memorable than still content. Studies have shown that video ads perform 48% better than their still counterparts. But are there instances where still content is better?
Video content, which is a form of static content, is highly effective when used appropriately. But technological issues that affect buffering, quality, and loading times can put a damper on its functionality. Brands should consider if they have the bandwidth not only to create video content, which is more intensive and time-consuming than still content but if their platforms have the power to support quality playback for a good consumer experience.
Video tells the story
Another thing to consider is the inherent storytelling element to video content. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a video worth? Most platforms have limits to how long video content can be, and that’s a good thing.
Research suggests that the optimal video length is much shorter than the video lengths available on most platforms. For example, even though Facebook lets users post up to 240-minute videos, the optimal length is between 15 seconds and three minutes. Therefore, it stands to reason that shorter is better – which means that the story and the pitch need to come across in just a few well-executed frames.
Thriving on social
Luckily, most social platforms today are all-in on video content and have mature infrastructures that support quality playback. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest all lend themselves to being high-yield curators of video content.
Innumerable industries would do well to use video content. Anything that fixates on showing, rather than telling, would benefit from fast-paced, quick-hitting video elements. Think of apparel, food and beverage, entertainment, and sporting brands that use it well. Adidas, for example, is a top video content curator with an army of micro-influencers that keep growing and performing daily.
Images still compete
For all of video content’s benefits, there’s something to be said of still content like a classic image and text combination. Still content is typically simpler to create and update compared to video content, which makes it a great option for brands relying heavily on content creators to support their brand.
While many creators are skilled in photography and video editing, others may outsource those needs to other skilled artists. No matter how you look at it, an influencer is going to spend significant time developing content for your brand, from the imagery to the copy and everything in between.
With the same technological advancements that enable social platforms to support video content, so too are they equipped to support high-quality still image-based content – often with better processing rates. But the drawback is that some platforms like TikTok are exclusively devoted to video content, which means that brands would have to get creative – or produce even more.
Therefore, it’s helpful to work photo and text content into your strategy in order to support your creator community. If you’re going to suggest or require video content to be part of your deliverable, consider adding more lead time to your creator’s content deadline.
Por qué no los dos?
Consider industries that would benefit from still content. Think of lifestyle brands that feature beautiful still imagery and engaging Instagram posts, or your favorite travel creator that just posted the most incredible snap of their latest adventure. Just as video has a storytelling element, other content does, too – but sometimes, the story is the fantasy we formulate for ourselves. Most things in life require a balance – and that’s true of your content mix. Because video and still content have such strong merits between them, why not use both?
Key points
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- Video and still content have their merits depending on the need
- Consider your target audience and their attention span. Would they stick around for video content? Would still content bore them?
- When developing your content strategy, consider a balanced mix of video and still content
- Mavrck can help you organize your content creator strategies to get the best content for your campaign
