Twitter Shares Key Video Best Practices to Maximize Engagement

[SaraGonzales]

You've no doubt heard this before, but video is the best performing content type across all social platforms - and Twitter is no exception. According to research, Tweets with video see 10x more engagement than those without, while Promoted Tweets with videos save more than 50% on cost-per-engagement.

If you can create video content, you should - and this week, to provide even more context, Twitter has published its latest findings on video engagement within tweets, partnering with GroupM to glean some new perspective into how Twitter users are responding to videos posted in the app.

First off, Twitter notes that overall video engagement is rising.

As per Twitter:

"Consumers globally are spending 86% more time consuming digital video than in 2016. On Twitter specifically, we've seen a 62% year-over-year increase in daily video views and a 72% year-over-year increase in watch time."

That comes as little surprise, especially amid the COVID-19 lockdowns. So how can brands maximize their Twitter videos, and generate more engagement with their content.

Twitter provides these data-backed tips":

1. "Keep it short and simple"
Twitter says that grabbing attention fast is key to stopping users as they scroll through the Twitter feed:

"When a message is conveyed in the first 3 seconds of a video ad, there's a 13% increase in overall breakthrough metrics."

I mean, I'm not sure what a "breakthrough metric" is, specifically, but the concept is clear - you're far more likely to grab attention if you can push your key messaging up front, helping to capture users in the fast-moving tweet stream.

Twitter also says that brand videos should be kept at or under 15 seconds to maximize impact, while the accompanying tweet copy should also be short and sweet (under 100 characters)​ in order to help guide users towards the video content.

2. "Include product and people"
Twitter says that brands should look to open their video ads with the product in focus:

"When a video starts on a product, there's a 24% increase in positive interest and 34% increase in click intent."

Of course, that would also be somewhat relative to the product and ad targeting, but the idea, again, is that you need to grab people's attention quickly, helping to connect viewers to the product/s being showcased.

You should then look to show how the product is used - Twitter says that videos which portray "a positive human interaction or human desire for a product" see increased overall response of around 40%.

Product, usage, and story - the key elements of an effective Twitter video campaign.

And, of course, branding - aside from the first note on communicating your key message up front, Twitter also says that:

"Displaying your brand for more than half of the video resulted in a 25% increase in aided brand recall and a 21% increase in message recall."

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Establishing your brand is a key consideration - and as you can see in the above video from Nike, it doesn't necessarily have to be overt. But it should be present, in order to help establish that connection.

3. "Use visual cues"
Though Twitter does say that overt branding can also be effective - furthering its branding advice, Twitter advises that brands should consider positioning their logo within the video frame in order to further underline association.

"We recommend a permanent placement in the upper-left or upper-right corner of the frame. When videos contain clear logo placement, there is a 30% increase in unaided brand recall. Also, consider using a dynamic logo to draw attention to your brand or product as it can lead to a 14% increase in unaided brand recall."

Twitter also advises that brands utilize a "sound-off" strategy to maximize reach and resonance, as many viewers will come across your video content on mobile devices, and likely at times when they don't have access to sound. Twitter notes that the availability of captions can drive 28% longer view time on video content.

These are some good tips, and worthy considerations for your video campaigns - on Twitter, specifically, but likely on most social platforms, where people are increasingly viewing video content via mobile device. With many other distractions calling for people's attention, the main point here is that you need to grab that focus quickly, and establishing your branding to solidify connection.

Effective branding will also give your content a more professional look, which can help to communicate quality and trust, and further reinforce your core messaging.