If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is worth exponentially more (not just in words, but in dollars, too!). Gone are the days when video was a ‘nice to have’ — now, it’s an absolute ‘must have’ for brands to attract their target audience and differentiate themselves from their competitors on social media.
According to research by Google and Ipsos, Global, more than half of shoppers say online video has helped them decide which specific brand or product to buy. Also, a survey by Wyzowl found that 84% of people say they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.
Still, many small businesses and nonprofits aren’t taking advantage of video marketing’s potential. Why? The primary hesitation is that it’s intimidating. With no trained videographers in-house, they fear they don’t have the skills to implement video into their social media strategies successfully.
We get it…dipping your toes into the proverbial video waters can be scary.
Fortunately, tools exist to help novices create engaging and professional-looking videos.
Leverage Easy-to-Use Video Editing Software for Beginners
If you’re new to video content creation, a reliable video editing tool with an intuitive interface will make the learning curve less steep. Consider the options below; they make it easy for even beginners to produce polished videos and post them to their social media channels.
CapCut – CapCut is a robust free app (web, desktop, and mobile) that offers a rich selection of templates and features. With a CapCut Pro subscription, you can get even more features, effects, design elements, and capabilities for under $10 a month.
Canva – This template-based app (desktop, web, and mobile) enables you to create videos using your own video content and/or content from their inventory of stock content. There’s a free version with standard features and stock content (premium content and tools are available for an extra fee) and subscription plans that include enhanced features and premium content.
In-app editing – Instagram and TikTok have built-in video editing tools, so you can shoot video footage with your phone while in the app, edit it on the spot, and post it. While the social media in-app editing features aren’t as robust as those available in Canva or CapCut, they offer ample versatility and ease of use.
You can find a plethora of how-to videos and articles online to help you learn the ropes as you use these tools.
CapCut for Video Editing
Out of the list above, CapCut reigns as our all-time favorite. It is an all-in-one, intuitive platform with just the right amount of bells and whistles for crafting captivating videos. CapCut has a wide array of templates (something for every possible scenario you might think of) that you can use for laying out your clips and scripting your video.
We like to record video footage with our phones and upload it to CapCut for editing. This saves time and simplifies the process of creating one video that fits all social media platforms.
Other cool features and convenient functionality we love about CapCut include:
Teleprompter – If the thought of memorizing a script leaves you in a cold sweat, CapCut’s teleprompter feature is just what the doctor ordered. It enables you to type a script that displays on your screen — then, you can read that script while shooting your footage or recording a voice-over during editing or working with b-roll video. It’s great for beginners who want to narrate their videos without missing any important message points.
Text to Speech – This is a great feature for adding audio without the messy process of dubbing sound over video content. CapCut’s text-to-voice generator converts what you type in the text-to-speech box into audio. You can choose from diverse languages and voice characteristics (such as male, female, tone, etc.) and set the speech rate and volume.
Speech to Text – By automating subtitles in your video, tedious transcription is a thing of the past.
Screen Recorder – For presentation videos, CapCut’s free online screen recorder offers a lot of flexibility. You can capture the entire screen, specific regions, or selected application windows. The feature also provides various audio options.
Effects and Filters – The effects, animations, transitions, and stickers available in CapCut create endless possibilities for augmenting your videos with elements that highlight key footage, create a seamless flow, and engage your audience. The app offers many filter options as well for adjusting the look and feel of your videos.
Investing in Video Content Is Time and Money Well-Spent
Video marketing is especially vital for e-commerce brands and other businesses whose target audiences want to see products and services in action before they click to purchase or subscribe.
According to The State of Video Marketing 2023 report by Wyzowl:
96% of marketers say video marketing has increased user understanding of their product or service.
95% say video marketing has helped them increase brand awareness.
91% say video marketing has helped them increase traffic.
90% say video marketing has helped them generate more leads.
87% say video marketing has helped them increase sales.
92% say video marketing gives them a good return on their investment.
All are compelling incentives to find the time and motivation to incorporate video into your social media strategy! If you don’t feel confident about doing it on your own or want to maximize your results, consider hiring an experienced video team to craft memorable brand videos and produce b-roll footage to add dimension, fill in gaps, or smooth out rough spots in your projects.
You don’t have to go it alone! Let’s chat about how we can help you reap the rewards of video in your social media efforts.