Social media has quickly become an important aspect of business, especially in the realm of recruiting. As the world becomes smaller through technology, it’s become more important for companies to find efficient ways to connect. Internet video is the obvious answer: they can communicate more information than the written word in a shorter period of time. There are pitfalls to videos, though: they can be expensive, inauthentic, and lengthy. All three are off-putting to producers and consumers alike.
But micro-videos can be the answer to all three. Instagram and Vine (a new Twitter service) both offer the ability to easily make super-short video posts, and the advantages of these services may be more beneficial than you think. Dr. John Sullivan wrote about said advantages and how they can help your business. Here’s what he had to say:
Low Cost. Instagram and Vine are first and foremost mobile applications, which means that any top-tier, expensive production is pretty much out of the picture. All it takes is some creativity and your thumbs, and voilà, you’re already on your way. If you get more people on board, that’s an even higher number of employees creating an even higher number of videos at little-to-no cost.
Authenticity. Since these micro-video services utilize a personal camera on a phone or tablet, gimmicky production techniques won’t stand in your way, thereby making you more ‘real’. Keep in mind that this doesn’t make you cheap or crummy. You’re going all Blair Witch Project on your marketing, which means that the authenticity and vulnerability makes your video more effective.
Brevity. Studies have shown that people tend to stop watching a YouTube video after the first 3 minutes. This can be a problem for businesses with a lot to say. As an answer to this short attention span, Vine videos have a maximum length of 6 seconds, and Instagram videos have a maximum length of 15 seconds. Shorter videos demand less of a viewer, and in a world where social media users are bombarded by all sorts of content 24/7, less is definitely more.
So if you’re looking to fully utilize video services to market, connect, and recruit consumers, micro-videos may be the best option for you. After all, even basic commercials on television have to say a lot in a compressed time frame, so don’t be worried by micro-video’s juvenile appearance. They can benefit you in ways that no 10-minute YouTube ad ever will.
Read all of Dr. Sullivan’s article on the advantages of micro-video here.
