Video marketing is enjoying peak popularity at the moment. There’s nothing like a video on social media to drive customer engagement. Currently, Instagram is probably the most used social media network. Consequently, its video service is extremely popular. Instagram users now watch videos 80% more than they did when the facility was launched. Couple that with its 1 billion active user base and you have a recipe for marketing success. No wonder 2 million advertisers use the platform to promote their products/services. Instagram is welcoming of marketers using their network to conduct their business and provides proactive support by offering different video ad formats.

If you want to learn how you can capitalize on Instagram video ads to woo new customers and retain the old, here’s how –

• Keep its design in mind – You may be able to access Instagram on a browser from your desktop now, but it was originally designed as a mobile app. Even today, most of Instagram’s features are only available on a smartphone. When you want to put out a video on Instagram, you need to keep this in mind. Keep the video dimensions either square or vertical but never horizontal. Additionally, keep the video length short.

• Understand audience attention span – Ever noticed a person checking their Instagram feed? They scroll through so fast that you won’t even get a chance to get them to watch your video if you don’t seize the first few seconds to make a statement they can’t ignore. You could make a slow-paced opening elsewhere. On Insta, for your video to get views you need to create a video with bold colors, movement and a catchy message. Since Instagram users are more likely to watch a video over simply looking at a static photo, include enough movement into the first couple of seconds so they can tell the difference.

• Follow stated guidelines – Optimize your video settings on Instagram if you want them to rate your video highly so it reaches more users. Instagram has certain specifications for the videos it displays on its app – try to abide by these. Tweak video resolution, format, file size and so on accordingly.

• Incorporate text into your videos – Instagram videos play muted as audio is muted by default on the app. So include a caption in the video so that at least the text draws their attention.

• Decide on your video length – With the attention span decreasing with every passing year, you need to fix a video length that will work for you. If you want users to watch full-length videos, your videos need to be short and precise, if possible, under 8 seconds long.

• Understand what reaction you want – Do you want the viewer to find out about your company, make a purchase or learn about a new product offering? First, find out what the purpose of your video will be and then proceed to create it. Don’t convolute the message by trying to get all of the above from one video. It will harm your marketing efforts.

• Utilize the different formats available – In-feed video ads perform differently than Stories ads. Examine which format gives you the best ROI and then stick to that. Stories offer many video features which you can use for better user engagement. So, if the original in-feed format doesn’t seem to give you the results you want, try out Stories videos instead.

• Masquerade the sales/marketing motive – Users are more likely to watch a video that isn’t explicitly promotional in nature. In-your-face marketing no longer works, realize this fact. It’s why, you – as a business, are using social media in the first place. Put out content that adds value to the audience’s life and mask your marketing intent as well as you can. The audience will receive and react to your video better.

In today’s age, you can’t skip out on social media marketing. Video is the most attractive marketing outlet and you must know how to leverage it in order to achieve your business goals. Try out the tips shared above and you should be able to build yourself an audience who will subscribe to your content and perhaps even profit your business.