With over 3 billion monthly users (which accounts for about 37% of the global population), Facebook remains the leader when it comes to social media platforms. So it’s safe to say you’ll want a brand presence on there, if you haven’t one already. Adding to this, it is the second most popular platform for video marketing (first is YouTube). Which is why today we’re talking how to use video on Facebook, and boost your online presence.
Video Success on Facebook
As stated above, Facebook is still the most popular when it comes to monthly users. In that alone, your potential audience reach is well worthwhile. But your potential reach through video is even greater! As of 2024, Facebook users spend about 50% of their scrolling time watching video, garnering a whopping 200 billion views for FB video daily! Not too shabby.
As to the demographics for FB, currently ages 25-34 are in the lead at making up 24.4% of its viewership. However, ages 35-44 trail just a bit behind at 18.8%. Globally, men make up the greater representation at 56.3%, with women showing up at around 43.7%.
How to Post Video on Facebook
Creating posts on Facebook is relatively easy, and with video, it’s no different. But, to simplify it even further for you, we’ve attached a written tutorial here, giving you a general overview of posting steps.
To take it a more detailed step further, however, below is a quick video tutorial on how to create (and post) a Facebook Reel.
FB Reels are similar to Instagram Reels, in that they are in vertical format and only last up to 90s. In fact, Facebook’s video options are basically the same as Instagram’s, since FB also has Video Posts, Video Stories, as well as Video Reels (unsurprisingly, since both platforms fall under the Meta umbrella).
When it comes to deciding which type of video will work best for you, well, it depends. We recommend using the full assortment of options depending on your video post. Reels tend to perform the best, as they are short-form and are shown to viewers outside of your followers. However, you might have need to post longer videos, so would do better doing so through a regular video post. Ultimately, you make the call.
For full technical video specifications, click here.
How to Create Great Video for Facebook
As with all social media, creating great video for each platform depends solely on who your audience is. The same applies to Facebook. Hone in on who your target audience is, and create starting from their “pain point” (aka their problem) that needs solving. Ask yourself, “Does my video tell how we/our product/solution solves their problem? Or, at the very least, begin to do so?”
Some other essential steps to consider when creating video for FB are the following:
- Keep it mobile friendly! 65% of all Facebook video views come from smartphones. Not to mention, vertical video with audio performs best on the platform.
- Include closed captions. A whopping 85% of users watch video with the sound off, so be sure to get your message seen by including closed captions.
- Don’t forget Facebook video ads. Facebook video ads show greater user engagement, and garner 6 times more engagement than static ads!
- High quality sound and lighting. Invest in a solid microphone for your video creation (trust us, it’s worth it!), as well as ensuring great lighting (natural light works great if on a budget!). We order from this company on the regular, and their customer support team is awesome.
- Keep your message clear. Whether your video is lighthearted or thought-provoking, always be sure your message is clear. Keep it simple, and with a strong call-to-action at the end.
Optimizing Your Facebook Video
All social media generally has some form of analytics by which to measure overall posting success. Facebook, however, has the most advanced. If you are a business, you’ll have the opportunity to set up Meta Business Suite, where you’ll be able to manage all your business activity as well as view analytics. This helps in informing what is working and (just as importantly) what isn’t working, so you can adjust your video posts over time (if needed).
While Facebook itself gives some useful tips on optimizing your videos here, another key element to consider (like it or not) is its ever-changing algorithm. Essentially, Facebook (and all social media) employ these algorithms, that rank content by a set of rules. Basically, Facebook evaluates every post, then shows each according to its relevance to the individual viewer. In short, if a post appears more relevant than yours, Facebook will show that other post first.
While this may feel daunting, the good news is you do have some level of control. And that lies within your audience engagement. This is, actually, something you have in common with Facebook. You both want to continually improve your user’s experience. Best way to do that? Engage, listen, and respond.
Social media is an ever-changing world, so expect your journey on it to be as well. Have patience with the process, interact consistently with your audience, and keep your brand objectives (and message) clear.